Group: General Fitness & Exercise

Created: 2011/12/31, Members: 383, Messages: 54581

Various general exercise related discussions. Find out what it takes to reach your fitness goals through daily effective exercise. With so many options we try to find out what works best.

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elliptical trainer

lalababy
lalababy
Posts: 37
Joined: 2002/06/12
United States
2002/07/25, 07:18 PM
Can you build a lot of muscle by going on the elliptical trainer and having it on very high resistance? Should that be treated like lifting weights, as far as giving yourself a day to rest in between?
lalababy
lalababy
Posts: 37
Joined: 2002/06/12
United States
2002/07/25, 07:22 PM
the elliptical trainer I am talking about is the one where you sit down and the petals are in front of you ( kinda like a bike, only the petals are extended in front of your body and it only works the lower body).
7707mutt
7707mutt
Posts: 7,686
Joined: 2002/06/18
United States
2002/07/25, 09:19 PM
Ok, first what you are talking about is called a recumbent bike. An elliptical trainer is a cross between a treadmill and a starimaster, you stand on it. Both can bulid up the legs to a little degree, but it is considered a cardio exercise. Hope that helps good luck

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"When in danger, or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout" LIFT HARD AND OFTEN!!!!!!
Philia2
Philia2
Posts: 4,078
Joined: 2001/10/19
France
2002/07/26, 02:26 AM
In France we call it an ergonomic bike (and people with back problems seem to like them a lot)
As Mutt so wisely says, even on high resistance it's still considered as a cardio exercise.
You need real resistance/weight training to shape those legs!

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- Nina :o) Vous êtes tous magnifiques!
roni0906
roni0906
Posts: 1,008
Joined: 2002/01/24
United States
2002/07/28, 12:05 AM
If you want to gain muscles, you should depend on weights not cardio machines. Cardio machines are made for endurance and a healthy heart. Hope this helps.

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Lisa
lalababy
lalababy
Posts: 37
Joined: 2002/06/12
United States
2002/07/29, 04:24 AM
yes.. but will going on the cardio machine make my muscles shrink or not do anything to them? If i keep in on high resistance
7707mutt
7707mutt
Posts: 7,686
Joined: 2002/06/18
United States
2002/07/29, 08:40 AM
They will not shrink, Just give them better endurance.

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"When in danger, or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout" LIFT HARD AND OFTEN!!!!!!
Lumina20
Lumina20
Posts: 966
Joined: 2001/10/31
United States
2002/07/29, 11:57 AM
The recumbent bike will probably give you a better shape to your legs, like a toning effect, and you will probably gain some muscle, but I see that you would like a larger lower body, and so using weights would be your best bet.
Philia2
Philia2
Posts: 4,078
Joined: 2001/10/19
France
2002/07/30, 01:47 AM
I'm afraid that we women are not made like that. If you do hours of cardio training you'll loose weight yes, but you'll just end up with a skinnier top and your lower part as big as before. That's how it is (it's because of those darn hormones!!)
The only way that we can do something about that is by weight training, diet AND cardio.

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- Nina :o) Vous êtes tous magnifiques!