Because of the sports hernia, I’m not going to run for a few days, or perhaps I’ll do a walk/run with only a little running. Today I’m glad that we invested in this little elliptical machine, the Schwinn A40. I’ve used it now enough to appreciate it’s features and failings.
Features:
- It has enough resistance for me and is comfortable enough to use.
- I believe the calorie count - it compares well with other ellipticals and with my running.
- The “distance” display shows a value that is fairly consistent with the calorie count.
- It’s one of the least expensive elliptical machines, at $330, yet it is quite sturdy.
Failings:- The display is very hard to read. Even in a lighted room I need a flashlight, and I’ve attached one with Velcro, but it’s awkward to use.
- The machine makes some squeaking and clicking noises. They’re not so bad that they interfere with listening to TV, however, and might be less if the machine were on a more-stable floor.
- The little battery-powered fan, aimed at the face, is laughable. There is no breeze.
The A40 has several different programs, but I have so far only used it on “quick start” and simply set the resistance to maximum. At that setting, the user burns 13 to 14 calories per minute at a turnover of about 70 RPM. A stronger person can run it faster, but might also prefer an elliptical with higher resistance. Oddly, it doesn’t develop the maximum resistance immediately when started and set - the resistance doesn’t build up until several seconds have passed.
Today I ran the elliptical. Time: 30:03, calories: 433, distance: 3.39 miles, speed 6.8 mph. I care about the time and the calories - the rest of the information is a curiosity. I forgot to write down the average turnover rate, but I think it was 68 or 69 RPM. More interesting is my own breathing rate, which indicated a strong aerobic pace, comparable to running at a near-race pace.
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