Jul 5
1:01 PM


There are lots of weird fitness gimmicks that leave me wondering if they actually work (Shake Weight anyone?), but I'll do all sorts of crazy things in the name of fitness, and I'll try anything once. These three wacky workouts have the science to back up their claims.



While cruising around Central Park in an outdoor elliptical contraption garnered a lot of stares, a quick 10 minutes had my core engaged and heart pumping. The ElliptiGO combines the benefits of working out on an elliptical with the cardiovascular element of running and bicycling all while looking like a self-powered Segway.


“ElliptiGO riders stand in a natural upright position. This posture encourages the rider to use his/her core muscles for balance and power and also provides muscular toning for the upper body/arms,” says Bryan Pate, Co-Founder and Co-President of ElliptiGO. “It is designed to emulate the experience of running outdoors while eliminating the impact. The ElliptiGO provides a high-intensity, low-impact ‘running-like’ workout experience outdoors allowing runners and fitness enthusiasts to get the cardiovascular benefits of running without the associated damage to the knees, back, hips or feet.”

And just because you’re swapping gear doesn’t mean you’re losing any benefits: 30 minutes of hard riding on the ElliptiGO is similar to a good 30 minute run in terms of aerobic conditioning and calorie burning.


AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill

Last week I headed to Equinox for a training session with Eugene Koenig on AlterG’s Anti-Gravity Treadmill. No, it’s not what you think… you’re not running in mid-air, rather you’re running (feet on the treadmill) with a percentage of your body weight removed. Originally developed for NASA astronauts, the Anti-Gravity Treadmill uses Advanced Differential Air Pressure technology for training and rehabilitation purposes. If injured, the treadmill allows for a slow integration of weight-bearing exercises (while provided an aerobic workout). Athletes use the treadmill to keep up mileage while reducing impact caused by running so they can concentrate on postural corrections and speedwork (reduced body weight allows you to increase the speed).


To run in the contraption you have to wear special neoprene shorts (pictured) which basically zip into the treadmill, creating a pressurized, airtight enclosure. The machine calibrates your body weight, then you can play with the speed and remove up to 80% of your body weight in 1% increments. It felt a bit weird a first, but eventually my waddle turned into a normal run, and I was able to push a 7-minute mile (which is a far cry from the normal 12-minute miles I run… running is not my forte!).

“Alter-G’s performance treadmill is a highly effective athletic conditioning tool for both recreational and competitive athletes by allowing the user to train longer, run faster, gain additional strength and enhance cardiovascular performance while minimizing impact and stress on their joints,” its website says. Check out videos of the treadmill in action here.


After a 30-minute run I felt slightly drunk trying to walk normally again (but it was a happy buzz)! And while I broke a sweat, I wasn’t as winded as usual post-run. Since I was able to concentrate on correcting my gait and foot strike without fear of falling (because I was literally attached to the machine, pictured), I felt soreness in my glutes and hamstrings whereas usually my quads take the brunt of workout. Plus, there was no next-day shin splint pain!


Yoga Hammocks

Unfortunately (or fortunately) I don’t have any photos of the AntiGravity Yoga class I took at Crunch a few months ago, but I still remember how sore my arms felt afterwards. Yoga is known for its slimming yet strengthening routine, and integrating the yoga “hammocks/wings” into the practice only amplifies the upper body workout.

I thought the yoga hammocks would make my job easier… I was in for a big surprise. Using the long, flowing fabric as a soft trapeze we swung, twisted, lifted and bended into inverted poses I wouldn’t have been able to perform otherwise. (Although my favorite pose was the final rest, savasana, while wrapped up in my individual cocoon.)

The benefits of practicing with the yoga wings/hammocks is that it facilitates inversions (i.e. hanging upside down) which has been shown to help relieve compressed joints, elongate the spin, help with lower back pain, improve circulation and reduce stress.

Read more about ElliptiGO and AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill.

Related Links:
Quiz: What’s Your Yoga Style?
Build Your Own Wacky Workout
See It To Believe It–Fitness Caught On Video

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