Health Rider Question
Julie8000
stores that is 299.99 for one made by the same company? I think it is
called an AeroRider? Is this true? Does anyone have experience with these
machines. I am fit, but get bored with the same old stuff so looking for
another option for cardio. Let me know any thoughts on this one.
Michael W. Lucas
surprised and impressed. If you need weights, take that $300 to the bank
and get it in quarters.
If *any* of those gadgets really worked, they wouldn't be shoving them
down our throats on late night TV.
--
[ oo] Michael
\_/
|=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=|
| "Or.... maybe they're all staring at me because I just said
| all that out loud.... Crap." -- The MAXX
|=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=|
pt...@nwlink.com
knee problems. i run 45 min/6x week and ride the rider 10-20 min./6x week
and not only do i get upper body work, it exercises the muscle right above
my kneecap, my thighs and calves (sorry...i don't know what that muscle is
called) and i have *no* more knee pain. i don't want upper body bulk...
just toning (especially underarm...women will know what i mean!!!)
so i am getting the best of all possible worlds. the aerobic rider
doesn't give that bad forward pressure to the kneecap that exercise bikes
do, and it is so quiet that it is really easy to watch tv. i swear, if you put a
tape of "frasier" on, you'll forget you're exercising and go the whole half
hour (it happened to me!!!).
by the way...i recommend the aerobic rider because it runs on a silent
wheel...not the noisy pneumatic pumps of the aerobic rider, et al. i HAD to
have that, because i live in an apartment and have to be quiet when i work
out at 5:30 a.m. :) shhhh! zzzzzzzzzz
Michael W. Lucas
for reps, idocy like that. The reason I *did* that was I hve two bad
knees myself, and standard gym lore has been "squats==bad_for_knees"
since Shep was a pup.
Guess what. According to a recent M+F article (yeah, yeah, but there
were 3 doctors signed on and a lot of valid research), squats are actually
*better* for your knees that extensions. Turns out, the legs really are
built more for the "pushing" motion rather than the "kicking" one.
Guess what part II: I started back doing squats. Not only did my knees
not hurt, they actually *improved*. The article stated that excessive
extension can actually cause or aggravate the knee condition I have,
whereas the squat motion of biomechanic neccessity builds the muscle in
many more angles around the joint. And boy, even after all those
extensions, one set of *light* squats (I still haven't gone heavy yet)
left me winded and sore!
Guess what part III: If you analyze the motion of these GravityClone
riders, you are very closly simulating-- you guessed it-- A SQUAT! Why
pay all that money for something you can do anywhere you happen to be, and
for free?
Renee Hill
: michael...hate to say it, but not true. i have an aerobic rider and chronic
: knee problems. i run 45 min/6x week and ride the rider 10-20 min./6x week
: and not only do i get upper body work, it exercises the muscle right above
: my kneecap, my thighs and calves (sorry...i don't know what that muscle is
: called) and i have *no* more knee pain. i don't want upper body bulk...
: just toning (especially underarm...women will know what i mean!!!)
: so i am getting the best of all possible worlds. the aerobic rider
: doesn't give that bad forward pressure to the kneecap that exercise bikes
: do, and it is so quiet that it is really easy to watch tv. i swear, if you put a
: tape of "frasier" on, you'll forget you're exercising and go the whole half
: hour (it happened to me!!!).
: by the way...i recommend the aerobic rider because it runs on a silent
: wheel...not the noisy pneumatic pumps of the aerobic rider, et al. i HAD to
: have that, because i live in an apartment and have to be quiet when i work
: out at 5:30 a.m. :) shhhh! zzzzzzzzzz
What about the cardio glide, it's $199. I have looked at both and can't
decide. It seems that the cardio glide could give more of a toning
workout and also seems to be quiet. I'd love to hear from people who have
used the two.
Thanks in advance.
Renee
Julie8000
alot of strength training, just wanting another option on Aerobic
exercise.
gray
> If *any* of those gadgets really worked, they wouldn't be shoving them
> down our throats on late night TV.
I`m sorry, but that's just plain stupid.
Richard J Gerwin
>I stand by my advice. I used to be a leg extension monster: whole rack
>for reps, idocy like that. The reason I *did* that was I hve two bad
>knees myself, and standard gym lore has been "squats==bad_for_knees"
>since Shep was a pup.
>Guess what. According to a recent M+F article (yeah, yeah, but there
>were 3 doctors signed on and a lot of valid research), squats are actually
>*better* for your knees that extensions. Turns out, the legs really are
>built more for the "pushing" motion rather than the "kicking" one.
>Guess what part II: I started back doing squats. Not only did my knees
>not hurt, they actually *improved*. The article stated that excessive
>extension can actually cause or aggravate the knee condition I have,
>whereas the squat motion of biomechanic neccessity builds the muscle in
>many more angles around the joint. And boy, even after all those
>extensions, one set of *light* squats (I still haven't gone heavy yet)
>left me winded and sore!
I agree overall with the information you present, but just wanted to modify
the leg extension vs squat statements. Limiting the range of motion in the leg
extensions alleviates the pressure on the knee that full extensions can cause.
That means only lifting the leg through the last 30 or so degrees of extension.
There is a role for leg extensions (modified) in strengthening the VMO and
helping with patello-femoral problems.
I will second your comments on squats however (or leg presses). They
definitely got me back to running after my knee surgery. Just keep the weights
real light and do *lots* of reps.
Rick Gerwin
william_j_fallon
Michael W. Lucas <afn0...@freenet.ufl.edu> wrote:
>gray (gr...@squeaky.free.org) wrote:
>: afn0...@freenet.ufl.edu (Michael W. Lucas) wrote (re: Healthrider):
>: > If *any* of those gadgets really worked, they wouldn't be shoving them
>: > down our throats on late night TV.
>
>: I`m sorry, but that's just plain stupid.
>
>machines, which didn't work, vibrating machines, which didn't work,
>tonics, which didn't work, diets, which didn't work, thighmasters, which
>didn't work, and every gadget they could think up short of a propellor
>beanie to help us "lose weight" and "slim hips, thighs and buttocks", has
>suddenly gone legit, and decided to stop trying to bilk the entire U.S
>population out of billions of dollars each year, payable in four easy
Mayhap you're both partly right. I have a healthrider and getting on
it and using it is great exercise for sedentary older people. I would
very much like to get my old man on one. Note that most of the people
in the ads are a little older. So there's some benefit to this parti-
cular product but it's not a substitute for young people who can do
squats, like the original poster said to do.
On the other hand let's take Tony Little. He screams technique at you
and then brings out people who lost 100 pounds. Then at the end a little
messsage appears saying you've got to eat sensibly. Well nobody lost 100
pounds by using the ab isolator to improve the way they do sit-ups. So I
think HE's a fraud, or at least very misleading.
Michael W. Lucas
: afn0...@freenet.ufl.edu (Michael W. Lucas) wrote (re: Healthrider):
: > If *any* of those gadgets really worked, they wouldn't be shoving them
: > down our throats on late night TV.
: I`m sorry, but that's just plain stupid.
Oh, yes, how foolish of me! The industry that brought us roller
machines, which didn't work, vibrating machines, which didn't work,
tonics, which didn't work, diets, which didn't work, thighmasters, which
didn't work, and every gadget they could think up short of a propellor
beanie to help us "lose weight" and "slim hips, thighs and buttocks", has
suddenly gone legit, and decided to stop trying to bilk the entire U.S
population out of billions of dollars each year, payable in four easy
installments to your Visa, MC, or American Express! What on earth could
I have been thinking?
Perhaps you have spent the day thinking of something constructive that
you can contribute?
Michael W. Lucas
: I agree overall with the information you present, but just wanted to modify
: extensions alleviates the pressure on the knee that full extensions can cause.
: That means only lifting the leg through the last 30 or so degrees of extension.
: There is a role for leg extensions (modified) in strengthening the VMO and
: helping with patello-femoral problems.
True, but that small range of motion that your excluding by limiting the
movement is, essentially, the only range that works the "teardrops" above
the kneecaps-- not important to Joe or Jolene Average, sure, but quite
interesting to bodybuilders.
(Actually the bottom of the range works them as well but it would be
unusual to see an extension machine that lifted the legs that far up.)
Michael W. Lucas
who is older or has trouble moving. I *cannot*, however, justify their
charging between $200 and $500 for what is, essentially, maybe $10 worth
of raw metals, folded "just so". $50-$60, I could see. But this is
profiteering, pure and simple.
Henrik Svedlund
>(Actually the bottom of the range works them as well but it would be
>unusual to see an extension machine that lifted the legs that far up.)
with an angle-adjustable arm that can give you a real good pre-stretch in
th bottom of the movement. I'm trying to teach people to use it that way.
/ Henrik
Cruz
aerobic rider is not made by the same company as the Health rider. It is
infact made by the company who makes the Cardio Glide.
Cruz
Sonja E. Kueppers
>who is older or has trouble moving. I *cannot*, however, justify their
>charging between $200 and $500 for what is, essentially, maybe $10 worth
>of raw metals, folded "just so". $50-$60, I could see. But this is
>profiteering, pure and simple.
To be honest, I just couldn't care less. (This is not to say that I think
*you* shouldn't care -- I'm talking about me here.)
I bought a Health Rider after reading about it in misc.fitness. I carefully
considered what I wanted in an exercise machine, and decided that since
I couldn't afford the stairstepper I really like, and I enjoy rowing
machines but find them boring, I'd get the Health Rider. I never saw
the infomercial on TV (they gave me a copy on videotape when I went to the
Health Rider outlet in the mall to check out the machine. I think it's
absolutely hilarious, it's so bad). I've had the HR for a bit over
2 months, and my husband and I both love it and use it often. Since
beginning to use the Health Rider, my fitness level has improved
considerably, allowing me to enjoy pursuing other forms of exercise
also.
It seems to me that an exercise machine that you *do* use is far better
than knowing that you could be doing some other thing for free, but
not doing it.
(Besides, I find that a lot of the benefit I get out of the Health Rider
is from the arm movements, not the leg movements -- which makes the whole
"you could be doing squats instead" thing moot.)
Oh, I also don't care if I discover six months or a year from now that
the HR no longer works for me the way it does now. I think that would be
perfectly acceptable -- if the Health Rider allows me to reach a fitness
level at which I no longer find it useful, that's fine with me, and I will
consider it money well spent.
The Health Rider may not be the best choice for everyone. It may not even
always be the best choice for me. But I'm really glad I bought it.
Michael W. Lucas
: It seems to me that an exercise machine that you *do* use is far better
: not doing it.
THAT... is brilliant. Ohhh, mannah from heaven, the Truth in Fitness is
finally revealed. Funny I couldn't figure that much out on my own... :)
Point is, if you've made up your mind to do the exercise, you're gonna do
it, period. If you haven't, and you think this or any other gadget will
somehow motivate you, my advice is to save your money.
: (Besides, I find that a lot of the benefit I get out of the Health Rider
: is from the arm movements, not the leg movements -- which makes the whole
: "you could be doing squats instead" thing moot.)
More brilliance! Okay, for my next magical trick, I'm gonna invent...
the PUSH-UP! And it'll be free, too. Then, after that, the CHIN! And
the JUMPING JACK! And the SIT-UP! And I'll give 'em all away for
free.... :)
But that's academic. You're most likely feeling it in your upper body,
which is being placed under a more unaccustomed stress than your legs,
which are used to carrying you around (that's not meant to be a slight,
BTW). But if you DO have your quads going, they are (barring any unusual
circumstances) doing the most for your heart and metabolism, even if it
doesn't feel that way.
The "gosh I used it and it worked great for me" pitch doesn't fly
anymore, I'm afraid. My following Tom Platz's leg workout to the letter
wouldn't neccessarily give me his quads.
Ronda Gates M. S. R.Ph.; C.L.C.
"knockoffs" including 2 made by the company who makes HealthRider. These
latter are called AerobicRider and SportRider. These are the only
machines that have the patented feature that makes HR so quiet, stable
and a wiser choice. Differences in price have to do with # of features
and quality of materials used.
Ronda Gates M. S. R.Ph.; C.L.C.
Ronda Gates M. S. R.Ph.; C.L.C.
Ronda Gates M. S. R.Ph.; C.L.C.
Ronda Gates M. S. R.Ph.; C.L.C.
Ronda Gates M. S. R.Ph.; C.L.C.
Dale H. Spencer
>From: Cruz <Cr...@blkbox.com>
>Subject: Re: Health Rider Question
>Date: 21 Jun 1995 01:51:24 GMT
>I to have been looking into these machines, if I am not mistaken the
>aerobic rider is not made by the same company as the Health rider. It is
>infact made by the company who makes the Cardio Glide.
Wrong! I went to a factory (here in Phoenix) that makes both the Health
Rider and Aerobic Rider and I saw BOTH machines rolling down their assembly
line!! Thousands of 'em too! (Same parts too?!? Huh? and one is more
expensive? I bet Health Rider really doesn't appreciate smart folks who
purchase the Aerobic Rider instead.)
Dale
David Carrott
> Michael, it's not necessary to be sarcastic. Anecdotal information
> about things is still information. Some people will buy anything to
> help them do what they need to do. Others will need to buy nothing.
> If you're in the latter group, that's great. If, however, you are a
> morbidly obese 32-year-old female who has tried every scam in the book
> to lose weight, and has finally found and stayed with Health Rider for
> several weeks, as is one of my friends, that's great, too.
I agree. The purpose here is to share information not score those who
share their experiences. In America, you don't have to buy anything. If
you don't like the price, shop around. If the product has any merit or
public interest, someone with find a way to make it cheaper (not
necessarily imported either) and maybe even better (lessons learned from
the first version).
I can see the merit in this type of device for aerobic workouts. I can't
run like I use too (4 times a week @ 10 Miles each). After six years of
that, I was in shape, but the broken or bruised bones cost too much in
time and doctor bills. I also see that $500 is a lot for someone like me
to put out. So-o-o-o-o, I shopped around for six months (been looking
since December). And guess what, it is available cheaper, maybe better
(time will tell), and is made in America. And I'm into my first two
weeks, and it works great so far for ME.
>
> CAUTION: STATING THE OBVIOUS -- The best exercise for you is the one
> you will do and stay with. It's obvious to you and me, Michael, as is
> the fact that the scale is not the only tool in your arsenal. It is
> most decidedly _not_ obvious to a beginner.
>
Also agree with you Bill on this statement. The market also bears fruit
in this statement. If one machine could work for everyone, than everyone
would have that machine. If it could be done with diet, everyone would be
doing it. If some chinese herb worked for everyone, than it would be a
major import. But, everyone is not the same, nor do we have the same
environments to work around. The challenge is to find the PROGRAM
(machinical, chemical, starvation, nothing) that works for you, and stick
with it while it works. Because, as you change, I guarantee so will your
appearance, your attitute, and your PROGRAM. If the bic works today,it
most certainly will not work the same for the rest of your life.
> Cut 'em a bit of slack, huh?
So, Michael. If you don't like $500 and what it does, then how about
$179. If you don't like what it does, then get off the band wagon and
engineer it yourself. Talk is cheap, but prove is in the results. You
said:
"$50-$60, I could see. But this is profiteering, pure and simple."
Well, prove it and design something for that price. It may not make you
rich, but it will prove your point. Words cannot be patented, but proven
ideas can. A Rule of thumb for manufacturing something is YOUR COST x 3 =
SALE PRICE. So if you want it to sell for $50-$70, it will cost you
$16-$25. And I have invented several devices myself, so I am speaking
from experience.
__________________
PRC Inc. Dryden Flight Research Center
David T. Carrott Voice: (805) 258-2100
dt_ca...@qmgate.dfrc.nasa.gov Fax: (805) 258-3690
__________________
Michael W. Lucas
industry, which I thought couldn't be done. Have any of you considered
the larger picture-- which is that the people who are *selling* you the
solution, also *charged* you for helping to create the problem in the
first place?
Like the mouse said on the phone, "I don't care *what* it does, as long
as it folds up and stores under a bed". Long live runaway American
consumerism! All hail the mighty dollar! Death to personal responsibility!
Peer pressure forever!
To quote someone else's .sig (whose opinion I *respect*): No excuses.
Shut up and train.
Larry DeLuca
charged you for helping create the problem in the first place."]
I didn't understand this part. How do the HealthRider (or whoever)
people charge you for creating the problem of getting out of shape?
larry...
--
--------"I am only a textbook. Soon I will have my own ISBN number, and
you can order a copy of me for home use or entertaining your
friends." -- me
Bill Whedon
about things is still information. Some people will buy anything to
help them do what they need to do. Others will need to buy nothing.
If you're in the latter group, that's great. If, however, you are a
morbidly obese 32-year-old female who has tried every scam in the book
to lose weight, and has finally found and stayed with Health Rider for
several weeks, as is one of my friends, that's great, too.
CAUTION: STATING THE OBVIOUS -- The best exercise for you is the one
you will do and stay with. It's obvious to you and me, Michael, as is
the fact that the scale is not the only tool in your arsenal. It is
most decidedly _not_ obvious to a beginner.
Cut 'em a bit of slack, huh?
Cheers,
Bill Whedon
--
= Quivira Fitness Information Technologies =
= A Division of Tektite Diversified Corporation =
= Multimedia solutions for the Fitness Industry =
= tek...@databank.com -or- whe...@netcom.com =
Japlady
over 230 used the machine and had it break down on you within 2 weeks? I
got my dad an arobic rider and had to return it because it started
squeeking horribly after 2 weeks of regular use.
--
Rebecca Anne Radnor // I know everything,
Dept. of Anthropology, NU // I know nothing,
Japlady= Jewish American Princess // I used to put sticks under
and Japan-ophile // the back porch
// and wait for them to petrify
Michael W. Lucas
: Mike
: You sure can be an ASS sometimes. I have seen enough crap come out of
: your mouth for a long time. I for one have both a health rider and a
Well! More constructive criticism. I'm sure we'll get this issue
resolved in no time with this sort of well-informed, pertinent debate.
: I enjoy it and I think other people have the right too. Do you pay for a
: gym to use. Maybe those who but the health rider don't like going to the
: gym. I for one don't. I went and checked out a bunch in the area and
: they are arrogant son of a bitches. They were telling me that I need to
: get all built up and all this bullshit. I hate to tell them but that is
: not what I want. I want to be trim with a good heart so I can go out and
: ride 75 miles on the bike with no problem. So Sonja if you see this keep
: up the work. Mike, you can shove a health rider where the sun doesn't
: shine.
Just for fun-- you know, a whim-- let's try to keep our quotes at least
reasonably accurate, shall we? *You* are exercising. Lots of us are, in
different ways (BTW, no, I don't belong to a gym , and you are right,
many gyms ARE run by arrogant SOBs who want to tell you how to train).
What I keep saying is: If you want to exercise, you will-- using bikes,
gyms, GravityClones, calisthenics, or whatever you can find. GravityClone
(and most other gadgets/diets/videos) is implying that simply buying
their product will induce you to keep a more healthy lifestyle. Time and
again we've seen that it just ain't so. Worse, though, the
gadget/diet/video industry is perpetuating this myth that "If you're not
skinny (or worse, if you "weigh too much", which is an absurd statement
to make for several reasons), you have no worth to society and you can't be
happy".
: By the way I have no problem with the price. Someone had to engineer it
: and we engineers like to get payed for our effort, thank you very much.
Ha ha! The circular logic here is so beautiful I won't even bother to
point it out. $$$ :)
Kimberly Wright Sinha
>After all this, I still want to know, has anyone with a starting weight
>over 230 used the machine and had it break down on you within 2 weeks? I
>got my dad an arobic rider and had to return it because it started
>squeeking horribly after 2 weeks of regular use.
>
>--
>Rebecca Anne Radnor
Rebecca
This happened with my HealthRider. I solved it by applying 3-in-1 oil to
all moving parts, in particular, the wheel. Since that one application, it
has been whisper quiet. I live in a second floor apartment and workout daily
at 5:30 am. Neither my sleeping husband (the Rider is in our bedroom) nor my
neighbors down below can hear me working out, and I go at it for 30 minutes
at a 55 reps per minute pace!
I love my Rider!
Kim
Larry DeLuca
Hear, hear! We certainly advise our clients if they're buying treadmills,
sneakers, or NordicTracks to get the best they can afford. Why
should a CardioGlide be anny different?
However, you need to make sure the product is effective enough to buy in
the first place (which rules out things like the AbIsolator).
John Holthaus
Distribution:
Michael W. Lucas (afn0...@freenet.ufl.edu) wrote:
: Well, call me flabbergasted. You guys are *defending* the fitness
: industry, which I thought couldn't be done. Have any of you considered
: the larger picture-- which is that the people who are *selling* you the
: solution, also *charged* you for helping to create the problem in the
: first place?
: Like the mouse said on the phone, "I don't care *what* it does, as long
: as it folds up and stores under a bed". Long live runaway American
: consumerism! All hail the mighty dollar! Death to personal responsibility!
: Peer pressure forever!
: To quote someone else's .sig (whose opinion I *respect*): No excuses.
: Shut up and train.
: --
: [ oo] Michael
: \_/
: |=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=|
: | "Or.... maybe they're all staring at me because I just said
: | all that out loud.... Crap." -- The MAXX
: |=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=|
Mike
You sure can be an ASS sometimes. I have seen enough crap come out of
your mouth for a long time. I for one have both a health rider and a
$1000 racing bike. I ride the bike about everyday but sometime I get
home from work and just don't feel like going out on the bike for 2 hours
so I do the health rider for about 30 minutes and call that good enough.
I enjoy it and I think other people have the right too. Do you pay for a
gym to use. Maybe those who but the health rider don't like going to the
gym. I for one don't. I went and checked out a bunch in the area and
they are arrogant son of a bitches. They were telling me that I need to
get all built up and all this bullshit. I hate to tell them but that is
not what I want. I want to be trim with a good heart so I can go out and
ride 75 miles on the bike with no problem. So Sonja if you see this keep
up the work. Mike, you can shove a health rider where the sun doesn't
shine.
By the way I have no problem with the price. Someone had to engineer it
and we engineers like to get payed for our effort, thank you very much.
John Holthaus
Bike rider and Health Rider who doesn't wish to be a muscle bound person.
Japlady
product to get my dad excercising. He's a professor/ business consultant,
spends 90% of his time either sitting on a chair working or lying in bed
resting. However, he's also an international consultant and travels around
ALOT, and during these trips he pushes himself as though he were a young
fit man, carrying heavy loads, walking fast for long distances, etc. He's
also a great candidate for a massive heart attack while shoveling the
snow. When he IS physical he throws his whole back into it, recently he
started to black out while shoveling snow.
So I've been trying desperatly to get him into some sort of regular arobic
excercise rutine before he keels over.
I decieded that health rider was the answer. We bought an Arobic rider
because I couldn't see what the benifit of the health rider was that was
worth a difference of about $300.
Anyway, he used it and liked it (oh joy) except there were two major problems:
1) the counter wouldn't trigger. I'm skinny and I couldn't get it to work,
he's got a stomach like a pregnant woman, and it definitly didn't work in
that case. I called the company and they suggested piling in more magnates
to shorten the distance between the magnat and the counter during reps. I
put in 2 magnates in addition the one included, at that point the counter
worked for me (I'm a size 4 dress) but it still didn't always work for
dad. (I couldn't find a third magnate to put on there)
2) More seriously, after 2 weeks the machine started to squeek horribly,
and a black dust started to fall out of the bearings.
What went wrong? was it a defective product? what do you suggest. I'm
starting to think about getting him a nordic track instead, but I don't
like those for myself, they make my calves ache and there's no upper body
workout. The guys at the fitness center said we should get a treadmill,
but a good quality one is way too expensive for us. Would buying a
healthrider make a difference? Is it of better quality?
Larry DeLuca
shovelling the snow...]
If this is not something meant to be facetious your father should havee
a medical exam before changing the amount of physical activity
he performs. Along with the other symptoms you mention, he's
a "higher risk" individual, and should have his doctor be sure that
there are no reasons he shouldn't be exercising right now.
Ronda Gates M. S. R.Ph.; C.L.C.
who endorsed the machine. As a result of "sitting by" from the first
meeting where Exerhealth (owners of HR) met with Covert through the last
time I was in Bailey's office I am aware of every part of the dealings
regarding this (and many other) infomercial and product.
I am not associated with HR and have received no income so my feedback
is, I believe, objective--I just know more than most who write about the
machine.
When the HR infomercial became successful it was clear there would be
knockoffs. I believe there are now at least eight. HR decided to develop
their own--the most well known is the AerobicRider which is almost
identical to the HR> It costs less than HR because the grade of steel is
different and because customers are paying for the air time (and other
marketing costs) necessary to sell the machine. In order to be
"successful" an infomercial product must sell for at least 4 times the
hard costs. If memory serves me right HR jumped in with only a 3.2
markup then struggled to get their hard costs down. Vendors who were
making commissions of $200/machine at the beginning were dropped to
$100/machine then $50/machine then $25/machine and now there is no
longer a commission structure--in effect all salespersons were
eliminated except direct response to the t. v. ad and the kiosks at
malls nationwide.
HR is considered to be a most incredible phenomena in the health and
fitness home exercise machine and infomercial market because it "came
out of nowhere", the project was not put together by a major infomercial
developer and it has withstood the test of time. It's a good machine--I
don't doubt it's been relegated to a piece of furniture or clothes
hanger in many homes but of all exercise equipment that came through my
office or Bailey's office in the twelve years we've been associated it
was the first one he chose to endores--admittedly timing et al played a
role in that decision.
Personally I find the infomercial business distasteful. Like many other
businesses the project started with an integrity filled premise and
ultimately was driven by the almighty dollar. There have been many times
when there have been problems in the Bailey office as a result of this
relationship and I have said, "HR folks would have been smart to hire me
as a consultant -- I could have prevented a lot of this hassle."
Bailey's response is that I would not have made the HR company any more
money and so it's no loss to them. Sadly, I believe he's right.
My advice--if you are interested in a home exercise product--whether
HealthRider or Tony Little's abdominizer or Bruce Jenner's whatever he's
selling this week, DON'T buy it unless you can see it first. If you
want a HealthRider ask the company who in your area might show theirs to
you or go to the mall. Avoid all the hype and remember you get what you
pay for.
David Carrott
> In article <japlady-2306...@aragorn174.acns.nwu.edu>,
jap...@nwu.edu (Japlady) writes:
> >After all this, I still want to know, has anyone with a starting weight
> >over 230 used the machine and had it break down on you within 2 weeks? I
> >got my dad an arobic rider and had to return it because it started
> >squeeking horribly after 2 weeks of regular use.
> >
> >--
> >Rebecca Anne Radnor
>
I agree with Kim, that the grease that comes with the unit is not as good
as I use. I would recommend appling 'silicone oil.' It's an oil, not a
grease and is not prone to attacking dirty or wearing away from needed
spots. The 'silicon oil' penetrates the metal so don't get it on anything
else in the area. It will even prevent paint from sticking to treated
metal.
I have a GlideRider because of the cost, the T-bar handles, and the
variable resistance. I've had it going on three weeks, and I weigh in at
235 lbs, at 6'5". At present, I can only commit to 10-15 min @ 35
rep/min. But, I would recommend doing the first half of the time with
palms down, and the last half with palms up. Kind of like, pull-ups and
chin-ups. Then 1 min of high pegs (upper body) work out (alternating
palms). AND finally, 5 min of cool-down stretches.
Good Luck and stick with it. Build up slowly and enjoy the new energy levels.
__________________
Sonja E. Kueppers
>(and most other gadgets/diets/videos) is implying that simply buying
>their product will induce you to keep a more healthy lifestyle. Time and
Good grief. That's *advertising* for you. Intelligent people don't believe
advertising. (As I pointed out before, I never even *saw* the ad before
becoming interested in buying the HealthRider.) Sure, the advertising
is stupid. But just because the advertising is stupid doesn't necessarily
mean the piece of equipment is a bad choice. The print ads I see for
NordicTrack equipment is pretty silly -- but a lot of people I've
talked to really like their NordicTracks, too.
Nobody said *you* should buy any kind of exercise equipment whatsoever.
*I*, however, find that my healthrider is an important part of my active
lifestyle, which also includes other activities like ice skating, hiking,
and ballroom dancing. While I may engage in some other form of exercise
only twice a week, I can use my HealthRider anytime I want without having
to go to any trouble, without annoying the neighbors (I live in an
apartment building), and without needing to clear any floor space.
I think you're having trouble grasping that different people have different
priorities. Exercise equipment is obviously wrong for you, but it seems
to be right for a lot of other people.