Lowcarbezine!

Used Equipment Girl Strikes Again!

Buying used exercise equipment makes all kinds of sense. After all, machines that get used just a half a dozen times before becoming clothes racks are so common as to have become a standing joke. As a result, there is a vast treasure trove of great exercise equipment, cheap, just waiting for the buyer who goes to yard sales and thrift shops, or keeps an eye on the classified ads.

Case in point: The machine I just got off of! It's the Gazelle, advertised via infomercial by Tony Little. You know Tony; he's the very muscular gentleman with the long blond curls who seems to constantly be hollering, albeit in a friendly way. I picked up my Gazelle a few months back, during the yard sale season. The nice lady who was selling her Gazelle had purchased it just 6 months before, and had paid price - $200. What did I pay her for her like-new Gazelle, complete with the instructional video that came with it? $35.

How do I like my Gazelle? I like it very well, thanks. It's well-made, sturdy, and stable, with very smooth motion. Better yet, it's absolutely silent, which is an inestimable virtue as far as I'm concerned. I found the motion of the Gazelle easy to get used to, as well. That may sound pretty basic, but I've had exercise machines that were tough to get the hang of - the Nordic Trak ski machine come to mind.

Another good thing about the Gazelle is that it uses both arms and legs, which means it will get you in better shape, faster, than a machine like a treadmill or stationary bicycle that only gets your legs moving. Furthermore, the Gazelle involves no joint impact, so it's easy on your knees. Personally, I think the Gazelle is more fun than a treadmill, too, and it takes up a bit less floor space, though I wouldn't call it a small piece of equipment.

Which leads to the down side: While the Gazelle is very easy to fold and roll, it takes up a fair amount of space even when folded. Mine lives up against my living room wall, between my TV and the door, and while I don't trip over it, I can't say it adds to the decor. It also makes smudge marks where the handles hit the paint. If you're lucky enough to have more closet space than I do, rolling a Gazelle into the closet wouldn't be terribly tough.

Also, the foot beds of the Gazelle do swing back and forth in a pretty big arc, and of course they have all the impetus of your body weight. A child or a pet wandering into their path could get a pretty nasty whack; I've come close to hitting one of my dogs more than once. You'll want to be alert.

Still, the Gazelle has become my current machine of choice for in-front-of-the-tube exercise. If you're looking for something to get the blood pumping while watching Law & Order reruns or your daily soap, you could look far and do worse.

Here's a link where you can see what this thing looks like, and read more user reviews of the Gazelle: http://www.fitnessinfomercialreview.com/gazelle.htm You'll find that the reviews are largely very positive. (Fitness Infomercial Review is a terrific website, by the way. I visit every time I'm considering another fitness infomercial product, and I've saved some money this way...)

I actually think a Gazelle would be worth the price new, if you're the sort of person who would actually use it. However, when I checked Ebay there were at least a couple of dozen for sale, so if you're a savvy bidder, you might get a deal.

And who knows - maybe one will show up at a yard sale near you!

Posted by HoldTheToast at November 6, 2003 07:56 PM