Equipment review and a Question

My gym just got in these new "step/walking/elipse" machines (it's the Precor 100i) .  They're called Adaptive Movement Trainers....as your working out you can vary your strides to do step movements (like step machine) or elipse movements, or long stride sprinting type movements.....I enjoyed it, and the fact that it "glides" like an elipse machine ..even when your doing "sprints" it's easy on the back.   BTW anyone take a Spin class?   I have a bad lower back and normally have to adapt exercises to work around it.....do you think a spin class would be too much for it? ...If I do any biking, it's normally on a recumbent bike...which works ok for about 10 minutes or so...thanks for the imput.  Scott

Scottie - the Precor is a great machine...we got one (just one) at our gym to try out and it's difficult to get on it because it's been so popular.   Hopefully we will get more of those machines.  We've got some similar machines, but the variable stride features on the Precor are much better and simpler to use. I do a spin class 1-2 times a week (although I've been cutting back on it the past month).  Give it a shot and see how your back feels.  At our gym we've got all fitness levels in class on the weekdays so it allows folks to work as hard or as easy as they need to according to their abilities.  During the week the class is 45 minutes.  On the weekend, there is an advanced Spin class that goes for 60 minutes...and that one is a be-yotch!  It doesn't matter how good of shape anyone is in...EVERYONE comes out of that class draggin' ass!  If the back hurts, then go back to the recumbant.  If it's something you're interested in doing, you might want to talk to one of the trainers and get you some exercises targeted at your problem region to see if you can get that back strengthened up. Best of luck to ya! Cards Fan

The nice thing about the spin classes is you can determine what your comfort level is as far as resistance/speed. I've taken about 10 or so so far and it's harder or easier depending on who's leading it. Eddie will kick my ass trying to make me sprint, Mike is more of a slow climb kind of guy, Bob likes to mix it up.  I'll echo Cards Fan's advice and say give it a go. Stay in the back and do what you can. Challenge yourself, but if you're feeling it in your back at all I'd ease off. Might be good to talk to a class leader ahead of time as well. They may have good advice there. -Dan

pI have four disc herniations in my lower back - bad news - daily vicodin, cortizone injections, etc......I tried the spinning class last week and found that to do it as directed was too much for my back, but if I didn't get up and do the "climbing and sprinting" and just pushed it at as high a pace that I could handle I got through it. I think I got a much better cardio workout in 45 minutes than I normally do when I walk three miles on the treadmill. Give it a try but do the shorter class first and stay on your butt if you start worrying about your back.h

See you know where I'm coming from......have you tried a TENS unit and lipoderm patches...I found out about them on this forum from CB...and have been using it ever since...it helped cut down on the amount of vicodine, and  anti inflamatory meds I was taking...not completely...but hey even a little is better then nothing.  Scott

Yeah I have a TENS unit but it doesn't seem to help much, it is more uncomfortable than it is worth. I have an appointment with a pain clinic next week. I haven't been to one since January...I'm going to ask them about the lipoderm - what is that...right now it is pretty much vicodin, which is OK, but I am tired of having to take it even when my back doesn't hurt to avoid the withdrawals - I feel like a heroin addict...

Lipoderm is lidocaine patches....they kind of bring some spot numbing relief.  I have to be honest they do not make the pain go away..but it might take the pain down from a 10 to an 8....i use it in combo with other things.   I have my doctors rotate my meds on a regular basis so that I don't get addicted to them.   I've been on viodine, ultram, lyrica...just to name a few.  As soon as a med starts to lose it's effectiveness...i get them to put me on a different med.  Scott