Elliptical trainer
Foot plates on a fixed arc that mimic running without the impact
Your feet stay on plates that travel a fixed oval path, usually with moving handles so the arms take a share. Gyms are full of them because anyone can step on and go, and they suit people whose knees or shins object to running. The catch is that effort is easy to fake, so the intensity has to be deliberate rather than whatever the machine settles into.
People on record
Sorted by strength of stance
Does it: documented as part of their own routine. Recommends: explicitly advises other people to do it. Discusses: covered it substantively without clear personal adoption; this can include criticism or disagreement.
- Michael PhelpsDoes it
Olympic swimmer · Most decorated Olympian in history
One of the machines he named for non-lifting days, alongside swimming and the bike. He trains six or seven days a week and said plainly that those sessions, like golf, are where the anger goes.
Source: The Tim Ferriss Show #494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett, transcript
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under fitness or energy.
- Gear$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Heart rate monitor
Chest strap or watch that logs heart rate and estimates calories burned
On record from 4 of 62 tracked people: 2 do it, 2 recommend it - Gear$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.
Weight sled
A loaded steel sled pushed or dragged across turf
On record from 3 of 62 tracked people: 1 does it, 2 recommend it - Gear$$$Expensive: Several hundred dollars and up.
Air bike
Fan-resistance bike with moving handles, used for short all-out efforts
On record from 2 of 62 tracked people: 1 does it, 1 recommends it - Gear$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.
Exercise bike
Stationary bike for intervals and steady aerobic work indoors
On record from 2 of 62 tracked people: 2 do it - Gear$$$Expensive: Several hundred dollars and up.
Indoor bike trainer
Smart trainer or stationary bike that reports power and varies resistance
On record from 2 of 62 tracked people: 2 do it - Gear$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.
Running hydration vest
A trail vest carrying soft flasks or a bladder, plus fuel, layers and a headlamp
On record from 2 of 62 tracked people: 2 do it
Gear entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.