am i wasting time if im not sweating?

[kibskix]

after working on my gazelle... a LOT... over the last month or so, its starting to take me longer to get out of breath or feel like i'm getting a good workout on it. I know thats supposed to be a good thing because i'm getting back in shape, but thats really all the cardio I can do right now, and I don't want to have to sit on it for hours at a time to get the same amount of workout I would have got today 1. But unless I get my heart rate up to around 70%, i'm really not doing myself any favors, am I? Im wondering if I should do my 30 day shred before the cardio, that way my heart rate is already up...

[Peej]

Re: am i wasting time if im not sweating?

I'm definitely no expert but, I think that if you can do something to get your heartrate up and then do your cardio, that is a great idea. Any kind of workout is better than nothing. You're the only one who knows your own body. If you feel like you're not getting a good workout, then chances are you need to incorporate something else into your routine. Does that mean you're not getting any benefit from your current workouts? No! Its good to be active no matter what you are doing, but if you want to get the best results possible, incorporating something else into your workout would be an excellent idea.

[SunnySmile501]

Re: am i wasting time if im not sweating?

I'm not familiar with the gazelle--is it possible to do intervals? You warm up for two minutes and then speed way up for about 15 to 18 seconds, then slow down for two minutes, then speed back up for the 15 to 18 seconds.

I have an extremely slow resting heart rate and it's really hard to get it up, but if I do intervals on my recumbent stepper, I can do it. It's the only way I can get short of breath and sweat in the 30 minutes that I am on there. If I just warm up, then keep going at a fast clip, nothing happens in the same 30 minutes.

When I used to do Walk Away The Pounds Express, we would get into the 3rd mile, where we really picked up the tempo, and Leslie Sansone would make fun of the fit people doing it with her because they were huffing and puffing and could no longer talk. I was pretty new at it, but I was keeping up step for step and I could still sing. I have to really work at getting short of breath and my heart rate up at all.

[kibskix]

Re: am i wasting time if im not sweating?

I ususally do something similar to that sunny, perhaps I should make the increased speed longer. i was just frustrated this morning because it took 30/40 minutes to start really feeling it today, and I was pushing harder than i normally do. I dont want to look a gift horse in the mouth though.

[pagliaccia]

Re: am i wasting time if im not sweating?

I had a gazelle forever ago, but I can't remember: is there any way to turn the resistance up? Or would that aggravate your joint issues?

[planetclaire]

Re: am i wasting time if im not sweating?

Can you change the resistance? I'm not familiar with gazelles at all, but I know that with any cardio machine, doing the same thing for a few weeks is going to get easier.

I would try doing the 30 day shred before your cardio, see how that changes it up.

Another thing you could try is do a bit of a circuit with your gazelle....5 minutes on there, hop off, do jump rope for 1 minute, back on gazelle....Our muscles have memory and once they realize they are doing the same thing they have been doing for a while, they kind of relax and bit and don't fire up all the fibers like they did at the beginning. I think anything you can do to change it up will be beneficial.

[msanjelpie]

Re: am i wasting time if im not sweating?

Is the Gazelle an effective cardio workout or what? | Ask Metafilter

[kibskix]

Re: am i wasting time if im not sweating?

nope, cant change the resistance much other than taking your hands off the handles. It does work your muscles, especially if you havent been working out. the entire first week I used it (and I use it for at least an hour at a time) my calves, hamstrings, quads, hips were all sore. I also keep my knees slightly bent in order to actually engage your quads, but if you aren't trying its really easy to "phone it in" as jillian would say. I think i'm going to have to go cough up the money to join the gym down the street.