Elliptical Trainers or Trainer or Spin Class?

[surgtech1956]

I'm thinking about buying an elliptical trainer, nothing too expensive around $500 - I know not gym quality. Something to use during the winter months to supplement other workouts. Anyone using one at home? What model, price range, etc....? Its either buy one of these or take a spin class at a local YMCA. OR, is there a trainer I should be looking at for my bike? Any thoughts??

[indysteel]

What do you think you'll most enjoy and stick to?

I bought a spin bike last year for home, but only because there are few gyms in my area. When I used to live closer to a Y, I loved going to spin classes and otherwise working out at a gym during the winter. Lots of other people do better with equipment they have at home since that is presumably more convenient and, over time, possibly cheaper.

If you do go with home equipment, research it before making a decision. There is affordable home equipment but some if better than others. And if you can, borrow somebody's trainer before making a decision about it. Some people don't mind them too much. Others (like me) hate them. I get bored out of my mind on them.

[Enduro_Rider]

I stick to the trainer. You can get decent used ones for $100-200. DVDs help pass the time so do tv shows... But boring. I do mix it up with spinning classes as much as possible too. IMHO I don't think the elliptical workout packs a punch like spinning and trainers would.

[surgtech1956]

Thank you. Any suggestions on a trainer?

[marni]

I love my cycle ops trainer. If I didn't have it, between the surgery and the heat, I would not have gotten on the bike at all this summer. Maybe because I ride long distances solo, I simply plug into the I tunes ( which I don't do outside) and zone into it for an hour. I have a bunch of itunes at different tempos and some interval training for running and treadmill training music that work very well for fake hill workouts as I can up the gearing and make the intervals tougher. If , when, we ever drop out of the triple digit extreme heat advisories I might be able to get back on the road and start easing myself back into some distances. In the meantime, I figure I am at least getting maintenance TITS time in. Personally I find the trainer very soothing, good time for mental house cleaning and contemplation.

Personally, my feeling about spin classes, at least around here based on the studly do rights who lead them, is that when I die and go to .... I will have to do spin classes." To me they have little or not connection with what I do out on the road. I can't think of a single ride I have ever done that requires standing for a minute at a high gear and then sitting for a minute, still in a high gear, for a full half hour, or other similar silliness all at and incredibly loud ridiculously deafening and pounding volume.

but that's just my personal feelings. My husband who does 4 spin classes a week, just plugs in his ear plugs, and does his own thing, so I guess that is always an option.

[Enduro_Rider]

I have a blackburn fluid trainer. You have options of mag vs. fluid, remote or no remote... Just make sure it will fit your bike and has enough resistance settings. They hold their value so if you buy one and decide to upgrade it should be reasonably easy to sell.

Re spin classes. I wear a HRM and I find the classes are a great way to work on the higher thresholds. The benefits of training you heart will carry over to cycling even if the moves do not. There is one instructor who has been tough enough to get my HR into the 190s!

[kaybee]

[QUOTE=marni;596834]Personally, my feeling about spin classes, at least around here based on the studly do rights who lead them, is that when I die and go to .... I will have to do spin classes." To me they have little or not connection with what I do out on the road. I can't think of a single ride I have ever done that requires standing for a minute at a high gear and then sitting for a minute, still in a high gear, for a full half hour, or other similar silliness all at and incredibly loud ridiculously deafening and pounding volume.
QUOTE]

I agree with you 1000%, Marni!

KB

[tytbody]

If you do spin at home or a trainer.. is that like making your bike a spin bike? There is a Mindy Milrea spinning dvd. She has more then one. They are on Collage video dot com. You can view them before you buy.

you can always do home exercise DVDs, again look at the clips at Collage or Total Fitness DVDS.


or you have to do the old fashioned way and go for a walk in the cool breeze..

[surgtech1956]

Thanks everyone. I'm not sure if I'm going to take a spin class or get a trainer. The trainer is probably cheaper in the long run and more convenient, then going to a 530am or 630pm spin class 3 days a week. Whats the difference between a fluid and mag trainer?

[Enduro_Rider]

A mag trainer uses a magnet for resistance. There is a limit on how much resistance you can get out of a mag set up. Fluid uses some combination of fluid and magnets (usually). The addition of the fluid gives you more range of resistance. Over the long term and heavy repeated use, fluid can leak and would likely be repairable. Though I'm not sure how often this happens. May want to check out REI online and your LBS to see what is carried and see if they have tips too.

Trainers are noisy too. And you may want to consider trainer specific tires since regular tires do not hold up well to the heat and friction.

[Miranda]

I teach Spinning at two gyms year round. One is a local Ymca, the other a large private gym.

Most gyms, including the Y, have some type of a free pass you could try class out. Also, the Y I teach at least, has a class punch card option, versus buying a regular membership. You could mix in both Spinning, and if you also get a trainer at home. You might also check with your local bike shops. Ours have some organized indoor training as well. Some is for fee. Some is free.

I own a trainer, a treadmill in the basement that's DH's, and some weights etc. I don't really do any of my home stuff. I've always been a group exercise person my whole life.

I think the trainer is harsh on your body being stationary. I thought I was going to make myself ride it this last winter, and I didn't. I kinda hate it.

I've never tried rollers before, but they do work on your balance. As one of our shop owner's put it, "rollers are an 18 inch piece of road to be ridden with respect". Meaning, you can still crash. One of our shops has a rollers class you can take for free, and ride their rollers for free. Others bring their trainers and bikes from home to ride inside and watch a trainer dvd.

This again, is group exercise. Humans are not solitary creatures. Thus cycling has group rides outside. Even riding solo your surroundings are alive and interactive.

It's really unfortunately for those of you that have had negative experiences in Spinning. There are some idiots for instructors in the world. And yes, Spinning is not like outdoor riding. Also neither's the trainer or rollers... because you are not outside. There is not Mother Nature's wind to kick your azz at a moment's notice, or whatnot. Try to have an open mind. Indoor training is a supplement to your cycling, not a substitute.

My indoor gym-go-ers will say they can tell I'm a cyclists, and class has a totally different feel when I teach compared to my non-cycling peers. They say "class is more technical... the road and ride is painted like a picture-with a destination". However, I'm still really no where as technical as I could be. Middle of the road to fit the masses. It's so easy to modify in Spinning. If something in particular doesn't suit my outdoor riders, I give them an option of what else to do and achieve the same result. It's that human connection and interaction that makes the difference, imo/e.

Good Luck!

[pll]

There are several questions within the original post and it is all a matter of personal preference. I think the issue of spinning classes versus a trainer at home depends on whether you prefer group exercise in a gym at set times, or prefer the flexibility and privacy of your home. It might be that set times for a class work as a commitment device for you, something compelling you to work out. I have yet to find a group class I can tolerate, and I prefer to work out alone.

As to the question of what trainer versus an elliptical trainer, that's another matter of preference and convenience. I have a Cycle Ops trainer. It might be fluid (I don't remember and there is nothing printed on the device). I bought it some 6 years ago and did not use it consistently until last winter. Now I think I have a good setup in my spare bedroom: it's on a mat, with my old bike, in front of a TV w/ a DVD player, and a fan. If I have a guest, it's easy to take the bike off, fold the trainer and store in a closet. I don't believe it would be as easy to handle an elliptical trainer.

I have not tried rollers. I would possibly need more space in the room in order to be able to fall safely! However I don't believe the trainer is harsh on your body. It is a tough workout for sure, harder than riding outside -- there is no coasting!. By comparison, I find elliptical trainers are hard on my knees because they have momentum and my way of moving is not as rhythmic as the elliptical trainer. As a result, I feel my knees are strained every time I slow down a little or speed up.

To make time pass on the trainer, I use videos from the Sufferfest (http://www.thesufferfest.com/). They are relatively cheap, have good music and there is no talking, just simple instructions on the screen with quirky humor. They give my workouts sufficient structure. I tried a couple of other well known workout DVDs and found they had an overload of information, dull music and a lot of talk.

[surgtech1956]

I appreciate all your advice. My main objective is to exercise throughout the winter whatever it maybe. In the past I haven't done well with home equipment. I would like to take up running again but don't know if the ankle will tolerate. Ive cross country skied but in Michigan it's kinda hit or miss with the snow at least until after January.

[Aggie_Ama]

My preference of all is spin class. I love the challenge, the energy of the group setting, the quality of the workout. I have found it is very important to click with the instructor, some at my gym don't use cadence/gear which I prefer. I went to one 6:00am spin class where the instructor seemed bored and not energetic, definitely hard to want to follow at that time of morning! What I don't like about spin (at my gym at least) is you don't know what workout it will be. Sometimes it is hill focus, sometimes lots of sprints. If you like to pick your goal (important in race season for me) it is a little annoying. But the trainer is so hard for me to get pumped about, has to be connected to my bike, brought out, I have sweat all over the mat (airflow seems better at the gym), my dogs stare at me like I am stupid :p.

[Crankin]

Our x country ski season is also mostly January and February. We can drive up to NH or Vermont and maybe see snow in Dec. And even in Jan and Feb., there is not much local skiing... we drive about an hour to a really good x country place that has snow when we have green grass. There is a local place which is good after a storm, but after all of the yahoos come here from the city, the trails are trashed. Have you thought of snow shoeing? That I can do out of my door.
I ride through the first week in December usually. In November, I transition by including a lot of hiking with some riding, yoga and core work. I am thinking of joining some kind of group exercise place for the winter, maybe personal training and spin Dec- March. I have a trainer, but I rarely work that hard on it. It's just boring, but I I love the freedom of having a mini gym in my home and not having to go to a gym at 5 AM.