Cross Trainer

km991148

Looking at getting a cross trainer/ treadmill for home use - can spend a few hundred but nothing daft, where should I start looking/ any recommendations? I know nothing about this sorta thing!!

Looked on Argos, but I take it those ones are cr@p or are there bargains to be had?

Thanks,
km

EDIT: what would something like this be like:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/York-Fitness-X201-Elliptical/dp/B000WZJWE8

bob04

Hi Kim

A few hundred, I take it thats 300 ???

I know what i would do, and did do, joined my local gym for 15 months for 450 instead

Im not sure what kind of thing you will get for 300 but i would imagine the decent ones would cost more than that??

km991148

yep, find it hard to get to the gym tho' tried and not really interested,
I cycle abit too, and would prefer something for home - I could go a bit further than 300 (400 tops) but would prefer cloder to 3 - i.e. I reckoned that I could get something thats sturdy enough and better than the cheapest of the cheap, if such a thing exists!

km

Oryx

Dont buy a treadmill for that kind of money. You need to spend a fair bit to get a good one. I have one for 3 years, its my best buy ever, cos like you I cant get out to the gym, but it cost something like e1200.

I got a cross trainer for about 350 (proform) it works pretty well. Creaks a bit, but otherwise good. Its only when you do go to a gym and use the gym standard equipment, that you realise how lightweight the home stuff is.

I chose to buy from a local sports equip supplier, just cos I can go back to him if I have a problem. And it has worked out well. Prices were comparable with Argos, too. And you really need to be able to get on the equipment and see what it feels like, all crosstrainers are not the same.

Also, before you shell out, make sure youll have the dedication to use it. Most home gym equipment becomes a glorified clothes hanger. If motivating to go to the gym is hard, you might find this hard too! I find the home equipment great, but you do need to take a few weeks of forcing yourself to use it in order to develop the habit of using it.

You should get a good personal trainer, your health is your most important thing.

If you can't be arsed to go to the gym and get fit, what on earth makes you think that by buying a piece of crap for your HOME that you will use it? Your house is where you are lazy, I'd recommend motivated people to have a treadmill at home, not you.

km991148

Oryx wrote: »

Dont buy a treadmill for that kind of money. You need to spend a fair bit to get a good one. I have one for 3 years, its my best buy ever, cos like you I cant get out to the gym, but it cost something like e1200.

I got a cross trainer for about 350 (proform) it works pretty well. Creaks a bit, but otherwise good. Its only when you do go to a gym and use the gym standard equipment, that you realise how lightweight the home stuff is.

I chose to buy from a local sports equip supplier, just cos I can go back to him if I have a problem. And it has worked out well. Prices were comparable with Argos, too. And you really need to be able to get on the equipment and see what it feels like, all crosstrainers are not the same.

Also, before you shell out, make sure youll have the dedication to use it. Most home gym equipment becomes a glorified clothes hanger. If motivating to go to the gym is hard, you might find this hard too! I find the home equipment great, but you do need to take a few weeks of forcing yourself to use it in order to develop the habit of using it.

Yep am aware of the clothes horse factor and know what I need to do to get into it - I train a bit (well just about enough to keep the beer belly at bay) on my bike when I can, but reckon something else for home use would be good in the winter.
I knew treadmills would cost a bit for decent ones, wasnt sure about the cross trainer, although it sound as if reasonableish ones can be had for sub 500. I am in dublin area (city) would you know of suppliers in/around the city? As I am keen on stepping on some before buying (I know If I bought crap from argos I could take it back but prob never would!).

Deleted User wrote: »

You should get a good personal trainer, your health is your most important thing.

If you can't be arsed to go to the gym and get fit, what on earth makes you think that by buying a piece of crap for your HOME that you will use it? Your house is where you are lazy, I'd recommend motivated people to have a treadmill at home, not you.

Thanks for that insightful but completely inappropriate and unhelpful advice. I didnt say that I wasnt motivated, I am a relatively fit and active person but my job demands that I work long hours that makes it difficult getting to a gym within opening hours. I reread my post and can see why you were mistaken, what I mean was that I am not interested in trying again with joining the gym and paying out every month when I only manage to get a few short sessions. However your comment was bordering abusive in my opinion and I dont appreciate it. Yes my home is where I am lazy (at times) but it is also where I have lots of nice stuff like music I want to listen to and tv that I can watch and control when doing something to keep fit.

Finally I am posting here because I dont want to buy a piece of crap, If I cannot get something in the mentioned price range then I wont and I will wait until I can. Anyway, not saying anymore I will welcome a response but I aint got the time for no flame war...

bob04

km991148 wrote: »

Yep am aware of the clothes horse factor and know what I need to do to get into it - I train a bit (well just about enough to keep the beer belly at bay) on my bike when I can, but reckon something else for home use would be good in the winter.
I knew treadmills would cost a bit for decent ones, wasnt sure about the cross trainer, although it sound as if reasonableish ones can be had for sub 500. I am in dublin area (city) would you know of suppliers in/around the city? As I am keen on stepping on some before buying (I know If I bought crap from argos I could take it back but prob never would!).




Thanks for that insightful but completely inappropriate and unhelpful advice. I didnt say that I wasnt motivated, I am a relatively fit and active person but my job demands that I work long hours that makes it difficult getting to a gym within opening hours. I reread my post and can see why you were mistaken, what I mean was that I am not interested in trying again with joining the gym and paying out every month when I only manage to get a few short sessions. However your comment was bordering abusive in my opinion and I dont appreciate it. Yes my home is where I am lazy (at times) but it is also where I have lots of nice stuff like music I want to listen to and tv that I can watch and control when doing something to keep fit.

Finally I am posting here because I dont want to buy a piece of crap, If I cannot get something in the mentioned price range then I wont and I will wait until I can. Anyway, not saying anymore I will welcome a response but I aint got the time for no flame war...

Totally off topic, but what about spending the money on a dog???? Or take one thats looking for a good home

Then you can get out, fresh air, take the dog for walk in the evenings, and get great pleasure out of it

That would be my first choice only my ma wouldnt let me!!!

km991148

bob04 wrote: »

Totally off topic, but what about spending the money on a dog???? Or take one thats looking for a good home

Then you can get out, fresh air, take the dog for walk in the evenings, and get great pleasure out of it

That would be my first choice only my ma wouldnt let me!!!

lol my gf badly wants a dog (I would like one also), but we live in the city in a rented house with no garden + work lonng hours sometimes, so not sutable really..

If anyone wants to lend us a dog at the weekends tho...

aye

buy a skipping rope and a chin up bar.

GrayD

Something like a ProForm 550 is sold a lot here and is decent for the price.

I wouldn't go much cheaper than that as they tend to be crap.

Its true though, unless you spend 1,500+ you're not getting anything near gym quality... at home it won't get the use to justify a gym model but the other ones don't appear so sturdy.

Roper

If I was spending 300 I'd buy some good weights and a decent pair of runners. Do some runs for your cardio and then build up some muscle with the weights so your girlfriend forgets about wanting to walk a dog in the evenings.

km991148

Roper wrote: »

If I was spending 300 I'd buy some good weights and a decent pair of runners. Do some runs for your cardio and then build up some muscle with the weights so your girlfriend forgets about wanting to walk a dog in the evenings.

lol - the trainer is mainly for dual use tho' (no inuendo!) I am happy mainly with the cycling and the gf would like to use the trainer a bit

thanks all for the replies tho'!
Cheers,
km

km991148

km991148 wrote: »

Thanks for that insightful but completely inappropriate and unhelpful advice. I didnt say that I wasnt motivated, I am a relatively fit and active person but my job demands that I work long hours that makes it difficult getting to a gym within opening hours. I reread my post and can see why you were mistaken, what I mean was that I am not interested in trying again with joining the gym and paying out every month when I only manage to get a few short sessions. However your comment was bordering abusive in my opinion and I dont appreciate it. Yes my home is where I am lazy (at times) but it is also where I have lots of nice stuff like music I want to listen to and tv that I can watch and control when doing something to keep fit.

Finally I am posting here because I dont want to buy a piece of crap, If I cannot get something in the mentioned price range then I wont and I will wait until I can. Anyway, not saying anymore I will welcome a response but I aint got the time for no flame war...

That's great, well you said yourself that your post gave that impression so try write more accurate posts in the future. You gave the impression that you were not arsed to go to the gym. You realise that and you have edited your post making my post pretty much nonsensical now. What you said and what you meant were two different things so don't get annoyed with my post.

Also, I think my advice to you of getting a good personal trainer is probably the best advice for you due to your long work hours and current work situation.