How much exercise equipment do you have? Do you use it?
I was watching one of those shopping channels the other day and it got me thinking. They show these people who obviously spend all their time working out, not just normal Joes and Janes. You know what I mean, Mr Super Sixpack and Miss Abs of Steel. Not a flabby thigh or bingo wing in the bunch! And people take this to mean that the stepper or gazelle or Wonder Toy is going to give them the same toned bod. So they buy (and those things are never cheap!)...and at least round our way, after a while the gadget ends up tucked under the bed or in the store room. The CDs and DVDs are fun for awhile but then they start to gather dust. And I'm sure the sellers know this, but what the hey, they made the sale, they're not responsible for how it's used if at all.
I know that VWers are more health-conscious than average, but do you buy equipment, or just work out naturally? We have an exercise bike that I seldom use. I prefer to go out and walk in the fresh air. DH does use the bike though, and I can see that in a cold climate you would want something you can use indoors when it's snowing out there or raining or whatever. Lately I'm all about yoga type exercise too, stuff I can do on the floor in our tiny apartment without a lot of extra equipment. I even remembered the Callanetics book I bought in the US back in the 80's, and blew the dust off that. (Anybody else remember Callanetics)?
I had the video around here somewhere...oh that's right, no more video player.... ;D
I have a jump rope. I've had it for just a couple of weeks and I've used it a bunch of times.
I own some hand weights and the 30 Day Shred dvd, if that counts. I'm not good at doing things at home. I'm much more (or at all) consistent about going to the gym. Especially now that I have a workout partner. I work harder when there's an audience.
I had a Cardio Glide for years. I used it often when I used it and not at all the other times. I liked it because I could get a cardio workout without impacting my feet, since I injured the tendons in the arches of my feet. I got rid of it when I moved to my current house because my place is small and there was no where to put it.
In college I had a Thigh Master (it didn't work)
http://materialisticboy.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/thigh-master.jpg
Yeah, the Thigh Master type thing is what I meant by "Wonder Toy." You may remember that gizmo that was basically ropes and pullies that you attached to a doorknob and then lay on the floor and pulled your arms and legs up and down and back and forth. Can't remember what they called it but it was a big TV seller in the 70's. My mother got one for me for Christmas. That one didn't work either. And I think it's what started my negative body image, because she threw it up to me all the time that she had spent "all that money" on it and it wasn't helping. Made me want to force-feed her a soap-on-a-rope.
I just have hand weights... and I use them for the shred.
I generally run in a gym. I've run outside, but it usually gives me joint issues. I'd probably run outside more if there was a soft surface available (park) and it was safe to run alone here (it's not). I actually probably *would* use a treadmill if I had one (and the space and money for it), only because I did run 5-7x a week in undergrad when I lived next door to the school's gym.
I hate those little one-trick gadgets. It's like a small fraction of the cost of a real, reasonable machine, with only one group of muscles worked, and all the false promises. I think at-home calisthenics and such are probably more effective than any thigh-master, forearm-toner type of thing. And cheaper!
I have a treadmill and a big rubber gym ball, and I use the treadmill every day and the ball every few days. my bf has a rock climbing hang board in our bedroom, and he uses that twice a day. The treadmill is so big and it takes up a large portion of our small apartment!
i have
- ab lounge (rarely use it now, used to use it frequently)
- dumbbells (use rarely)
- yoga mat (use pretty frequently)
- trampoline (use daily now that weather is nice)
- exercise ball (got it recently.. have used it a couple of times)
my main form of exercise though is good old running! and i love my trampoline :)>>>
i have
- ab lounge (rarely use it now, used to use it frequently)
- dumbbells (use rarely)
- yoga mat (use pretty frequently)
- trampoline (use daily now that weather is nice)
- exercise ball (got it recently.. have used it a couple of times)
my main form of exercise though is good old running! and i love my trampoline :)>>>
TRAMPOLINE? I'm so freaking jealous. I always wanted one of those as a kid and my parents thought I'd kill myself. Boooo.
I think I'm going to buy a treadmill soon. They are just so expensive, and I'd hate to buy something like that to have it collect dust. I have gained a bunch of weight since switching to this desk job. I hadn't really thought about it, but my previous job involved walking at least 10-15 miles a day, much of that up and down stairs. Joining a gym really isn't an option for me because of my daughter, and the town I live in hardly has any sidewalks. (It used to make me so mad that I lived less than 3 miles from work but couldn't safety walk or bike there.) Having to drive to the neighboring town to a park with a walking trail, I just always seem to be to busy, or the weather is bad, or they are mowing, or whatever, and I just don't do it frequently enough to matter. Plus I'm to embarrassed to run in public right now.
I have a several pieces of exercise equipment. My most treasured item is my Life Fitness X7 Advanced elliptical. I love it and have been doing it faithfully 5-6x/wk since I received it last July. It cost me a small fortune but was worth it. (I've had a cheap ($600-700) Proform treadmill in the past, and it didn't last but maybe a couple years. In the long run, spending more pays off. For large cardio equipment, definitely look for brands that come with great warranties.) I also have a couple pilates machines, a pilates reformer (probably my 2nd favorite piece of equipment) and a supreme pilates. I have some smaller items such as 2 yoga mats, 3 prs of dumbbells, a stability ball, a couple smaller balls, and a ton of fitness DVDs. I don't use everything all the time, but I do make good use of all my equipment.
I have a few hand weights and a small elliptical I found on Craig's list for 40$. Its nice and small and fits in the bedroom. I would suggest CL for used workout equipment, you can find great deals and try stuff before investing hundreds of dollars in new.
i have
- ab lounge (rarely use it now, used to use it frequently)
- dumbbells (use rarely)
- yoga mat (use pretty frequently)
- trampoline (use daily now that weather is nice)
- exercise ball (got it recently.. have used it a couple of times)
my main form of exercise though is good old running! and i love my trampoline :)>>>
TRAMPOLINE? I'm so freaking jealous. I always wanted one of those as a kid and my parents thought I'd kill myself. Boooo.
aye yes it is so great! i never had it as a youngin' .. my parents got it for me when i was 15 (i'm now 19) so i didn't have to hear the whole "you'll break your neck!" lecture plus we don't have a lame-o net to keep us from dying. it's such a great form of exercise because you forget you're working out. i recommend getting one.. even as an adult.. it's worth every penny!