buying an elliptical

[gorie]

anyone here ever used the smooth ce (http://www.smoothfitness.com/products/models_ellipticalsce.htm) elliptical ?

i need to start getting in shape, and i'd like to buy an ellpitical. i'm not sure what kind is good that is within my price range, but this one seems to come up a lot. it has to be less than $1500.

anyone have recommendations ?

[SomethingClever]

You won't use it.

Instead, find something you really really love to do that also happens to be exercise and go nuts.

If you do really enjoy elliptical, please disregard.

[gorie]

i've never actually used one before, (i know it's stupid to spend that much without trying it) but i'm convinced having a piece of exercise equipment is better than not having one.

i'd be pretty motivated to use it. it might eventually end up being a clothes hanger, but i think i can get some good use out of it.

unfortunately there aren't really any sporty type things i like to do... :/

[Stuey]

Join a gym and go 3-5 times a week. Equipment in your home will go unused. If you manage to drag yourself to the gym you will exercise, as that is what is expected from people that go there. Seriously the only hard part is getting to the gym. You will never feel like going but once you get there you will find it easy to exercise and you always feel great after. Like cleaning the house it is hard to start but then it is easy to keep going and you always like the end results.

If you are worried about going to a gym because you feel out of shape and you think people will look at you weird you are probably wrong. People at the gym be they in shape or trying to get there have almost all been "new" to the gym scene at one time and they remember how it feels. Plus you will just blend in with all the resolutioners that show up in January so you won't be noticed and by the time they disappear around the end of February you will be in great shape and the gym will feel like home.

Join a gym and force yourself to go. 1 or 2 months and you will fit in I promise. If you can't bring yourself to join till you get in better shape walk or run outdoors. It is funner and it is free.

Edit: If you do find people staring at you in the gym it is not cuz you are fat and out of shape it's the boobs. Take it as a compliment it's not like we can actually look away voluntarily when they are moving. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Clarkmeister]

[ QUOTE ]


unfortunately there aren't really any sporty type things i like to do... :/

[/ QUOTE ]

[censored] more. With someone who lasts a long time.

[gorie]

thanks for your advice stuey i'm sure you are right, but i hate going places , and that isn't going to happen. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

Maybe you should try this thing called "jogging." Or maybe it's pronounced "yah-ging" with a soft j, I dunno. Apparrently you just run, it's sounds pretty easy.

[gorie]

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unfortunately there aren't really any sporty type things i like to do... :/

[/ QUOTE ]

[censored] more. With someone who lasts a long time.

[/ QUOTE ]

i'm not sure my boyfriend would approve ? (ha ha)
plus i doubt you can lose 50 lbs just from having sex.

[gorie]

[ QUOTE ]
Maybe you should try this thing called "jogging." Or maybe it's pronounced "yah-ging" with a soft j, I dunno. Apparrently you just run, it's sounds pretty easy.

[/ QUOTE ]

maybe you should try running with big boobs and see how that goes.
i don't like jogging.
especially not in the snow.

[ononimo]

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plus i doubt you can lose 50 lbs just from having sex.

[/ QUOTE ]

but wouldn't it be fun to try?
and do you really think you have 50lbs to lose?

[gorie]

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plus i doubt you can lose 50 lbs just from having sex.

[/ QUOTE ]

but wouldn't it be fun to try?
and do you really think you have 50lbs to lose?

[/ QUOTE ]

yes. i am 5'10 and weigh 192 lbs. i am getting too fat.
i was around 146 in high school, i doubt i will ever be that thin again but it'd be nice to be closer to that than 200.!

You'll never use it. $1500 on a piece of equipment that does one thing is ridiculous. Join a gym.

[XxGodJrxX]

If you just want to lose weight, I would recommend trying out Dance Dance Revolution at home. In my opinion, it is one of the most intense cardio one can do at the higher levels, and the fact that it is a game makes you play it more. I would say that playing for an hour can probably burn a thousand calories at higher levels.

If you have a playstation or x-box, check it out. If you don't have a games system, you can download DWI or Stepmania (google them), and you can play from your computer.

The fact that you are having fun exercising means you will keep playing, unlike an exercise machine which you would have to be extremely disciplined to keep up.

[bwana devil]

1. youve never used an elliptical machine

2. you dont do any "sports things" now

3. you want to spend up to $1500 the equipment

that sounds like a really bad idea. you don't have any experience, dont know your level of motivation and want to spend a boat load of money to develop those two things.

most people use their in-home equipment for less than a year.

id recommend one of two things:

1. buying used equipment(off craigslist). find someone else that bought it new and thought they would spend their life using it forever and then let it collect dust after 6 months. let them take the hit on the price.

2. or join a gym and pay a monthly fee. it will take a long time before your monthly fees add up to $1500. after the new year gyms have some specials because people start their new years resolutions. keep an eye out for those. they usually waive sign up fee or something along those lines.

[ononimo]

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plus i doubt you can lose 50 lbs just from having sex.

[/ QUOTE ]

but wouldn't it be fun to try?
and do you really think you have 50lbs to lose?

[/ QUOTE ]

yes. i am 5'10 and weigh 192 lbs. i am getting too fat.
i was around 146 in high school, i doubt i will ever be that thin again but it'd be nice to be closer to that than 200.!

[/ QUOTE ]

none of that came across in your photos ...

i agree with everyone who said it's better to join a gym than buy equipment but exercising at home is better than not exercising at all.

remember to start slow and don't get discouraged if you don't see immediate results. just stay at it. and eat right!

good luck!

[TimM]

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i've never actually used one before, (i know it's stupid to spend that much without trying it) but i'm convinced having a piece of exercise equipment is better than not having one.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd try one out in a store first, even if you are planning to buy it online.

[ QUOTE ]
Completely silent mechanics - whisper quiet.

[/ QUOTE ]

Stuff like this is important. I had a stationary bike that used air resistance. It was noisy and used to blow all the dust out from under my bed. /images/graemlins/smile.gif Of course it was only about $200.

[gorie]

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plus i doubt you can lose 50 lbs just from having sex.

[/ QUOTE ]

but wouldn't it be fun to try?
and do you really think you have 50lbs to lose?

[/ QUOTE ]

yes. i am 5'10 and weigh 192 lbs. i am getting too fat.
i was around 146 in high school, i doubt i will ever be that thin again but it'd be nice to be closer to that than 200.!

[/ QUOTE ]

none of that came across in your photos ...

i agree with everyone who said it's better to join a gym than buy equipment but exercising at home is better than not exercising at all.

remember to start slow and don't get discouraged if you don't see immediate results. just stay at it. and eat right!

good luck!

[/ QUOTE ]
thanks, but i weighed no less than 185 in those pictures.

[Adam Carolla]

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plus i doubt you can lose 50 lbs just from having sex.

[/ QUOTE ]

but wouldn't it be fun to try?
and do you really think you have 50lbs to lose?

[/ QUOTE ]

yes. i am 5'10 and weigh 192 lbs. i am getting too fat.
i was around 146 in high school, i doubt i will ever be that thin again but it'd be nice to be closer to that than 200.!

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok let's do some internet math here, gimme a minute...

I've got 5'8 3/4, 204. Yeah, you could lose some.

[ononimo]

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thanks, but i weighed no less than 185 in those pictures.

[/ QUOTE ]

and you were sitting down with your body partially obscured in all the ones i've seen so height and weight is hard to determine.

[gorie]

like i said, i know joining a gym is the best idea. but it's not going to happen. if that is my only option, i'll stay fat.

i don't really know about dance dance revolution but i could see something like that being a good idea if i could get into it. hmm.

[ononimo]

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like i said, i know joining a gym is the best idea. but it's not going to happen. if that is my only option, i'll stay fat.

[/ QUOTE ]

why do you hate gyms so much? and how would you rate your eating habits?

[[censored]]

vetoed.

why won't the gym thing happen? Couldn't you and BF go together?

[gorie]

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like i said, i know joining a gym is the best idea. but it's not going to happen. if that is my only option, i'll stay fat.

[/ QUOTE ]

why do you hate gyms so much? and how would you rate your eating habits?

[/ QUOTE ]

it's not that i hate gyms, but i hate going places. i have issues.

eating habits are bad but im working on that.

[Reqtech]

I've done a bit of home equipment purchasing myself lately. If you have the motivation, you'll use it. I use my new (5 months old) recumbent bike for a good 4 hours a week.

I wanted to get an elliptical at first, since that's what I used the most at the gym. I went to a few fitness stores (also the crappy sports good stores like sports authority and Dick's) to go for a few "test runs".

Obviously, the sports good stores elips are trash.

The only ones I liked cost about $2500 in store (and not much cheaper from the ones I found online). I'm 6'5, so that may be a factor due to the world being made for short people.

So the moral of my little story is to make sure you test out any machine that you're going to buy. What may be comfortable for me may not be comfortable for you.

[gorie]

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So the moral of my little story is to make sure you test out any machine that you're going to buy. What may be comfortable for me may not be comfortable for you.

[/ QUOTE ]

thanks, good point...
and good to know you get use out of yours /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[gorie]

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thanks, but i weighed no less than 185 in those pictures.

[/ QUOTE ]

and you were sitting down with your body partially obscured in all the ones i've seen so height and weight is hard to determine.

[/ QUOTE ]

yes, good example of why you must always ask for body shots before meeting girls online !! ! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[ononimo]

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thanks, but i weighed no less than 185 in those pictures.

[/ QUOTE ]

and you were sitting down with your body partially obscured in all the ones i've seen so height and weight is hard to determine.

[/ QUOTE ]

yes, good example of why you must always ask for body shots before meeting girls online !! ! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

trust me, i would have asked you for a full body pictorial if that was the case /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[astroglide]

why not diet? it's free.

[Stuey]

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like i said, i know joining a gym is the best idea. but it's not going to happen. if that is my only option, i'll stay fat.

[/ QUOTE ]

why do you hate gyms so much? and how would you rate your eating habits?

[/ QUOTE ]

it's not that i hate gyms, but i hate going places. i have issues.

eating habits are bad but im working on that.

[/ QUOTE ]

I can never tell when you are joking or being serious I imagine you have the same problem figuring me out as well. Either way if this is actually the reason you don't want to try a gym there is nothing to be ashamed of. You might think this is a major character flaw but it is minor if you ask me that is if you do something about it before you get really cutoff from the outside.

Everyone has flaws and most are much worse than this. Drugs, smoking, sleeping around, you just didn't pick a very fun flaw!

You can change your weight, health, and you can become a person that likes to go places and try new things. Or maybe just a person that can go places that they feel they need to go is enough lets not get carried away you might end up as a stripper! None of this will be easy but that's a good reason to try it imo. And the changes happen much faster than you can imagine.

I also don’t like to go places and I have a constant struggle to force myself to get to the gym. I really don’t like when there are lots of people there and I have been going for years. Plus I was into almost every sport when I was younger and still do several so most people think I should fit right in there. But I don’t fit and that is ok I’m not there to make friends or impress people. I don’t think the uneasy shy type feeling will ever go away but it never kills me and some chicks even think it’s cute.

For future reference if I ever say something mean to you I am not being serious. /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[gorie]

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why not diet? it's free.

[/ QUOTE ]

well, i still want to get exercise.

[bugstud]

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like i said, i know joining a gym is the best idea. but it's not going to happen. if that is my only option, i'll stay fat.

i don't really know about dance dance revolution but i could see something like that being a good idea if i could get into it. hmm.

[/ QUOTE ]

ddr is probably the most fun option.

[astroglide]

yeah, ddr is a good idea

[HtotheNootch]

Ellipticals are a good cardio machine. Since my knees are basically destroyed I have only two options - elliptical or bike. I can't stand bikes since I spent so much time on them when I was rehabbing my knee from its major hit.

If you'll actually use it, an elliptical's a good bet. However, I'd agree for the most part with those who suggest a gym.

[razor]

gorie,

I have a treadmill I use 5 times a week. Going to the gym may be cheaper but the time needed to travel to and from the gym is more valuable to me than the savings. If you are serious about this and keep up regular exercise it will be worth it. Of course, as others have noted, many people buy these things and keep them in the corner gathering dust.

[diebitter]

I recommend getting a dvd/tv set up in front of any static exercise machine (and infra-red/radio headphones too), so you can watch stuff while you train. Really helps keep it up.

[gorie]

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I recommend getting a dvd/tv set up in front of any static exercise machine (and infra-red/radio headphones too), so you can watch stuff while you train. Really helps keep it up.

[/ QUOTE ]

that's what i was thinking of doing. i'm sure that would help a lot!

[[censored]]

are you a shut in? Seriously

[Blarg]

The thing about doing a sport is always the best advice because getting in shape and staying in shape isn't good lasting motivation for most people. They'll get tired of the idea eventually and stop working out, or they'll figure they've improved so they're in good enough shape, and slack off so they have the same problem they started with. It's a rare person who can stick to a long-term fitness routine just to get in shape or keep the pounds off. People are generally just not built with that kind of discipline and are not about to acquire it anytime soon.

If you can't get into a sport, you should seek outside motivation for a reason to move your bod around that goes beyond doing it just because you have to.

You have to develop an actual interest in being good at something with your body. This type of thing can motivate you for years at a time, no problem, or even a whole lifetime. For some that's sport. For others it can be personal goals, like finally being able to do the splits or kick head-high, or becoming not reasonably slim, or whatever, but actually strong or fast or coordinated. (DDR is good for that reason -- you have something to aspire to and the fitness part is only incidental.) If you're going to the gym to become strong or good at a sport, it's much more motivating than just going to the gym to not look bad. You have something to shoot for where the rewards are psychologically really positive, and the goal changes.

With just getting or staying "fit-looking," the goal never changes and there's never really anything to achieve that can push you for years and years on end and get that last extra ounce of effort out of you(and off your gut). You will eventually find the goal of "just five more pounds" dull and unrewarding, especially since all it's working towards is being quite unexceptional -- that is, looking more the way you should. Rather than being able to do something really cool or fun or outstanding, that is better than just "okay." As in, Whew, I finally look okay! Yuck. Trying to get "not bad" is no motivation at all compared to trying to get good. People need a little more of a possibility for triumphs outside of just showing up to do exercise, and not failing. Not screwing up is a sad, dull motivator.

Even women can get strong. It's very foreign to the concepts of womanhood society sticks on them, but it works the same for them as it does for men. And even dedicated women find it very hard to put on the kind of mass that makes them look masculine. Short of steroids, you can work out like crazy and you're not going to get significant muscle bulk as a woman.

I'd suggest getting yourself some fitness goals rather than settling for essentially a grind you feel obligated to do. Be that yoga chick, or that strong chick, or that coordinated fluidly moving chick, or all of that. You can do it all at home and without spending a ton of money. Spending $1500 on an exercise machine that does only one thing probably won't motivate you any more than it usually motivates anyone else. You're very unlikely to be all that special or different that way. What you need is not the very best exercise hardware, but a lasting goal that makes being in shape the beginning of a long and satisfying process.

[gorie]

[ QUOTE ]
are you a shut in? Seriously

[/ QUOTE ]
yes.

[gorie]

thx blarg i agree with what you said. that's the hard part... actually sticking to a plan! i still feel like i could use the elliptical to help get myself started on getting healthier tho :/ but you're probably right.
my bf & i started going for walks in fall (not enough , but i was just happy to get him to go with me at all because i won't go alone), but now it is too cold out.
i've tried exercising to dvds in the past but i can't seem to commit to doing that , they get boring and i give up. so it might just be the same with the elliptical, but i could see it being better since i can watch tv while doing it.

[[censored]]

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are you a shut in? Seriously

[/ QUOTE ]
yes.

[/ QUOTE ]

well Gorie, I think this is sad because no piece of equipment or amount of money you spend is going to save you from how this story ends if you continue down this current path. I'm sure you've heard the stories so there's no reason to dwell on it.

I would like to see you deal with this problem first instead of worrying about something cosmetic like getting in shape (ignoring physical health for the moment) I would strongly encourage you to spend that money on talking with someone who can help you this. You're young, smart and have your whole life infront of you and this is not the path you want to go down.

I don't know why you don't like to go out but I suspect its sometype of self esteem issues. If that's the case. Let me just say this. [censored] people that think they can judge you Gorie without knowing you. Who the [censored] are they to sit there and judge you, to the point you don't want to go out. Those [censored] are going to [censored] judge you? I don't [censored] think so. And I know you're smarter than to let them get away with [censored] like that. I say go out, be happym enjoy life and anyone has a problem with that can [censored] off and die a horrible death.

Also for what it's worth, there's something about you that's sort of sexy, i'd bang you for sure.

also if your answer was a joke and I thought about and wrote all of this for nothing, go [censored] yourself.

Sincerly,
Jeremy

[astroglide]

there are plenty of people that don't go out, yet they are still social. people don't skip rope at bars either.

[[censored]]

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there are plenty of people that don't go out, yet they are still social. people don't skip rope at bars either.

[/ QUOTE ]

hmm I think shut in implies anti social-no? much different than just not going out. I take that to mean not leaving the house etc

[jeffraider]

While I agree with everyone about the gym being a better option than simply purchasing your own machine, I do think Elliptical machines are awesome if you don't really like exercising. It's extremely low impact, very productive and fun to do after the first few days (of excruciating pain while your muscles figure out wtf you're doing). If I were you I would definitely NOT purchase an elliptical machine without trying out a large variety of them. There are three ellipticals at my gym and two of them just plain suck but one of them is AWESOME. If I were you I'd suck it up, start hitting up a few local gyms just to try some different ellipticals and then make your decision with your newfound knowledge.

Man I get windy sometimes.

[astroglide]

she lives with her bf and plays board games based on other posts...

[Sephus]

to me shut-in implies (physical?) inability to leave the house.

[[censored]]

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she lives with her bf and plays board games based on other posts...

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah I guess you're probably right.

Gorie dimiss my post except for the last part

[[censored]]

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to me shut-in implies (physical?) inability to leave the house.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was thinking mental but yes

[Blarg]

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there are plenty of people that don't go out, yet they are still social. people don't skip rope at bars either.

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hmm I think shut in implies anti social-no? much different than just not going out. I take that to mean not leaving the house etc

[/ QUOTE ]

No, it can come from being agoraphobic or excessively socially shy or even ashamed of a perceived physical defect, and not have to do with being anti-social in the sense that I think you mean it, which is leaning toward misanthropy on the one hand or being utterly indifferent toward people on the other.

While being a shut-in is still a problem, it doesn't have to come from only one psychological place.

[HoldingFolding]

I've got a stationary bicycle & one of those cross-country ski things in my basement, both covered with dust, plus the nearest gym is 20 minutes drive away. What i've found works for me is vigorous gardening - digging and stuff - I guess because it makes me feel productive - and solo tennis - the $5 one where it's on a long piece of rubber - because it's more entertaining and because I can do it outside.

[MonkeeMan]

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maybe you should try running with big boobs and see how that goes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Everytime I try this I get maced. /images/graemlins/mad.gif

Hey, claims of big boobs require pictures, don't they?

[gorie]

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maybe you should try running with big boobs and see how that goes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Everytime I try this I get maced. /images/graemlins/mad.gif

Hey, claims of big boobs require pictures, don't they?

[/ QUOTE ]
i think stuey posted a video of them somewhere.

[diebitter]

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maybe you should try running with big boobs and see how that goes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Everytime I try this I get maced. /images/graemlins/mad.gif

Hey, claims of big boobs require pictures, don't they?

[/ QUOTE ]
i think stuey posted a video of them somewhere.

[/ QUOTE ]

Stuey has a video of you running with your big jubblies?

I knew hedid all this great work for a reason!

[MonkeeMan]

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maybe you should try running with big boobs and see how that goes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Everytime I try this I get maced. /images/graemlins/mad.gif

Hey, claims of big boobs require pictures, don't they?

[/ QUOTE ]
i think stuey posted a video of them somewhere.

[/ QUOTE ]

Where? Come on, where's the goods?

[gorie]

i don't know why i am the way i am.

my main reason for wanting to get in shape is health reasons more than anything. i just feel like my body sucks, and i am getting more health problems lately so exercise might help make my body like me better. plus i have a bad back, and just a wimp in general, and of course i don't like seeing my stomach get flabby. i just want to start doing something about it. it's not really to try to get sexy to impress people or anything like that.

as far as my weirdness goes, i don't really see it relating to me wanting to get healthier (other than making me not want to go to a gym - but a lot of people don't want to go to gyms for various reasons). i have no desire to be someone who goes out and has a lot of friends, it's just not me. it might be a boring life but i guess i like it that way. i wish i was normal sometimes just to avoid having to explain to people why i don't want to do things, but not for the sake of actually doing them. well maybe, it depends.

[gorie]

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[ QUOTE ]
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maybe you should try running with big boobs and see how that goes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Everytime I try this I get maced. /images/graemlins/mad.gif

Hey, claims of big boobs require pictures, don't they?

[/ QUOTE ]
i think stuey posted a video of them somewhere.

[/ QUOTE ]

Where? Come on, where's the goods?

[/ QUOTE ]

i was kidding, i was referring to the one he posted in the myspace thread of the fat chick hoppin on the dude.

[Stuey]

I am trying to think of something helpful to say here. But I don't think you need help.

I will say one thing though and this is about me and stuff I have learned while trying to overcome my problems.

I don't need to know the reasons for my problems. I just need to recognize them as problems and know that if I stop doing them the problems go away.

Don't swallow the spider to eat the fly. Just stop eating weird stuff.

<font color="white"> You confused me there for a sec as in the video I have of your boobs you are skipping rope. </font>

[diebitter]

I bet 'inside?' wows the agorophobic myspace chicks.

[gorie]

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I bet 'inside?' wows the agorophobic myspace chicks.

[/ QUOTE ]
lol

[Blarg]

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I bet 'inside?' wows the agorophobic myspace chicks.

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lol

[/ QUOTE ]

Check out this thread on women using kettlebells to get strong and fit. I like them a lot, as they are very versatile and don't bore the crap out of me like using weights does.

kettlebell thread (http://forum.dragondoor.com/training/message/375393%5C)

The lady who wrote this particular post is about your weight, and finding that lifting kettlebells is opening her up to realizing how strong she can be. That's the kind of thing that keeps you going so much better than just wanting to look better. Eventually she'll get in shape just by pursuing the cool ways she can get physically stronger and the new goals she's accomplishing, rather than making losing weight a primary focus.

I'd recommend kettlebells and clubbells highly. They involve a good deal of skill and are fun to master and challenge yourself with. I started with the 35 pound kettlebell and am now pressing the 70 pound one easily. KB's being off balance makes them a real challenge to master. If they were dumbbells they would have bored me and gotten forgotten in a corner eventually. Women of course will start with a lighter weight than 35 pounds.

Clubbells are very good too, and work a whole lot on your coordination and control.

Clubbell site (http://www.clubbell.tv/cborder.html)

I'm saving up for some of those, too. You can swing kettlebells around too, but with clubbells you can do complicated swings in different patterns, even like a dance if you want to, and get tremendous benefits in flexibility and coordination.

Both tools are really great and worth considering. And both cost a lot less than an elliptical, are much much better for you, and are more flexible by far, too.

[Gunny Highway]

Try THIS (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&amp;Board=exchange&amp;Number=4128561&amp;S earchpage=1&amp;Main=4128561&amp;Words=jumprope&amp;topic=&amp;Sea rch=true#Post4128561) and THIS. (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&amp;Number=2611635&amp;page=0&amp;fpart=1&amp;v c=1) Much cheaper than $1500, especially since you've talked about money issues in the past.

[gorie]

i can't even do 1 push up. i hate push ups. always have always will !

[twang]

This thread got me thinking of the Simpsons episode where Marge was mugged, got afraid to get outside the house and started benchpressing in the basement.

Would a bench + barbell/dumbells be a bad idea?

[SomethingClever]

[ QUOTE ]
unfortunately there aren't really any sporty type things i like to do... :/

[/ QUOTE ]

It doesn't even have to be that sporty. [censored], I've gotten my heart rate up playing an intense game of ping pong before.

You have to like at least a few things that could be construed as exercise.

Edit: Just read the thread and saw the suggestion of DDR.

Perfect, especially if you like video games at all.

Blarg is on point with the kettlebell recommendation. My lower back used to hurt from working at UPS and being in the Army. Kettlebell swings helped my back tremendously. I can't say enough good things about them. Highly recommended.

[SippinSoma]

Jump ropes cost $5.

[Gunny Highway]

Blarg,

Didn't you post a link once about someplace (other than DD) that has good prices on KBs? And didn't you have an adjustable one? Where'd you get it?

[WDC]

get a treadmill instead. They are easier to use so you use them more often.

[Bulldog]

I bought one about two months ago:

linky (http://www.fitnessfactory.com/Item.aspx?ItemID=87&amp;ItemLabel=ETX4.0%3A+Endurance+ ETX4.0i+Elliptical)

Actually, I got the 5.1 because they were out of the 4.0 and they upgraded me for free. It just has a bigger, fancier display.

I found a 15% off coupon code online so I got it for $466. I love it and use it almost every day. Like running but without the impact on knees and back.

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
Blarg,

Didn't you post a link once about someplace (other than DD) that has good prices on KBs? And didn't you have an adjustable one? Where'd you get it?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I have a regular 35 lb. one and an adjustable one that goes from 35 lbs. to 70 lbs. It's from USKettlebells.com. I like it a lot, it's very high quality. Expensive, but it comes with good package deals on DVD's and it's much cheaper than buying a bunch of quality kettlebells.

I like it a lot because the edges are perfectly round. There are things that hold dumbell plates together, but they're not as perfectly round as something cast to be round. And since the kettlebells lean on your forearms and sometimes hit them if you're clumsy or just new to using them, I don't need edges involved. Smooth as a baby's butt is what I want.

Anyway, I like it a lot. I'm saving up for an 88 lb. fixed weight one now. It's worked really great for me and made me a lot stronger.

The only negative about the ajustable one I have is that the handle inexplicably has a small ridge on the bottom, which makes it less comfy to swing than a regular kettlebell. That can be sanded down with a dremel or something. I like swings but am busy doing other things with it though, so I don't mind. Still, it was a pretty retarded design decision. Everything else about it is top quality and really nice though.

[XxGodJrxX]

[ QUOTE ]
like i said, i know joining a gym is the best idea. but it's not going to happen. if that is my only option, i'll stay fat.

i don't really know about dance dance revolution but i could see something like that being a good idea if i could get into it. hmm.

[/ QUOTE ]

Let me put it this way. A game and dance pad would cost you around $60. I GUARANTEE you will lose weight and not lose interest in the long run. I personally have not played it at all in about a year and a half, since I've been going to the gym and lifting. The reason I don't play anymore is because it takes THAT much energy out of you, and my lifts would suffer.

I would not buy any expensive equipment if I was somebody that did not regularly exercise. Chances are you will use it for a few weeks and stop when it gets boring. By the tone of your posts, it does not sound like you are really into exercise to me, so either go to a gym (without a contract), or do some exercise that is cheap.

I think these forums are very informative when it comes to fitness. John Stone Fitness (http://www.JohnStoneFitness.com)

[SomethingClever]

Look at this skinny little twig... he plays DDR.

http://www.fairvue.com/developments/kuniconstlouis2005/sasukeddr.jpg

GUY ON THE INTERNET SAYS PLAY DDR, YOU FXI*NG DO IT!

[Gunny Highway]

[ QUOTE ]
If you just want to lose weight, I would recommend trying out Dance Dance Revolution at home.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is this one of those things with all the lights that the little Japanese kids jump around on on TV? People actually have these in their homes?

[Blarg]

Jesus that guy has the worst calves ever. All that jumping doesn't seem to be helping.

[Gunny Highway]

http://www.fairvue.com/developments/kuniconstlouis2005/sasukeddr.jpg

Pretty snappy dresser too.

[SomethingClever]

[ QUOTE ]
Jesus that guy has the worst calves ever. All that jumping doesn't seem to be helping.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, but that frame + gorie's boobs = Pamela Anderson

[Blarg]

LOL how you got from this dude to Pamela Anderson is amazing!

[XxGodJrxX]

[ QUOTE ]
LOL how you got from this dude to Pamela Anderson is amazing!

[/ QUOTE ]

It is inevitable. DDR ALWAYS leads to Pamela Anderson. It is a fact of life /images/graemlins/tongue.gif. Now that you guys mention it, all of the best players I have seen look a lot like that guy, disgustingly thin. Now you know why I don't play it anymore. On the other hand, anybody that is overweight probably would not mind losing 700 pounds or so.

[Reqtech]

[ QUOTE ]


I think these forums are very informative when it comes to fitness. John Stone Fitness (http://www.JohnStoneFitness.com)

[/ QUOTE ]

This is a high quality link. Thanks.

[gorie]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Jesus that guy has the worst calves ever. All that jumping doesn't seem to be helping.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, but that frame + gorie's boobs = Pamela Anderson

[/ QUOTE ]
yeah you gotta admit that he has a pretty sexy body.!!!
i'm sure my boobs will be the one of the first things to go if i start losing weight ! i think that's why my bf keeps taking me out to eat.

[gorie]

[ QUOTE ]
I bought one about two months ago:

linky (http://www.fitnessfactory.com/Item.aspx?ItemID=87&amp;ItemLabel=ETX4.0%3A+Endurance+ ETX4.0i+Elliptical)

Actually, I got the 5.1 because they were out of the 4.0 and they upgraded me for free. It just has a bigger, fancier display.

I found a 15% off coupon code online so I got it for $466. I love it and use it almost every day. Like running but without the impact on knees and back.

[/ QUOTE ]
cool, good to know there are some cheaper ones out there that seem good. maybe i'll just end up getting one like this.

[offTopic]

http://gr.bolt.com/oldsite/bolt_blog_images/psp/tony_little.jpg

YOU CAN DO IT!!!

[ddubois]

That's ridiculous. Why would you spend $1500 on that? You don't need a machine to make ellipses. Just hit the period key three times. Sheesh.

[evil_twin]

[ QUOTE ]
I recommend getting a dvd/tv set up in front of any static exercise machine (and infra-red/radio headphones too), so you can watch stuff while you train. Really helps keep it up.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes this is crucial for good home fitness. Get into a TV series, buy it in its entirity on DVD and watch an episode (or two) per exercise session. It really helps with the discipline. I find I exercise less when I run out of TV series to watch (I tend not to watch scheduled TV).

Once you get into the routine of it you'll find that you associate watching TV that you enjoy with doing an exercise session so the whole thing reinforces itself.

[astroglide]

[ QUOTE ]
That's ridiculous. Why would you spend $1500 on that? You don't need a machine to make ellipses. Just hit the period key three times. Sheesh.

[/ QUOTE ]

http://www.doofrecords.net/sitetest/images/releases/16booo_big.jpg

[razor]

evil_twin,

This rules! why didn't I think of this... I guess because I don't have a dvd player for that TV. Now I have an excuse to buy another dvd player and more dvds.

[TimM]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes this is crucial for good home fitness. Get into a TV series, buy it in its entirity on DVD and watch an episode (or two) per exercise session. It really helps with the discipline. I find I exercise less when I run out of TV series to watch (I tend not to watch scheduled TV).

Once you get into the routine of it you'll find that you associate watching TV that you enjoy with doing an exercise session so the whole thing reinforces itself.

[/ QUOTE ]

There is just one problem with this idea. When I had the stationary bike, I decided to try this. I got a season of The Sopranos, and watched an episode while doing the bike. That part was fine. Then I moved to the couch and watched 6 more episodes. Doh! /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[diebitter]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Yes this is crucial for good home fitness. Get into a TV series, buy it in its entirity on DVD and watch an episode (or two) per exercise session. It really helps with the discipline. I find I exercise less when I run out of TV series to watch (I tend not to watch scheduled TV).

Once you get into the routine of it you'll find that you associate watching TV that you enjoy with doing an exercise session so the whole thing reinforces itself.

[/ QUOTE ]

There is just one problem with this idea. When I had the stationary bike, I decided to try this. I got a season of The Sopranos, and watched an episode while doing the bike. That part was fine. Then I moved to the couch and watched 6 more episodes. Doh! /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I solve this one by doing mine in a cold garage, and having nothing comfortable to sit on when I finish /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[evil_twin]

[ QUOTE ]
Now I have an excuse to buy another dvd player and more dvds.

[/ QUOTE ]

You are effectively buying fitness equipment so go for it! /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Blarg]

Get Futurama. The episodes are almost all good enough to watch a dozen times, but once you've watched them a few times each, you'll be able to get away from the t.v. without making a night of it. And there's four years of it to get through just for one round. Heck, the boxed set is even selling now at a good price!

P.S. Gorie -- I still think you should give those clubbells or kettlebells a serious look.

[diebitter]

Good series to run/ellipse/row/cycle to:

Futurama
Family Guy
Simpsons
Married with children (my current one)
taxi
friends (for girls)

[Blarg]

I'll add:

Green Acres
Cowboy Bebop
Have Gun Will Travel

I listed Full Metal Alchemist, but deleted it because it deserves more contemplation and getting into the mood than sweating on a machine would let you give it.

[gorie]

[ QUOTE ]

P.S. Gorie -- I still think you should give those clubbells or kettlebells a serious look.

[/ QUOTE ]
i am looking into it ! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[kurosh]

I have a very important question for you all. It is about the nature of the world. What is better? o or O? Is it O because it is bigger? or o because it is more perfect in circular nature? What tantalizes your eyes the most?

[[censored]]

[ QUOTE ]
I have a very important question for you all. It is about the nature of the world. What is better? o or O? Is it O because it is bigger? or o because it is more perfect in circular nature? What tantalizes your eyes the most?

[/ QUOTE ]

Kurosh,

I think its close but I give it to o. I'm not going to say its better but to me its like a great song that really hits you.

[kurosh]

[censored] your myspace adventure has inspired me. It is now my goal to [censored] a really really hot girl. I mean supermodel hot. I have never [censored] a girl that hot. I think it will be good. I will post a log of my quest. I don't even know any supermodel types now. It will be difficult, but I think well worth it. Of course, there can always be a part 2 or 3 because what is better than 2 or 3 supermodel hot girls at the same time? I just want to see what it is like.

[diebitter]

[ QUOTE ]
I have a very important question for you all. It is about the nature of the world. What is better? o or O? Is it O because it is bigger? or o because it is more perfect in circular nature? What tantalizes your eyes the most?

[/ QUOTE ]

They are the same from different points of view. Stop being so blinkered. And [censored] all those that say God is in the details, he's in the [censored] process too! Obviously!

[MtSmalls]

Gorie,

I bought one of these back in October from Overstock.com. I think it was less than $600. Delivery was cheap. If you WANT to use it you will. I use it five or six mornings a week for a half hour.

Good Luck

[Gunny Highway]

[ QUOTE ]
Clubbells are very good too, and work a whole lot on your coordination and control.

Clubbell site (http://www.clubbell.tv/cborder.html)

I'm saving up for some of those, too. You can swing kettlebells around too, but with clubbells you can do complicated swings in different patterns, even like a dance if you want to, and get tremendous benefits in flexibility and coordination.

Both tools are really great and worth considering. And both cost a lot less than an elliptical, are much much better for you, and are more flexible by far, too.

[/ QUOTE ]

Blarg, Given that you're interested in martial arts and kettlebells and clubbells, have you ever looked at the Okinawan exercises with "Chishi" or " nigiri-game". I love the fact that clubs have gotten popular lataly, but the Okinawans were using chisi for years. What comes around goes around. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Anyway, here's one link, but I'm sure if you're interested a search would yield more details on the exercises, routines, etc.

Chishi (http://www.portaskarate.org/weights.html)

[Blarg]

That was a very interesting article, Gunny, thanks. The Indians(Gandhi type, not American) were very well known for what were often called simply "Indian clubs," which were brought back to Britain from India and then became quite popular in the Western world, but have since faded from popularity here. They were very popular for wrestlers in India, who have been among the best the world has produced.

Here's a link from a museum that discusses them a bit, including their popularity as folk art.

Indian club history (http://www.antiquesjournal.com/Pages04/archives/indianclubs.html)

Here's a fun excerpt from the short article:

[ QUOTE ]
"Muscular Christi-anity," a religious movement established in England during the last half of the nineteenth century and embraced by many Americans, equated morality and godliness with exercise. To be a good Christian, one needed to be physically fit.

Kehoe's Indian clubs, described as "missives of Muscular Christianity," became one of the most popular forms of exercise and sport, linking spiritual health and physical vigor.

[/ QUOTE ]

Here's a link to the old timey stongman type book by the referred by Mr. Kehoe:

old-timey clubbell instruction/book (http://www.sandowplus.co.uk/Competition/Kehoe/kehoe-intro.htm)


Here's a really great link about Indian wrestling and training:

Indian wrestling and training (http://texts.cdlib.org/dynaxml/servlet/dynaXML?docId=ft6n39p104&amp;chunk.id=ch05)

And a quote from it about club training:

[ QUOTE ]
oris and Gadas

Joris and gadas are heavy clubs which wrestlers swing in order to strengthen their shoulders and arms. At Ragunath Maharaj Akhara, Akhara Morchal Bir and other gymnasia, jori swinging is both a competitive sport and a form of exercise.

Joris are always swung in pairs (see plate 3). Those used for exercise usually weigh between fifteen and twenty-five kilograms each. They are carved of heavy wood and are weighted with bands of metal. In order to make the joris more difficult to swing, blades and nails are sometimes hammered into them.

At the beginning of the exercise, the joris are held in an inverted position. Each jori is swung alternately behind the back in a long arch. At the end of the arch each jori is lifted or flipped back onto the shoulder as the opposite jori begins its pendulum swing. Timing is an important part of this exercise. The balanced weight of one jori must facilitate the movement of the other. Jori swinging exercises the arms, shoulders, chest, thighs, and lower back. Wrestlers tend to swing fairly lightweight joris because they say that the heavier clubs cause the upper body to become rigid.

In contrast to the intricately carved silver and gold symbolic gadas (macelike clubs) depicted in art and used as wrestling trophies, gadas used for everyday exercise are rather plain. An exercise gada is a heavy, round stone, weighing anywhere from ten to sixty kilograms, affixed to the end of a meter-long bamboo staff (see plate 4). The gada is swung in the same way as a jori except that only one gada is swung at a time. A gada may be swung with either hand or both hands at once.

The swing begins with the gada balanced on one shoulder. It is then lifted and shrugged off of the shoulder and swung in a long pendulum arch behind the back until it is flipped and lifted back onto the opposite shoulder. The gada is held erect for a split second before it is swung back in the opposite direction and onto the other shoulder.

Gada and jori exercises are counted in terms of the number of hath (hands) that one is able to do. One gada “hand” is counted as the movement from one shoulder to the other. One jori “hand” is counted as the combined swing of both right and left clubs. Unlike dands and bethaks, which number in the thousands, wrestlers tend to swing gadas and joris for sets of relatively few repetitions. Those who swing joris and gadas on a regular basis place a higher premium on the amount of weight lifted than on sheer number of hands swung.

[/ QUOTE ]


If you've seen the increasing popularity of odd-object lifting, "dinosaur training," and strongman contests lately, it does look like some of the old and pretty good ways of training are making a big comeback, which is pretty cool. Good for the soul to keep an open mind. And sometimes good for the body too.

I had never heard of chisi, but I love the simple practicality of them. Some concrete and a coffee can. There's a little glory in getting something so useful so cheaply and easily. Raising those nigiri-game jars to shoulder level looks like it would take very strong wrists and shoulders. Especially if you even considered for an instant putting anything inside the jars!

The first style I studied for some years was jiu-jitsu, and we used the iron slippers and handweights too. When I later took up gung fu, we used wrist rollers extensively, just a jug of water or a weight plate on a rope wrapped around a dowel, home made. I see manufactured versions going for over 60 bucks, and that's without any weight! We also used the bamboo or iron rings to a certain extent, and bicycle inner tubes. And of course the simple jump rope. It's pretty cool how cheaply you can get by and still have incredibly useful equipment that really takes you to your limits.

Thanks again for the interesting link!