In-Home Cardio Machine Recommendation

pc1 i really like the Precor elliptical i think model 560....put the resitance on high and you get a great cardio workout with no pounding on the knees

I bought an older recumbent lifecycle on ebay for about $600. Its pretty good.

At work we don't have cycles, but we do have stairmasters. I didn't like them at first because I thought they'd be hard on my low back, but they've grown on me and I can burn a lot more cals on them than on a bike. I doubt I'd buy one that wasn't a real Lifefitness stairmaster, but those are pricey, even used.

My wife has a really nice elliptical trainer. Me, I use a shitty stationary bike because it gets the job done and is best for sprints.

Thanks guys.

I bought a nordic track in '87 and it is still going strong. You can find em on e-bay.

Buy an actual bike...and then buy a stationary trainer. You'll have the best of both worlds. A real bike you can use that nicely converts to a hamster wheel for indoor training.

I have a treadmill. It's ok but I'm looking for somehing else too.

Posted by: kml0331

pc1 i really like the Precor elliptical i think model 560....put the resitance on high and you get a great cardio workout with no pounding on the knees

Well, based on this initial recommendation and reviews I read on the internet I went and checked them out. I bought the Precor 533. A little over $3K, but really a smart and smooth machine...... it seems great. Just started doing cardio this weekend and am looking forward to its benefits.

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Posted by: PC1

Well, based on this initial recommendation and reviews I read on the internet I went and checked them out. I bought the Precor 533. A little over $3K, but really a smart and smooth machine...... it seems great. Just started doing cardio this weekend and am looking forward to its benefits.

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Excellent choice. Glad to see you went with a quality product.

The best by far is a motorised treadmill.
Use a strong cooling fan and watch TV while busy.
I found other equipment very boring.(esp bike which I could only do max 10 min at a time)

I suppose anything that's low or no impact would work just fine. What I like about the Precor though is the heart rate monitor used in conjunction with the programs. Based on what the user's heart rate is doing (and age, weight, etc.) it automatically adjusts resistance to help keep one's heart rate in the desired target range.

I also bought a sylvania flat screen tv with mounting bracket and attached it to a floor joist just in front of the Precor. This morning for example, I woke up, chugged a double-black expresso and did 40 minutes while watching the early morning news...... and sweat my ass of in so doing.

I tend to have lower back problems doing things like jogging, or even walking consistently. But this is zero impact for all intents and purposes, and especially where my back is concerned. And I feel like I've finally found something I can do to build up my wind without becoming a cripple in the process, so I'm very pleased with it...... in spite of the high initial cost. My wife and kids are even getting into it, hopefully that will last and not be a passing fad.

Thanks again guys.