Elliptical

jdcobra

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Looking for a decent elliptical that won’t break the bank! I know someone on here knows where to get a good deal
 

03Sssnake

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I like the Life Fitness Club trainers you see in gyms, though they are definitely going to be astronomical in price. I'd honestly just consider a gym membership, you'd have access to a lot of equipment, plus the parade of women in yoga pants. The elliptical machines that are worth anything are going to be the ones at gyms and monstrous in size.

That said you might try a refurbished gym equipment outlet, you could probably find a good deal on a club quality machine.
 

brigs

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We've always had Precor. They're quality machines, but expensive (cheapest new is $2,000, up to $7,000 for the top model). I found our latest one used on OfferUp or Craigslist or something from someone who barely used it. Got it for almost nothing and years later no problems. Would be better to get a gym membership than buy a cheap one that will break or clunk and drive you crazy.
 

SID297

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I forget the brand name, but my gym has some that you can crank the resistance up on. Those things can give you a hell of a workout.
 

Blk91stang

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I agree with the comments above about buying one used that is made for gyms. I had a low ceiling issue (7') in my basement and needed to find one that wasn't high. I ended up finding an Octane Q35C that was used one time that a doctor bought his wife who just never used it (very common with exercise equipment). He paid over $2,000 for it a few years earlier, he listed it on ebay for $1250, I offered $800 and he took it. It's very compact, light, high quality welds and build, and parts should be available if it ever breaks since it's a commercial unit. Here's my setup in one corner of my basement that I finished myself.

20180609_134558.jpg
 

SID297

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I agree with the comments above about buying one used that is made for gyms. I had a low ceiling issue (7') in my basement and needed to find one that wasn't high. I ended up finding an Octane Q35C that was used one time that a doctor bought his wife who just never used it (very common with exercise equipment). He paid over $2,000 for it a few years earlier, he listed it on ebay for $1250, I offered $800 and he took it. It's very compact, light, high quality welds and build, and parts should be available if it ever breaks since it's a commercial unit. Here's my setup in one corner of my basement that I finished myself.

View attachment 1602064

That's the brand my gym has. Very good machine.
 

noco5.0

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Sole Fitness makes a decent home type elliptical. I’ve had one for ten years with no major issues. I use the gym at work more now though. I’ll make you a screaming deal if you want to drive to Colorado and pick it up:)
 

03Sssnake

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I agree with the comments above about buying one used that is made for gyms. I had a low ceiling issue (7') in my basement and needed to find one that wasn't high. I ended up finding an Octane Q35C that was used one time that a doctor bought his wife who just never used it (very common with exercise equipment). He paid over $2,000 for it a few years earlier, he listed it on ebay for $1250, I offered $800 and he took it. It's very compact, light, high quality welds and build, and parts should be available if it ever breaks since it's a commercial unit. Here's my setup in one corner of my basement that I finished myself.

View attachment 1602064

Gdamn! You have a quality setup there!
 

rwleonard

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Atlas Trainer Frame System

Unless you have orthopedic issues that won't even allow rucking, a ruck (and either some heavy hands or trekking poles if you want the full-body thing) will give you a great low impact aerobic workout.

If you do have orthopedic issues ellipticals and hammer strength are hard to beat.
 
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jdcobra

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Thanks for all the help guys, appreciate it! I feel like it can get overwhelming with all of the products on the market. Yeah, the life fitness stuff is quality but WAY over my budget. I have a gym membership but I want to start doing cardio in the morning with weights in the evening and don’t want to have to drive 10 minutes to fight morning rush crowds in the gym.
 

03Sssnake

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Thanks for all the help guys, appreciate it! I feel like it can get overwhelming with all of the products on the market. Yeah, the life fitness stuff is quality but WAY over my budget. I have a gym membership but I want to start doing cardio in the morning with weights in the evening and don’t want to have to drive 10 minutes to fight morning rush crowds in the gym.

buy once, cry once is my mantra. I’d definitely try a refurb outlet and pick up a quality machine. I usually do my cardio in the AM as well, typically consists of running 3-6 miles before work, just running in the neighborhood, sometimes after work on trails by the office. However I have had series of calf pulls in both legs recently, so I have switched up to the elliptical at the gym till I fully recover. I am lucky that my gym is literally 3/4 mile away.
 

jdcobra

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buy once, cry once is my mantra. I’d definitely try a refurb outlet and pick up a quality machine. I usually do my cardio in the AM as well, typically consists of running 3-6 miles before work, just running in the neighborhood, sometimes after work on trails by the office. However I have had series of calf pulls in both legs recently, so I have switched up to the elliptical at the gym till I fully recover. I am lucky that my gym is literally 3/4 mile away.

Damn that sucks. Hopefully you’ll recover quickly. Yeah, mine is as well but the area I live in is way over populated so it gets packed pretty damn quick.
 

03Sssnake

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Damn that sucks. Hopefully you’ll recover quickly. Yeah, mine is as well but the area I live in is way over populated so it gets packed pretty damn quick.

Thank you! You ain’t kidding, early mornings mine is ok, but later in the day or afternoon, it’s packed.
 

PhoenixM3

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Looking for a decent elliptical that won’t break the bank! I know someone on here knows where to get a good deal
My system tracks satellites in a highly elliptical Molniya orbit, but I doubt it’d make a good fitness machine.....
 

rezarxt

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Atlas Trainer Frame System

Unless you have orthopedic issues that won't even allow rucking, a ruck (and either some heavy hands or trekking poles if you want the full-body thing) will give you a great low impact aerobic workout.

If you do have orthopedic issues ellipticals and hammer strength are hard to beat.

Rucking adds extra weight onto your body and puts a lot of stress/wear on your joints. It is NOT low impact haha (maybe if you're only carrying 25 lbs). Ask anyone thats been in the infantry...

On the other hand, ellipticals are great. I bought a nice one and its one of the few cardio exercises that doesn't hurt. I bought one from a going out of business gym. It was a bit pricey for being used ($700), but its commercial and very nice. Its so heavy though it took 4 full-grown guys to move it into my house. It was a bitch!
 

rwleonard

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Don't have to ask anyone, been there, done that, thanks. If you measure the forces created in one's joints by running vs rucking, the running forces are much higher, what with F=MA and all that physics stuff. Also, just because one had to carry 100+ pound loads in the military doesn't mean that's the smart thing to do to make rucking the LSD part of one's strength and conditioning program. In "fitness rucking" one loads to get a specific training effect, not to get gear from point A to point B.

Ellipticals are fine, if you're into that sort of thing. As I wrote earlier, I have friends who are beat up enough that if it weren't for ellipticals and Hammer Strength they would have a hard time doing any PT at all.
 

jdcobra

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I like to use machines/dumbbells more after my hiatal hernia repair. Elliptical is good because it doesn’t **** with my knees. Years of heavy ego lifting has left me overweight, arthritic in my shoulders & knees, and unmotivated.

Elliptical is good for me because I can do HIIT without having to adjust speeds or anything of the sort.
 

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