Stamina InMotion Elliptical Trainer review: A sturdy, compact trainer for standing or sitting
I first set eyes on the Stamina InMotion Elliptical Trainer when I was researching standing desks. One of the sites I visited featured a large photo of a woman standing at her desk, one foot perched on a small contraption—that seemed to consist almost entirely of two large foot pedals—tucked underneath it. I happen to love the motion of a standard elliptical trainer, not to mention the intense full-body cardio workout one provides, but I’ve only ever used one in a gym, so I was intrigued.
Six months ago, with the help of my father-in-law, I crafted a DIY treadmill desk by attaching a plank to the arms of my high-end treadmill with a couple of screw-on clamps. I would walk very slowly on it (between one and two miles an hour) while working on my laptop. Unfortunately, the DIY nature of the contraption quickly became a problem. It was fine for working at (although I never really got over a slightly seasick sensation when typing) but if either I or my husband wanted to use the treadmill for a faster workout with a longer stride, the shelf got in the way. And it was a real nuisance to get out the screwdriver every time we wanted to remove the shelf. After a few weeks, I took it down permanently.
So I was overjoyed to receive the Stamina InMotion Elliptical Trainer for review, thinking it might be the perfect compromise. At the time I got it in the mail, I was alternating between sitting down to work in my living room and standing at a tall buffet in my front hall, which coincidentally just happens to be the correct height for a standing desk for me (I am 5’5” tall).
Although the Stamina InMotion needed to be put together, assembly was a piece of cake. My husband, who is one of the least mechanically inclined people in the world, did it before I even asked him to. The package arrived; I opened it to check the parts; I took the kids upstairs to put them to bed and returned to find David had already put it together. He was already testing it out, too. Unfortunately, he didn’t read the instructions, which state “If you have good balance and are familiar with the elliptical, you may use [the machine] while standing. Always mount and dismount the elliptical from the lowest foot pedal. Stand on the foot pedals with the front of your shoes close to the front edge of the pedal cap. For more stability, place a chair next to [the machine] and place your hand on the chair back while stepping onto the pedals. Move your highest foot forward and follow the natural path of the machine. If necessary, use a wall or a table to help maintain your balance while using [it].”
David just hopped on without using anything as a support, started stepping, and promptly fell off. I, however, placed the machine in front of my buffet, gripped the edge of the counter, stepped up, and started pedalling away. The first thing I noticed is that the stride (the up and down rotation of the foot pedals) is not as high as that of a conventional elliptical machine, the sort you’d use in a gym. This makes your steps feel a bit short and choppy in comparison, at least at first. The second thing I noticed is that it made me a great deal taller, almost a whole foot, which meant I had to perch a couple of boxes on top of the buffet in order to position my laptop at the correct height. This was an easy, if not particularly attractive, fix and in fact, as a replacement, I have my eye on the Executive Stand Steady Stand Up Desk that Casey reviewed last week. Once you are comfortable on the elliptical, you don’t need to hold onto anything. This frees your hands to hold the phone, for instance, or to search the web. I find the movement is too dramatic for extended periods of typing but your experience may differ.
Now, I don’t work while actively using my elliptical for more than one or two hours per day, and when I do, I usually make phone calls, watch videos, or do research while stepping. It also makes a good footrest which can be easily varied while standing. (As you may already know, those who work at a standing desk should constantly vary their position.) Sometimes I simply stand on it without pedaling, or I rest one foot or the other on it. You can also use the Stamina InMotion while you are sitting at a desk, if there is ample knee room underneath the surface. I can do so at my dining room table and the movement is gentle enough not to impede typing. I personally would not advise attempting to exercise on this machine all day long while working at a standing desk but I strongly recommend it as a useful accessory. In an ideal world, I would have a purpose-built treadmill desk and this elliptical machine with an adjustable height standing desk, so that over the course of a working day I could vary between slow walking, standing, stepping on the elliptical, and sitting.
In summary, the Stamina InMotion Elliptical is a sturdily-made compact elliptical trainer, which can be used either standing or sitting. You can pedal forward or backward and the level of resistance can be manually adjusted. As well, the machine comes with a fitness meter (positioned between the pedals), which tracks the time, the total number of strides and the distance equivalent of your workout, and the number of calories you’ve burned. It is a great choice for standing desk users who are looking for a way to move during certain tasks at a desk or for a treadmill desk user who wants to vary the kind of motion he or she engages in over the course of the day.
I’m impressed, I have to admit. Seldom do I encounter a blog that’s
equally educative and entertaining, and let me tell you, you’ve hit the nail on the head.
The problem is an issue that too few folks are speaking
intelligently about. I am very happy I came across this during my search
for something concerning this.
Hi my loved one! I wish to say that this post is awesome, great written and include almost all vital infos.
I’d like to peer extra posts like this .
Fantastique information. Un grand merci.
Eventually, the technology was licensed on the Tappan Stove Company, which took it and began to work at shedding pounds the model.
Items purchased must be identical to the items advertised.
The App Center gives developers an additional way to grow their
apps and creates opportunities for more types of apps to be successful.
Merci beaucoup! Beaucoup d’information utile.
Hi there! This artcle could not be written any better!
Looking through this posxt reminds me of my previous roommate!
He always kept talking about this. I am going
to forward this information to him. Pretty sure hhe will
have a great read. I appreciate you for sharing!
You can definitely see your enthusiasm in the article you write.
The sector hopes for even more passionate writers such as you who are not afraid to mention how they believe.
All the time go after your heart.
Your automobile isn’t just a vehicle for taking you from point A to point B; it is a major
part of your life. When you bought your first car you promised it by name to take good care of it and
love it forever, but things happen and life goes on. Maybe there is a new car in your
life, or maybe you still have the old jalopy you first fell in love with, and you
want to take better care of it. You already give your car
the best oil and fuel to take care of the engine in top condition, but what do you do to keep the auto body in good
upkeep?
When people think of a car body, they think it completely cosmetic,
and so a lot will ignore it other than a wash and maybe a wax if they
feel flashy. Auto body shops do much more for a car than cosmetic treatment.
Other than the usual paintjob you can get from an auto body shop, they also do repair work on scuffs, scratches,
dings, dents, and even replacing bumpers and mirrors.
Fixing your bumpers and mirrors at an auto body shop makes
sense; you need those to drive safely so they are not considered vanity, but what about
scuffs, dings, and dents? Depending on the position of the
dents, they can actually reduce highway gas mileage, and a car that’s owner looks like they
don’t care about it, then others won’t care about it
like if they hit it in a parking lot with their car door,
since what is one more scuff?
A good auto body shop will make sure that the repairs
done to the body of your vehicle will make it look like it did when it
came from the factory. Don’t settle for an auto body shop that will try
and force unneeded treatments on you so they can make more money,
and they can even go as far to try and scare you into using them, citing car insurance requirements and the like.
Chose a reputable, honest auto body shop, that will
treat you fairly, and never push you to add any unnecessary repairs that you don’t need and don’t want; we believe you as a
consumer have the fundamental right to spend your money where
you want.
If your car or vehicle is in bad appearance, it can affect the integrity and safety of
the car, not just how good it looks. When you realize you need to go to
an auto body shop to fix your car’s body, don’t go with just any store, and choose a reputable repair shop that has a reputation for fair and honest dealings.
LinkedIn has a great feature that connects with your existing email accounts and allows you to invite anyone you have interacted with to
your network. This means that you might reach people you interacted with once or twice, or people that you haven’t spoken with in a while.
This is a powerful tool, but are you using it effectively in your marketing?
LinkedIn as a Data Collector
Look at all the ways you can collect data from people.
The easiest metric to track for most is their email addresses, so ask people and promote their use.
Create mailers or offer contests via email registration. Remember,
each email you collect is another potential LinkedIn profile waiting to be
connected to. Also, you might convince someone to join LinkedIn when they receive an invite from you, which means
more customers to interact with.
Easy Ways to Connect on LinkedIn
So, what are some easy ways to connect with users and get them
to want to network with you? Many companies have started suing LinkedIn as a corporate blog to promote brand awareness.
These blogs might not even have anything to
do with the products being sold, but they might tie in with corporate culture
or offer up some helpful knowledge or technique. This is called generating substance,
and if you want people to see a value in your postings, you need to provide that substance, otherwise they simply won’t care.
The nice thing about this is you don’t have to be a multi-faceted
business guru to provide content. Maybe you promote an interesting link of the
day, or maybe you repost a news story about something company-related (please give credit if you do this.).
It could even be a humorous blurb or story, or even a business-appropriate joke to keep your
network’s attention. The only constant is that the postings stay constant.
If you start it, then maintain it to help build that brand awareness.
Remember, people won’t actively look for
you if they don’t know you exist.
One great way that some companies have started building a
loyalty network is through promoting their employees. Some companies will offer a spotlight on their employees, showing off the projects they have done
or discussing their high points. This not only
helps to ensure your employees feel valued, but it also helps to paint your company as more human, which is something
you want when trying to get people to connect with you.
Pitfalls and Things to Avoid With LinkedIn
Most of what has been discussed here has been the positives
of using LinkedIn for your promotions, but there are some pitfalls you may want
to avoid. Again, not all marketing works for all niches and some can be turned off more easily than others.
For starters, when advertising with a graphic, consider the context that your audience will view
it in. LinkedIn is business to business networking. Is your picture one that would be considered safe for a business
networking platform? Yes, attractive, nearly-naked
people tend to get clicks, but are those the kind
of ads people at major corporations are going to be more than likely be turned off
due to lack of professionalism? Consider your
content in your pictures before posting and make sure your graphics are a good match to your audience and marketing message.
Second, watch your language. While on the surface,
this could be taken as do not swear, on a deeper level, you have to consider
what a company will filter for and what they will allow. Some words tend to trigger web filters pretty easily,
so be careful about your verbiage. Also, look at the message your words send.
Are you trying to be edgy, dynamic, endearing?
Do your words properly convey the message you want people to see?
Sometimes people get so wrapped up in sending out a strong message that they fail to consider if it is the right one.
Third, don’t verbally tie yourself to a region or company if you can help it.
While you may want to highlight a company on a landing
page or maybe you are geared towards a certain region of the world, you don’t want
to inadvertently exclude potential customers because they think your ads don’t immediately apply to them.
Remember, you can focus your ads in terms of companies and locations ahead
of time, so listing out that info in the actual ad might
prove redundant.
Fourth, don’t slack on your content. It can be easy to start with a big push, but the number
one thing that kills an audience’s interest is inconsistency.
Don’t slouch on your posts. Make sure you dedicate a certain period of time each day to providing some form of content.
If you can’t or think you might have problems with this, hire
someone to do it for you or spend a day or two generating multiple
posts so that you can just plug and play. However you
do it, just be sure to keep doing it. You are setting
an expectation of service as accompany when you post,
and to do so inconsistently will send a bad message abour what your company
considers professional.
Fifth, be careful on rebranding. Some smaller companies take the philosophy of experimentation a bit too far and keep trying to reinvent themselves every month or quarter,
but the truth of it is that many companies form bonds over the long term with clients,
and just because you announce a name change or a new logo, that doesn’t mean that your clientele is paying
attention. To build your brand, you need consistency, so stick to a logo or name and try to avoid being so
edgy that you can’t make up your mind about your name.
Remember, you’re a business, not a rock star.
LinkedIn Final Thoughts
LinkedIn is a wonderful tool for reaching people in the
business world.
Goood respond in return of this question with real
arguments and telling everything concerning that.
Hello, after reading this remarkable post i am also happy to share my familiarity here with friends.
This is very fascinating, You’re an excessively skilled
blogger. I have joined your feed and sit up for in quest of more
of your fantastic post. Also, I’ve shared your website in my social
networks
Very good info. Lucky me I recently found your website by
accident (stumbleupon). I’ve bookmarked it for later!
I have written a review on the same subject at my website, 21stReviews, I hope it can be helpful.
Hey,
that’s a great roundup on the compact under desk stamina elliptical.
It has been some time since your review. Can you comment on whether you continued to use the portable elliptical? Did you manage to lose weight using it over a longer term? Did it get used for a while and then disregarded? It would be cool to know whether it continued to be part of an ongoing exercise routine or not….
I definitely gonna get me one of these