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In defense of the Ellipticals...
May 25th, 2006

Craig Ballantyne says :
"Elliptical training machines are useless for intervals. These things are one of the biggest wastes of space in commercial gyms today."

ok.. Turbulance Training is for fatloss..and I'm no pro..  but even then.. Intervals are intervals..

There are very many types of elliptical machines.. from the cheap home version ...to the very sophisicate progarmmable ellicpticals.
very very bad  Precor 546 Precor 576i
useless my favorite

Can be used to add extra resistance by working against the legs.
Can be used to workout arms at the same time, but working at a resistance that just with the legs you couldn't do, or at a METs that just with the legs you couldn't do.

Close your eyes to learn a different balance. Of course you can always not use the arms of the machine at all

 

and there is as much difference between them, as there is between the people who use them. Another comparasion would be that using an elliptical training machine.. is like riding a bicyle.. depending on the bicycle, the ressitance if it's a stationnary bike or the hills if it's outdoors.. it can be fit for the laziest person in the world or for some serious training.

 

adjustable cross ramp (height/angle of mouvement)
levels 1-20

adjustable resisstance (an absolute must)
1-20

TIPS

  1. Learn to workout without holding the hand rails
  2. Have an independant HR monitor (Polar communicates with Precor)
  3. Learn to understand METs (I workout at 12 METs for 3 mins intervals with 3 mins rests... and go up to 18 METs in 15 sec intervals with 90 sec rests)
  4. more to come...

I'll write another page someday about the difference in the intervals.. but I just want to say here that the different types of intervals use and train different aspects of the cardio vascular system. when you want to do sprints.. the rest period has to be 6 times as long as the interval, which has to be under 20 ? seconds so that you stay in an anaérobic mode. In this mode you are training your muscles for a maximum efffort..

I use an HIIT .mp3 trainer, it's not possible to time ourselves for 15 seconds AND give max effort at the same time.


Cross ramp muscle activation

Precor 546

                                 Precor 576i
20      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

19      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

18      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

17      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

16      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

15      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

14      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

13      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

12      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

11      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

10      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

9      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

8      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

7      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

6      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

5      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

4      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

3      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

2      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

1      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

 

 20      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

19      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

18      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

17      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

16      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

15      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

14      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

13      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

12      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

11      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

10      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

9      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

8      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

7      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

6      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

5      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

4      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

3      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

2      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

1      Glutes     Quads     Hammies    Calves

 

come back later.. more to come.
 

 

 


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