| At least once a week we use an elliptical machine for | | | | before doing any serious pushes. As a result we feel |
| a one hour cardio workout. In fact my buddies all | | | | that we have experienced far less injuries and pain. |
| agree that without the use of an elliptical trainer we | | | | We also have found that we can go deeper on the |
| would weigh 10 to 15 percent more than we do now. | | | | hack squat as well. |
| We also use the elliptical trainer for warm-ups prior to | | | | Most of my buddies are also addicted to the game |
| other sports activities. We almost never use a | | | | of racquetball. Like me we have been playing ever |
| treadmill any more due to the knee problems they | | | | since we were in the military and college. In an |
| cause most of us. | | | | average week we play about four hours of intense |
| For the past 3 years we use the elliptical trainer at | | | | play. In general we have far more injuries playing |
| our dojang for at least 15 minutes prior to our tae | | | | racquetball then in any other sports activity including |
| kwon do classes. As we have gotten older it is a real | | | | basketball. The game requires sudden dives to make |
| fight to stay flexible especially in the hips, knees and | | | | "gets". Side loads to the knees can be extreme. A |
| ankles. A full 3o minutes of stretching and then a | | | | good game of racquetball will cause you to use |
| short ride on the elliptical really makes a difference in | | | | muscles that you do not use in most other sports |
| terms of injuries as well. Even the lower rank | | | | activities. Legs, back and hips all get a good workout |
| students are now catching on and using the elliptical | | | | and will painfully remind you of the game the next |
| to warm up. If you do not get to class early | | | | day. As a result I have been sneaking into the gym |
| frequently you will lose you opportunity to use the | | | | for a 20 minutes easy ride on the elliptical trainer prior |
| elliptical for a warm up. | | | | to playing to warm up my old body. As a result my |
| Friday is legs day at the gym. That means we start | | | | game has improved and I have had less injuries. |
| out with squats then move to the leg press and | | | | I am sure it will not be long before my playing |
| lastly a tough work out on the hack squat machine. | | | | partners figure out that I am warming up on the |
| If you are 30 to 40 years old you know that this is | | | | elliptical trainer before the games. Let's face it we all |
| the strongest time in your life in terms of power. | | | | want to be active and play all the sports we can |
| Most of us made our peak in both squats and | | | | without injury and pain. We feel that the elliptical |
| benches at this age. On the down side you also start | | | | trainer is a great piece of warm up equipment that |
| to feel the pressures in your knees and back | | | | allows us to do just that. Give it a try and you may |
| especially doing squats. Again a couple of us are using | | | | be surprised by the benefits of a good warm up. |
| the elliptical trainer to warm up our hips and knees | | | | |