Gym Machines and Good Form

[Gidds]

It's hot outside. It's cool in the gym. In your opinion: are any of the kinds of gym "running machines" "safe" to use or do they promote bad habits/poor form?

 

[Zetti]

what about this one???? perfect for a hot day

 

[Gidds]

Hee hee. Seriously though. One of my "bosses" just told me that doing nothing is fine as long as I am doing nothing, here, for 7.5 hours a day. That leaves me 3-5 hours to kill. They already know I spend a fair amount of paid time in the gym but I can only spend so much time lifting weights five days a week.

I suppose I can ride the stationary bike and listen to audiobooks.

What about the elliptical, the stair stepper, and the thing that looks like the love child of the elliptical and the stair stepper? Will they make me develop bad(worse) form? What about the treadmill?

I prefer to be totally barefoot while running and find that I have much better form but I doubt I can get away with that. I am, however allowed to wear VFFs in the gym.

Thoughts? Advice?

 

[NickW]

I don't know if any of these machines promote bad form. I just started to use the recumbent bike this week as a way to cross train on non-run days. I'll let you know if, how, it affects my running.

 

[RunningPirate]

what about this one???? perfect for a hot day

Zetti! I have not thought of Wonder Wheel in years!

Wonder Wheel aside, I think you can run on a treadmill (yeah - boring) and still maintain good form. You might get a little used to the comfy ride, but it's better than nada...

 

[Abide]

I'd use a stair stepper, treadmill, bike and rower if they have one. I wouldn't use the ellipticals or wannabes though, mostly because they just look ridiculous.

 

[Gidds]

I have my own rower. They have two kinds of bikes. I'm going to ask the head honcho if I can run barefoot or in socks on the treadmill but he'll probably tell me no.

 

[Abide]

FWIW they kind of suck barefoot if you run more than a mile anyway, definitely a sole killer. Is it really that hot outside?

 

[Gidds]

Yes it is.

 

[BFwillie_g]

if you have a chance to use one of these, called the Summit Trainer:

do it.

the video doesn't show a fraction of the possibilities. These machines are awesome and a runner's best friend, srsly.

 

[Gidds]

Ah ha! That's the thing I said was a hybrid of the stair stepper and the elliptical. We only have one but I never see anybody on it.

 

[BFwillie_g]

ah, ok, I see what you mean now. Yeah, that's the one. Make friends with it. They're usually available , like you said, lol. I can give you a LOT of info on how to get the most out of it... but not now; Bedtime in Central Europe.

 

[Gidds]

You sir are a masochist! I made it for four minutes and now I fear I will not be able to walk up or down stairs or use my abs for the rest of the day. Oof! I hope I can do five whole minutes on Wednesday. Now I recall why gym machines remind me of medieval torture devices.

Edit: Why doesn't it make my knees grind? Normally my knees make grinding noises if I go up stairs (chondromalacia). Maybe I just couldn't hear it over the labored, ragged gasping for breath?

 

[Bare Lee]

Better start saving my pennies . . .

 

[Gidds]

To buy a medeival torture device or are you guys taking bets on how long I can use the summit trainer before having a heart attack?

 

[RunningPirate]

Now I recall why gym machines remind me of medieval torture devices.

....because they are? If Torquemada were alive today, instead of the rack, he'd be using Nautilus machines and stair steppers....

...and on a completely unrelated note, did anyone notice that the woman in the video really needed to get her nails done? I mean...not that I notice...you know...these things or anything...um...yah....well, this is awkward...

 

[BFwillie_g]

You sir are a masochist! I made it for four minutes and now I fear I will not be able to walk up or down stairs or use my abs for the rest of the day.

Hey there ....

I normally get 60-90 minutes on it, and always switch back and forth between exercises, kind of an interval-style training. If it's that hard for you, then I'd suggest experimenting with the level a bit. If it's too light, you'll move too quickly and it'll be awkward; if it's set too heavy, well, oooooof! You have to find the sweet spot and I think it depends in part on yuor body weight. Try the 4-8 range and see how it feels.

As I said, you can get quite a total body workout on the thing, especially for everything south of the navel. Some variations to try:

• lean forward with your hands on (or near) the HR pegs. This forces you to do all the work with your legs. It looks like you're relaxing, taking a break, but in fact you're working harder.
• Lift the "inactive" foot, the one travelling upward, from the platform. When the phases changes, stomp down on the platform. This works the flexors in the up phase and brings some good impact to the down phase.
• Lean forward far enough that you can really extend the legs completely, and give an extra push from the ankle at the end of the cycle. Works the calf/achilles nicely.
• Hold the side bars and lean backward somewhat. Sitting here writing, I can't remember what exactly this does, but you'll feel it. Keep the feet completely flat on the platforms when you do this.

Experiment a bit and report back! If you start using the Summit Trainer regularly, you'll notice the effect in your running very soon, especially hill running.

 

[Bare Lee]

To buy a medeival torture device or are you guys taking bets on how long I can use the summit trainer before having a heart attack?

Hmnn, I guess both . . .

 

[Gidds]

I'll try those suggestions. The upper handles seemed a little high for me to grab. I am 5'7" (170.18cm) 140lbs (63.5kg). We don't have any hills here but I like to hike in the mountains and there is this gorge I want to hike down into but my husband won't let me because a.) he doesn't want to carry my carcass back out and b.) my knee caps flying off my legs and ricocheting might injure other hikers.

Edit: Hopefully I can do at least five minutes. In my own self-defense I had already done all my lower body weight training before I got on the Summit of Doom yesterday.

Edit Edit: Ten minutes on the Summit of Doom! I tried the "fat burning" mode, which requires a lowish heart rate. That did not go over well. Couldn't get it under 168. I also tried level 2. I can mostly handle that. Hanging onto the HR pegs seems most comfortable for now, haven't tried the moving handles yet. Then I went and did upper body and core weight training.

 

[Gidds]

Spent 15 minutes climbing the Summit of Doom today while sweating profusely all over my IBRD shirt and trying to go as slow as possible so I can make use of the Fat Burn function. Going to try 20 minutes on Friday, 25 if I am feeling really energetic!