Well, the bad news is that my river trail has closed for most of the rest of the year so I’m down to the gym for now. I’m going to miss it and have to find a replacement.

So I’m trying to determine the best cardio for me. Nevermind, I need a project. It’s kind of interesting to try the different machines with an unconnected heart rate monitor and realize the differences in “perceived effort”. I ran across the term when checking out the Arc trainer and decided to do some tests. So far I’ve done the elliptical, stairmaster, and both upright and recumbent bikes. I’ve held out on the treadmill because I’m such a klutz I’m pretty sure I’d fall off the back.

So far the stairmaster has the record for getting my heartrate into my target zone the fastest at under 5 minutes, followed by the elliptical at 6-8 minutes. The weird thing is that on the upright bike it took 20 minutes and I was sweating like a dog and on the recumbent I can’t even get there. The limiting factor seems to be leg strength, but I’m really surprised at what a difference just being upright makes over being seated. :blink: I’m not using arms on anything so that will probably push the elliptical up although I haven’t done the Arc on my little test yet or the treadmill. The stairmaster tricked me. I have run up and down stairs a lot, I used to be faster than elevators, and until recently lived in a third floor walk-up. I’ll tell you what; having the stairs move under me instead of me moving on fixed stairs takes the prize for me feeling like I’m gonna fall off, that’s for sure.

I wish there were still cross country ski trainers, it would be an interesting comparison. I used to have one way back when and it would kick my butt regularly. Tomorrow I’ll time the Arc and see how fast my HR goes up and see if I can get a winner for most efficient cardio workout by which gets my HR going fastest while killing me the least. :cheesy:

Hey, somebody’s gotta do it.

My friend Teresa and I have been killing it at the gym! Officially down 10lbs since December. I have 11 more lbs to hit my first goal. :)

Kelt, I assume it is adding your body weight to the mix on the steps and elliptical that makes the difference. It is not the same on the bicycles. You have to start working harder right away. The stairs more than the elliptical. That is why it is the winner (I think I am making this whole thing up, but it sounds logical).

I have never liked the stairs because it isn't sustainable for me. I don't like the treadmill because the arches in my feet hurt and my arms aren't getting any resistance. The bike just doesn't get up the heart rate and I burn less calories (plus, again, no workout for the arms). We don't have an Arc at my gym, so it is the elliptical for me. I'm happy with it.

Spot on, it is the increased body weight for the actual HR. I'm certain that the perception of effort on the bikes is because that set of muscles isn't used to being used that way. Using the weak set makes it feel harder, when the cardio reality is different (for me).

It's that bit about perception I found to be interesting. I also know a really good way to strengthen my quads and lower legs now. :cheesy: Just get on a bike.

Now I'm just going to do the battle of the elliptical and the Arc to see which wins. I'm struggling to sustain my attention in a gym, I gotta make it a wager or something with myself.

I've been in a cycle of not catching up on my sleep and thus not exercising. It's frustrating. I do well on the weekends and then once the work week starts, I fall apart. Work has been extra busy and the weather has been cold, so I just need to be mentally stronger and stick to better routines. Easier said than done.

I'm not so crazy about the treadmill because it jars my back and feels like too much shock. I don't like to do it every day. I like the stair master because ironically it does not put much pressure on my knees. I hold the sides which takes away all the gravitational pressure and shock, and yet still I can get my heart rate high easily. I find it much more difficult than stair climbing (which I also enjoy) because one can adjust one's pace even unconsciously unlike on a machine where the stairs do not ease up! It gives me a very challenging work-out every time unlike the other machines. I love it!

So I seem to be struggling to hit my 10 steps during the work week too. I work a desk job and just don't get many opportunities to walk around unless I am walking to and from someone's desk to answer a question. I use my 15 minute breaks to go for walks though at least. I think I am going to have to start using the gym 3 days a week to offset the lack of walking.

walking that's all i do lol . im on my feet all day long. i walk all over my city. i wish i knew how many steps i've taken just in my career alone. well over 10'000 im sure. but walking is good makes me feel good . christmas morning i walked 6 miles on a chrisp beautiful morning. i think i'll do it again soon .

30 minutes of cardio followed by about an hour of strength training exercises. It was great!! :-)

It's heard to change surfaces, no doubt. My feet go numb at about 15-20 minutes, I'm not 100% sure why but I think for me it's because my feet stay in contact and therefore don't flex enough to keep good circulation. It could be my imagination though because it doesn't happen on a bike.

It's not just ellipticals that are off, it's all of them that use HR in their calculations if it is based on the built in grip-style monitors, the sensors need to be re-calibrated regularly and rarely are. Combine that with not being in contact at all times and there is your margin of error. That's why I wear a chest strap that 'talks' to the internal sensor, it's consistent across devices and platforms. If it doesn't have a HR input then it's mostly guessing at your effort level and using an algorithm with age/weight, and time/distance.

For me the bike is the hardest to generate enough effort for reasons Dapper brought up. Tell us how that works out for you, I'd like to see the comparison.

Breaking news:

http://www.blessthisstuff.com/imagen...ning-shoes.jpg

1) Laughed my ass off at this.

2) Really wish I'd had these 30 years ago.

3) Hmm, maybe.

:blink:

I got the Boogie Fever all over my room. Great workout.. doing the bump, bump, bump...

One hour on the treadmill doing jogging/fast walking at an incline intervals :)

I get the numbness right before the burn. Same thing for me; it's better with the treadmill and the bike. The pressure on the bottom of the feet is less consistent with them.

I didn't say the elliptical was the only one who's calculations are off. I said it was the one that was off by the most if I remembered right.

These machines aren't new to me. I'm just irritated that my PT doctor, who is a baby, might know my body more than I do and I've been inside of it for 40 years now.

*grumpy*

My discomfort from this morning continued throughout the day. I didn't want to take anything so I could let her know how it traveled and progressed but I really wanted to.

Did I mention I'm grumpy?

Being tired and very uncomfortable is not a good combination.

*whine*



WTH is that?

I took the dog out for a walk today. I'm trying to teach him to walk himself so I won't have to exercise at all.

I'm late - This was last night!
I have been trying to make 10,000 steps a day on my Fitbit and had to hit the treadmill for 20 minutes at 3.5 last night to get it there. :hangloose:

I am going on a long (for me at least) hike today, around 10 miles
I wonder if I should take a before and after picture, hah

Happy to have a three day weekend and do some catching up at the gym (Yes, I know one can't really catch up, but for me it's better than not trying). First I did one hour on the Free Motion Treadmill. I did an 18 uphill incline at 3.5 and alternated every 15 seconds between holding the top bars and jogging (without holding onto anything). It was a moderate work-out. Then I did 30 minutes on the stair master, intervals at "moderate intensity" except for me it is always intense- which I love! Then I did 30 minutes on the Arc Trainer at 100 resistance and holding 2.5 jelly weights which I moved in a jogging style motion alternating with holding them up like a zombie for 15 seconds (That is a great way to keep the heart rate up). It was a rather low intensity work-out but happy to be mixing it up anyway. Then I did a combined hour of weight lifting, ab exercises, yoga, tai chi, and stretching. I hung out most of the day with my friend, Marilyn. She told me in one of my poses that I was to hold my head high, not down. I said, "But it's hard to balance." She said, "No it isn't. Your head weighs 10 pounds" (meant as a general statement). She was right.

Had an early morning swim to a sand bar approximately .5 miles out. Cross winds at 15 to 20 knots, it truly kicked my ass! I am built like a tank, very dense so sinking is truly an option. lol But I did it! Not a strong swimmer so an accomplishment for me. Oh, did I mention it took 3 hours? I keed.

Here is how I felt, like this bloke afterwards.

http://hopskipjumparound.files.wordp...vies-700px.jpg

I had a wonderful work-out today. I basically spent the day at the gym, including hanging out with some of my always-at-the-gym pals, Barbra and Lakisha. Snacks were had and lots of intense exercise. Blissful day.

First I did the Free Motion treadmill, 1 hour, 4 mph with an uphill incline that I decreased by 3 every fifteen minutes starting from 12. Yesterday I had done 18 and that had made my calves too tight so this was much better. I also liked the feel of the work-out getting progressively easier!

Then I did 30 minutes on the stair master, intervals, followed by 30 minutes on the upright bike.

Then I did a combined hour of weight lifting, lots of ab work, leg weights, and tons of stretching! I love how well I sleep after a day like today.

Got in hella steps today 14000 before midnight and I will still have 2 more hours of my shift and I am training a officer on the Quad and there are a lot of building to go through. Now this week I have to make up for my slack over the weekend but I am giving myself a break cause it was my birthday after all.

Some days it's exercise just to get up and get ready for work, especially on Mondays

I've been going in each day, there just hasn't been much to tell.

I'm using the elliptical on average 45 min a day. The intent is to do 20 at cardio HR which for me is 137, then of course (because I do it to myself) I find myself in front of a screen where they are doing a building redo on something historical and I have to see how it turns out.

I've been getting cardio headaches which has never happened until I moved. I've been giving credit to humidity levels but a couple of days ago I looked it up and found out I need more water. Who knew :blink:? So, I drink two large glasses before I go and another during and that seems to do the trick.

I've had to stop some of the resistance exercises, specifically some of my PT because it aggravates the heck out of my weak hip. Since I need to be doing it for my back I'm in one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't situations.

Carry on

I have lost considerable weight over the past year with the type of exercise I expend at work, which primarily consists of random, spur-of-the-moment episodes of either walking hurriedly to breaking out in a dead run or lazily sashaying myself around campus at work.

It's a tiring process but I think the quirkiness of my bouts of exercise has aided in my loss of weight, as well as making every bone in my body (seemingly), hurt.

Outside of my usual daily activities, I dont think I will miss the strenuous exercise I have endured, but will definitely need to come up with an exercise plan, once my job ends this month.

I am looking forward to summer when I can resume taking in some relaxing moments at the pool or down by the river.

:bouquet:

So yesterday, we tried something a little different to get our exercise in. We went to a place called Rockin Jump. It is basically an indoor trampoline park. We jumped and we jumped and we jumped, for an hour. Man I sure feel it in my knees today, but what an awesome workout.

Today is a rest day, aside from some walking, tomorrow we start our gym routine and training to run a 5k.