Question: (Continued from last column) How do you keep exercising when the weather is bad?Answer: In the last column, I mentioned several different alternatives for exercising indoors. These included joining a health club or spa or buying some exercise equipment for your home. Two of the best pieces of exercise equipment are the treadmill and the exercise cycle, and I mentioned the pros and cons of each of these machines. Today, I would like to mention a few other possibilities for indoor exercise.
Ski machines: These devices usually have movable ropes or poles for arm motion and boards on rollers or foot pads on wheels designed to give the user a feeling of cross-country skiing. There are three major advantages for ski machines: first, they are very smooth with no jarring or impact forces, so they are good for anyone with sore knees or other problems exacerbated by jogging. Second, they use the upper body in the skiing motion, so more total muscle mass is used than with most other machines. Third, if you enjoy "real" cross-country skiing, you can learn pretty good technique while getting a good workout.
The disadvantages relate to the difficulty of learning to use this type of machine. The first cross-country machine I tried had "independent" ski motion. That is, each ski moved independent from the other. It took me about three or four workouts before I began to feel real comfortable on the machine.
There are ski machines where the skis are linked so that when one moves forward, the other moves back. Although these machines are easier to use initially, the motion developed is never as realistic as with the more difficult-to-learn machine. I would recommend the independent motion machine. Over time, you will like it better.
Elliptical exercisers: A cross between an exercise bike and a stair climber, these devices are gaining popularity because of their smooth action and easy learning curve. For most people, an elliptical exerciser can provide a workout similar to that of a treadmill. They cost less and are easier on the joints. Unlike the dependent cross-country ski machine or inexpensive walking machines that often make you move in an awkward, stiff-legged shuffle, the elliptical machine allows the feet to move in an "ellipse," so that the motion seems much more natural -- almost like walking without any trauma to joints.
Another advantage relates to safety. It is easy to stumble on a treadmill, and there is a higher need of balance than on the elliptical machine.
Consumer Reports recommend the following items for an elliptical exerciser: (1) non-slip pedals and high curved ridges at the front to keep your feet from sliding off; (2) pedals that let you change the incline, which changes the resistance; (3) comfortable handlebars that have the pivot far enough from the grip that you have a normal range of motion without bumping your knees; (4) a fixed hand-grip system in addition to the movable one so you can work only your legs if you wish; and (5) a stable base to prevent rocking.
Consumer Reports also suggests trying the machine for at least 10 to 20 minutes to be sure it suits your needs. It should feel sturdy, move smoothly, be reasonably quiet and let you mount and dismount easily.
Stair steppers: The large, well-built stair steppers in a club or spa are excellent machines for cardiovascular exercise. However, a machine of this quality may be too expensive for use in the home. There are less-expensive versions that use shock absorber-type pistons for resistance that can work quite well. The problem with any stepping exercise, including walking up and down real stairs, is that it might cause knee pain, especially if the steps are too high.
An alternative to stair steppers is the step-aerobic bench. It might be a good idea to begin with a step aerobic bench only about 6 inches high and work up as you develop technique and strength. Try to keep the knee bend to less than 90 degrees. Add arm action to increase the work-out level.
Garth Fisher is director of the Human Performance Research Center at Brigham Young University.