Elliptical, Stairstepper on Non-running Days

rogue

posted: 3/1/2009 at 10:56 PM

I know that Jeff Galloway advises against doing the Elliptical or Stair Master on cross-training days. Does anyone agree? Disagree? (Why?) Confused

Phidippides

posted: 3/2/2009 at 7:57 AM

Quote from rogue on 3/1/2009 at 10:56 PM:

I know that Jeff Galloway advises against doing the Elliptical or Stair Master on cross-training days. Does anyone agree? Disagree? (Why?)

I dont recall that he advised against it - rather he doesnt believe that doing other forms of exercise (Elliptical or Stair Master) really enhance running. He believes that running and water running are the only activities that assist or enhance running... From my personal experience, I tend to agree as I havent found anything that seems to help me, except running.......HOWEVER, it doesnt have to be about running -- if you like the stairmaster or elliptical and want to do them, they are definately great machinces.. and will really help you get/stay in shape..... Its really all about you and what you want to do to stay in shape and your approach to fitness.

Champions are made when no one is watching

Ennay

A Saucy Wench

posted: 3/2/2009 at 8:42 AM
modified: 3/2/2009 at 8:45 AM

having never read galloway...lemme get this straight...he IS in favor of Xtraining, but not those 2 specific pieces of equipment? or is he not in favor of Xtraining? I had a physical therapist say that he thought stair climbers were the worst mechanically and he thinks they are harder on the knees than running so I dont know if it is something along those lines. googling it from a beginner program:

It is fine to do cross training on Monday, Wednesday and Friday if you wish. There will be little benefit to your running/walking in doing this, but you’l increase your fatburning potential. Don’t do exercises like stair machines that use the calf muscle on cross training days.

So it sounds like he doesnt like them if the program day is a rest or XT day because they are too much similar to running. Although other than swimming, what XT DOESNT use calf?

I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

Phidippides

posted: 3/2/2009 at 1:37 PM

Quote from Ennay on 3/2/2009 at 8:42 AM:

having never read galloway...lemme get this straight...he IS in favor of Xtraining, but not those 2 specific pieces of equipment? or is he not in favor of Xtraining?

As I understand Galloway, he simply doesn't think that other forms of cross training are really beneficial to running (never heard him specifically mention that he doesnt like a particular Xtraining program) only that they don't so much or running.

Champions are made when no one is watching

rogue

posted: 3/3/2009 at 11:16 AM
modified: 3/3/2009 at 5:17 PM

Let me clarify--he states in his book Running Year Round that the elliptical and Stair Master use many of the same muscles as running, so doesn't advise using them on non-running days when you are trying to recover (but still want to cross-train). Sorry, that might sound confusing. I'll try to find his exact words as this is just off the top of my head. He recommends walking (but not hiking), biking, swimming and of course deep-water running. I think his point is that you are not giving your leg muscles enough time to recover if you run 5 miles one day and jump on the elliptical or Stair Master the next day. I infer from this that if you like the elliptical and the Stair Master, you should do those on the same day that you run. Hmmm.....something to ponder, but I appreciate everyone's input.

kencamet

posted: 3/3/2009 at 11:53 AM
modified: 3/3/2009 at 11:56 AM

I agree with Galloway if you are running for general fitness only. I'd say running 3 days a week and then doing true crosstraining by using muscle groups not recruited when running. Therefore don't do elliptical? If you run to get better at running then the elliptical is the one of the very, IMNSHO of course, best alternate forms of running. Ideally you would run as much as possible and crosstrain, if you must, on the elliptical or maybe the treadmill. Not a fan of the treadmill since if you're not going to run anyway you may as well save your legs the pounding and do the elliptical. My bottom line: If you want to be a better runner, then run as much as possible and use the elliptical as a xtrainer. If you want to gain overall fitness then use running as one of many tools to do this, the elliptical would be mostly redundant in this case. I am testing this theory out right now as I have a bum hip that will not allow me to run. After 2 miles of running, my hip hurts, I think it's severe case of sciatica that I need to wait out. I can go as long as I want on the elliptical and the hip doesn't so much as twinge due to the lack of pounding. I'm hoping to keep in some semblance of running shape by doing this but I know I'll have a lot of catching up to do when I start running again.

Darla1

posted: 3/4/2009 at 9:50 PM

In the last few weeks of training for my first marathon I ended up with shin splits. So I spend hours and hours on elliptical trying to keep up my endurance. I think it saved me. I get a very good work-out on the elliptical and I think it really helps my endurance in my longer runs.

kencamet

posted: 3/9/2009 at 9:48 AM

I just thought I'd mention that Costco has 2 year memberships to 24hour fitness for $299. I was about to buy a 1 year membership to my neighborhood 24hr Fitness club for the same price.

Buckeye

posted: 3/16/2009 at 8:04 PM
modified: 3/16/2009 at 8:05 PM

As a "fan" of elliptical on crosstrain days in past , i am experimenting on working in a rowing machine on cross days. From a cardio standpoint it beats the heck out of elliptical as doing 1000M intervals @ < 4:00 is a pretty good match as running 800m sprint intervals (also hits some upper body and core for fulll body). still hit ellyptical for 20 -30 minutes to burn calories, but then try to alternate the 1000m interval with some circuit training. swimming also a good cardio crosstrain ... but i can't swim worth anything and start to flail around after about 100 m. 4:00="" is="" a="" pretty="" good="" match="" as="" running="" 800m="" sprint="" intervals="" (also="" hits="" some="" upper="" body="" and="" core="" for="" fulll="" body).="" still="" hit="" ellyptical="" for="" 20="" -30="" minutes="" to="" burn="" calories,="" but="" then="" try="" to="" alternate="" the="" 1000m="" interval="" with="" some="" circuit="" training.="" swimming="" also="" a="" good="" cardio="" crosstrain="" ...="" but="" i="" can't="" swim="" worth="" anything="" and="" start="" to="" flail="" around="" after="" about="" 100=""></ 4:00 is a pretty good match as running 800m sprint intervals (also hits some upper body and core for fulll body). still hit ellyptical for 20 -30 minutes to burn calories, but then try to alternate the 1000m interval with some circuit training. swimming also a good cardio crosstrain ... but i can't swim worth anything and start to flail around after about 100 m.>

"It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it Great!

Purdey

posted: 3/18/2009 at 7:00 AM

Elliptical kept me fit during a 6 week shin splint lay off last year.

http://www.everyclick.com/145miles#

Mendeldave

ultramarathon/triathlete

posted: 3/19/2009 at 2:42 PM
modified: 3/19/2009 at 2:44 PM

I cross-train on my off-running days (and also on running days, as an additional work out, depending on my amount of free time). Elliptical, stairs and other weird elliptical-like machines are good. I try to do a day or two a week at the gym on them, and I mix it up because I find them pretty boring. They may not substitue running, or maybe they do. But they DO burn calories so on my non-run days, I can still eat what I want. Big grin

Aside from running and elliptical workouts, I also swim 1 or 2 nights a week, hard Bike 1 or 2 nights on a stationary, moderate-hard Bike long on the weekend (the other day from my long runs). If the other workouts don't benefit the "running muscles" per-say, remember, they do ballance you out. You'll be less prone to injury and less prone to plain old burn-out.

HTFU? Why not!

Coach: Empire Tri Club

Speed Coach: Brooklyn Tri Club

mounteverest

posted: 5/21/2009 at 11:55 PM

I like both the elliptical and StairMaster as I can basically walk on the StairMaster and I am sweating up a storm, I also like Precor EFX because I can work various muscle groups and its low impact. I weat Nike Shocks with a very firm sole on both workouts. But I usually do my endurance workouts or recovery on these pieces also instead of building the wrong muscles. So I get out my HR monitor and go like 120 for an hour, then its a fun easy workout.

paulelliptical

posted: 8/27/2009 at 7:58 PM

I like to do an ellipticla workout whenever I feel that my joints and back need some rest. Usually I do a warm up on the rowing machine, then I do some elliptical and finish off with the treadmill

marktman

posted: 8/27/2009 at 10:42 PM

I never would have guessed you like to do the elliptical.

srlopez

Eye of Sauron

posted: 8/27/2009 at 10:45 PM

+5 for Gryffindor.

And once again Mr. Wizard (aka: Stevie Ray) explains the internet.

Elliptical, Stairstepper on Non-running Days (Read 3691 times)