Why is running better than elliptical?

In article said:

In researching elliptical machines, I have seen many people make claims that ellipticals are good,
but nothing is as good as runnig. I'm not necessarily disputing this, but I have found that I get
great workouts on elliptical machines, and I personally feel that the workout is at least on par
with jogging (in my experience, its better, since I have bad knees and shin splints).

I have yet to read WHY jogging is better than elliptical. Any thoughts? In the end, I decided to
buy an elliptical machine (SportsArt 805) anyway, since I can run wherever I want (you don't need
a machine).

Both are excellent forms of exercise. The elliptical carries a lower risk of injury, but most of us
in rec.running find running more enjoyable. Some of us do some elliptical work in addition to
running. I do about 2hrs elliptical each week.

As for your running injuries, you may be able to avoid these by making appropriate adjustments in
your training. Some people are seemingly immune to injury. The rest of us get injured very quickly
when we train recklessly.

Whether or not you keep running, the elliptical is a safe way to boost your weekly training volume.
If you are truly very injury prone, it will enable you to maintain good aerobic conditioning on
relatively low milage.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi pegasus.rutgers.edu~elflordOpen ↗

In article <[email hidden]>,

Rupert said:

In researching elliptical machines, I have seen many people make claims that ellipticals are good,
but nothing is as good as runnig. I'm not necessarily disputing this, but I have found that I get
great workouts on elliptical machines, and I personally feel that the workout is at least on par
with jogging (in my experience, its better, since I have bad knees and shin splints).

I have yet to read WHY jogging is better than elliptical. Any thoughts? In the end, I decided to
buy an elliptical machine (SportsArt 805) anyway, since I can run wherever I want (you don't need a
machine).

The better exercise is the one you do regularly. If elliptical, or a mixture of elliptical and
running is what you can do sustainably, do it!

You mentioned the main drawback I see with ellipticals: they are large expensive machines that tie
you down to their location. You can easily get tired of both the machine and its location.

I had never used elliptical trainers before getting injured recently, but I've found I can get a
good workout on one. Actually, I've yet to find any exercise machine that won't give you as good a
workout as you ask it to. The Precor elliptical at my health club is an elegant, well-made machine
with very few moving parts. You pedal on rails that are attached to a crank in the back. The front
of the rail has a wheel that rides up and down a smooth inclined ramp. Thus your feet follow a curve
that is midway between circular and linear, i.e., an elliptical path. On this machine you can vary
the slope of the ramp - hence the shape of the ellipse - as well as the resistance.

Another drawback of ellipticals is there is no sport associated with them that you can join should
you begin to feel competitive. Let's face it, people who train a lot on ellipticals (EFX bunnies, or
lepus ellipticus as I call them,) get very proficient at an apparently useless motion. Running is
more or less useless too in the modern world, but less blatantly so.

--
************************************************************************
Terry R. McConnell Mathematics/215 Carnegie/Syracuse, N.Y. 13244-1150 [email hidden] 229B Physics
Bldg barnyard.syr.edu~tmcOpen ↗
************************************************************************

"Donovan Rebbechi" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Whether or not you keep running, the elliptical is a safe way to boost

your

Quoted message said:

weekly training volume. If you are truly very injury prone, it will enable

you

Quoted message said:

to maintain good aerobic conditioning on relatively low milage.

Agreed! Stationary bikes, too.

A 53 year-old friend of mine runs 5k in 17:10 - 17:40 (depending on season, etc), and he runs about
10k a week (on the treadmill). All his other training is done on the stationary bike... mostly
lactate work for fairly long periods.

cheers,
--
David (in Hamilton, ON) www.allfalldown.org

"Donovan Rebbechi" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Rupert

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

In researching elliptical machines, I have seen many people make claims that ellipticals are
good, but nothing is as good as runnig. I'm not necessarily disputing this, but I have found
that I get great workouts on elliptical machines, and I personally feel that the workout is at
least on par with jogging (in my experience, its better, since I have bad knees and shin
splints).

I have yet to read WHY jogging is better than elliptical. Any thoughts? In the end, I decided to
buy an elliptical machine (SportsArt 805) anyway, since I can run wherever I want (you don't
need a machine).

Both are excellent forms of exercise. The elliptical carries a lower risk

of

Quoted message said:

injury, but most of us in rec.running find running more enjoyable. Some of

us

Quoted message said:

do some elliptical work in addition to running. I do about 2hrs elliptical

each

Quoted message said:

week.

As for your running injuries, you may be able to avoid these by making appropriate adjustments in
your training. Some people are seemingly immune

to

Quoted message said:

injury. The rest of us get injured very quickly when we train recklessly.

Whether or not you keep running, the elliptical is a safe way to boost

your

Quoted message said:

weekly training volume. If you are truly very injury prone, it will enable

you

Quoted message said:

to maintain good aerobic conditioning on relatively low milage.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi pegasus.rutgers.edu~elflordOpen ↗

A few additional comments:

1) Running is more of a weight bearing activity so a potential advantage is improved bone
mineral density
2) Some people (me) hate exercising indoors (dragging it out on the deck would not cure this
either) 2a) At least with running, I can get a change of scenery
3) I am guessing that one can still get injuries on an elliptical, perhaps different sorts
of injuries
4) Running is convenient for people who travel; what if you are on the road and your hotel does not
have an elliptical or there are no gyms available? Running has no such problems, just put on the
shoes and head out the door. Heck I have taken a subway ride several miles to run in a park if
the hotel location is not conducive to running from that location.

I believe that the best exercise in terms of maintaining weight (or losing weight) and achieving
basic fitness is the exercise one is willing to do and keep doing. If you like the elliptical, do
it, but in a newsgroup devoted to running, I am guessing that the overwhelming preference would be
running (albeit many people cross train in a variety of modes).

"Terry R. McConnell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article said:

In researching elliptical machines, I have seen many people make claims that ellipticals are
good, but nothing is as good as runnig. I'm not necessarily disputing this, but I have found that
I get great workouts on elliptical machines, and I personally feel that the workout is at least
on par with jogging (in my experience, its better, since I have bad knees and shin splints).

I have yet to read WHY jogging is better than elliptical. Any thoughts? In the end, I decided to
buy an elliptical machine (SportsArt 805) anyway, since I can run wherever I want (you don't need
a machine).

The better exercise is the one you do regularly. If elliptical, or a mixture of elliptical and
running is what you can do sustainably, do it!

You mentioned the main drawback I see with ellipticals: they are large expensive machines that tie
you down to their location. You can easily get tired of both the machine and its location.

I had never used elliptical trainers before getting injured recently, but

I've

Quoted message said:

found I can get a good workout on one. Actually, I've yet to find any exercise machine that won't
give you as good a workout as you ask it to. The Precor elliptical at my health club is an
elegant, well-made machine

with

Quoted message said:

very few moving parts. You pedal on rails that are attached to a crank in

the

Quoted message said:

back. The front of the rail has a wheel that rides up and down a smooth inclined ramp. Thus your
feet follow a curve that is midway between circular and linear, i.e., an elliptical path. On this
machine you can vary the slope of the ramp - hence the shape of the ellipse - as well

as

Quoted message said:

the resistance.

Another drawback of ellipticals is there is no sport associated with them

that

Quoted message said:

you can join should you begin to feel competitive. Let's face it, people

who

Quoted message said:

train a lot on ellipticals (EFX bunnies, or lepus ellipticus as I call

them,)

Quoted message said:

get very proficient at an apparently useless motion. Running is more or less useless too in the
modern world, but less blatantly so.

1) I love lepus ellipticus!
2) Have you never had to chase after a bus, cab or run to catch a plane? Heck, I have run from a
scary situation or two as well.

Quoted message said:

--
************************************************************************
Terry R. McConnell Mathematics/215 Carnegie/Syracuse, N.Y. 13244-1150 [email hidden] 229B
Physics Bldg barnyard.syr.edu~tmcOpen ↗
************************************************************************

I think the difference in perceiving how effective a WO you get from an elliptical trainer depends
on what kind of shape you are in. Example: If we were both running 9 miles a day (as I do 3 seasons
a year) and I did it in 7mpm, but you did it at 12mpm, when we both got on the elliptical and set it
at max, you'd perceive it as much harder than I would. The real differences are in the pounding of
your feet on the pavement/ground. That force hurdles the blood through your legs and body, no
pounding, no force pushing it through. Also the brand you have makes a big difference. We have the
NordicTrak 910, and it has 5 seperate adjustments just for your foot positions (each uses different
muscles) plus an incline option, as well as several programs, so it's much more versatile than some,
that can also account for the differences.

[email hidden] (Rupert) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

In researching elliptical machines, I have seen many people make claims that ellipticals are good,
but nothing is as good as runnig. I'm not necessarily disputing this, but I have found that I get
great workouts on elliptical machines, and I personally feel that the workout is at least on par
with jogging (in my experience, its better, since I have bad knees and shin splints).

I have yet to read WHY jogging is better than elliptical. Any thoughts? In the end, I decided to
buy an elliptical machine (SportsArt 805) anyway, since I can run wherever I want (you don't need
a machine).

(Rupert) said:

In researching elliptical machines, I have seen many people make claims that ellipticals are good,
but nothing is as good as runnig. I'm not necessarily disputing this, but I have found that I get
great workouts on elliptical machines, and I personally feel that the workout is at least on par
with jogging (in my experience, its better, since I have bad knees and shin splints).

Rupert, you desperately, desperately, need to occupy you mind with something substantive.

Gone Tag. <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

(Rupert) said:

In researching elliptical machines, I have seen many people make claims that ellipticals are
good, but nothing is as good as runnig. I'm not necessarily disputing this, but I have found that
I get great workouts on elliptical machines, and I personally feel that the workout is at least
on par with jogging (in my experience, its better, since I have bad knees and shin splints).

Rupert, you desperately, desperately, need to occupy you mind with something substantive.

Coming from a loser like you, that's pretty funny. I read your usenet posts-- you're a loser with no
life and nothing better to do than troll.