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Home elliptical trainer recs

Tenacious E

HR Legend
Dec 4, 2001
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We got a pretty nice treadmill but I don’t really like/use it. It replaced an old elliptical that went to pasture. Traveling and used a precor at the gym and I forgot how much I loved the elliptical. Not looking to spend 4K on a gym quality machine, but will spend 1K to 2k on the right one. Sole looks to be what looks best right now but thought I would seek wisdom from the HORT Collective. Thoughts? TIA!
 
House shopping now. We have a Nordic stationary bike but I don't like it. Going with a Nordic Treadmill after purchase. Elliptical always had a strange motion for me. I never liked them
 
Just gave ours away a couple months ago. Cost about $1,000 new and was old but in 9/10 condition. Suffice to say we didn’t use it like we’d planned.
 
House shopping now. We have a Nordic stationary bike but I don't like it. Going with a Nordic Treadmill after purchase. Elliptical always had a strange motion for me. I never liked them
Wendy is right they each have their own feel. I hate some. Love others. I will test them out I was looking for more recs on quality, durability, etc…
 
Just gave ours away a couple months ago. Cost about $1,000 new and was old but in 9/10 condition. Suffice to say we didn’t use it like we’d planned.
I like ellipticals because they are easy on the knees, and you can really dial in the workload to keep your heart rate within a 5 BPM range, regardless of the song you are listening to, as you can change the resistance and slope.
 
See I liked them because a treadmill is hard on back and knees. My body appreciates an elliptical

Running is a natural motion, but I agree as "Runner's Knee" is a real thing. I always felt the elliptical was going to injury me as the motion didn't feel natural
 
GUEST_53ef9925-9f96-4da1-9a6e-79ef78314baf
Here you go-only $16.99 and will save you tons of money on the more expensive exercise clothes racks. Beers on you at the 2031 Iowa FSU football game.
 
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I bought a Matrix elliptical from Johnson Fitness 1.5 years ago. It cost about 5k though. There were cheaper versions of it available but nothing less than around 3k if I remember right. I was very close to buying one of the upper level Sole machines before I found this one and gave it a try. We’ve been very happy. But you’re right, for the 1 to 2k level it seemed like some was the best available according to my research.

It has a workout called sprint 8 that only takes 20 minutes but absolutely kills you. It’s like doing a fartlek workout on an elliptical. You do eight 30 second all out sprints on it followed by 1.5 minutes of easy cool down. By the 8th sprint you want to die. One of my teenagers started to cry by the end of the workout.

We also have a bare bones Nordic track commercial grade treadmill that I bought almost 10 years ago. It has a few pre programmed workouts but almost nothing else for bells and whistles. I just didn’t care about all the frills but really wanted commercial grade. Everyone told us it would become a clothes hanger but I’ll bet between my entire family it’s got close to 10k miles on it.
 
I bought a Matrix elliptical from Johnson Fitness 1.5 years ago. It cost about 5k though. There were cheaper versions of it available but nothing less than around 3k if I remember right. I was very close to buying one of the upper level Sole machines before I found this one and gave it a try. We’ve been very happy. But you’re right, for the 1 to 2k level it seemed like some was the best available according to my research.

It has a workout called sprint 8 that only takes 20 minutes but absolutely kills you. It’s like doing a fartlek workout on an elliptical. You do eight 30 second all out sprints on it followed by 1.5 minutes of easy cool down. By the 8th sprint you want to die. One of my teenagers started to cry by the end of the workout.

We also have a bare bones Nordic track commercial grade treadmill that I bought almost 10 years ago. It has a few pre programmed workouts but almost nothing else for bells and whistles. I just didn’t care about all the frills but really wanted commercial grade. Everyone told us it would become a clothes hanger but I’ll bet between my entire family it’s got close to 10k miles on it.
That's a ton of money to just sit around and hang clothing on. The companies know this.

OP you are better off getting a gym membership and going there for years before buying one of these.
 
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That's a ton of money to just sit around and hang clothing on. The companies know this.

OP you are better off getting a gym membership and going there for years before buying one of these.
You’re right, a gym membership could be cheaper. But nothing beats the ability to get your workout done exactly when you want to and then get a shower quickly in your own home. I care more about the time I’m saving. But if time isn’t a factor then I’d also go with a gym too as it will cost less initially and have way more options.
 
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Have you done the walking at incline cardio workout? Like 12+ incline and 3.5 mph? It kicks my arse...

That's pretty much what I do, at a slightly lower pace. 12.5 (the highest setting on my treadmill) at 3.3 or 3.4 mph. Between 45 minutes and an hour. Quite easy on the knees compared to jogging, which I like to do, but my knees/feet think otherwise. It will make you sweat like crazy and burn those calories.
 
You spend a lot of time in the showers??

Nope, never been in the shower. But since this happened I don't even use the lockers anymore.

 
Exactly why I ponied up for the exercise equipment over the years.
Yes. Especially before work when, depending on where your gym would otherwise be, the extra 10 to 30 minutes of driving and trudging through the cold/snow/ice before work are so precious.
 
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