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I chose the treadmill route because it is natural. Mankind has been walking and running since they lived in caves. Walking/running is something everybody in my family can do. And treadmill is safer than walking/running on streets, especially if you buy impact-negating models. One of the toughest natural exercise is walking/running uphill, the Sikkim trek taught me that. The treadmill can give you un-ending uphill track, something difficult to get outside. And there is no downhill following that which is more injurious your knees.

The elliptical on the other hand is a 20th century thing. I am not sure that movement is entirely safe or not. What if they figure out they are bad after I do it for 20 years. In the past 15-20 years I have tried so many fitness gizmos, I have lost count. But the only two equipments that worked well for me are treadmill and bowflex. Both these equipments allow you do natural movements, they don't hinder or dicate your moves. The elliptical makes me feel I am operating a crane. Anyway, that's my personal opinion.:)

In my case, I need to stick to non-impact cardio like cycling and elliptical since my high weight strains my ankle joints when walking.
rl:

Have you guys tried the stair stepper ? Now that's a exercise ! A 45 minute session on that will make you feel like a new man !
I can vouch for it :)

Yes the stair climber is also a good machine but not many people use it.

45 mins activity on a single machine isnt as effective as switching between diff cardio machines.

The Latest in cardio machines are the Arctrainer and Treadclimber which combine the actions of say and elliptical+treadmill or climber+treadmill. Of course these are best used in the commercial environment as they have not been fully tried and tested for the home segment.

That's true but you have to go beyond the 30 minute mark for the fat burning to really start up. Newer research does suggest that the usual fat burning low intense cardio may not do the trick and the tempo needs to be increased.
Also on these newer machines we have all these programs built into them for doing interval training ,climbing hill etc. These vary the routine enough IMHO to do the trick.
You could definitely benefit from getting off the machine and combine it with some aerobic medicine ball low dumb bell weight routines.

Sir, I believe that we get far better elevation level than treadmill when we walk on roads. And if we follow the same route for return, we are doing the downhill too :)

Ultimately with all the downhill walking on roads, one's knees tend to succumb to RSI (Repetitive Stress Injury). Which is why I mentioned innovations such as Swing Arm suspension & Intellitrac suspension.

That being said if one can walk or run in a park / lungspace then it sure beats the treadmill anyday.

My treadmill got installed just yesterday, today I did some trials, this is one sturdy treadmill. I got the Physique GFIT 500 model with swing arm suspension to reduce injuries. The MSRP is around 92K, but good discounts were available this month.

BTW, I have decided to run barefoot from now on. Although shoe companies have numerous studies to show barefoot running is injurious, I have decided to it because I want to toughen my feet. I am sure lots to studies can be found to support barefoot running too. It works the foot muscles much better than shoes that cocoon it.

In my pre-teens I wore shoes/slippers only to school and to walk the streets. Whenever I roamed paddy fields, coffee estates or forests, which was often, I went barefoot. Those days my foot was tough and could smash most thorn with impunity. Now I can't step out without my slippers, even though I have moved back to rural area. Just the other day I ended up walking barefoot along with couple of farmhands and I was jumping on small stones and thorn like they were snakes, to much amusement of the fellows.

Besides, in Karate classes we used to be barefoot all the time, even the monthly run on inner ring road which I used to hate on hygiene grounds. I am sure breathing Bangalore air is more injurious than running barefoot.:) After all, running barefoot on treadmill is safer than running barefoot on regular ground.

I will have to start slowly to condition my foot for barefoot running, but conditioning is one thing I understand well from my martial arts background.

Downhill running is very bad for your knees, I suggest you not to try it. It might be easy, but very bad.

^^ Im not too sure if that is a good idea. Walking through fields is allright because the ground is soft but walking on haard concrete or a treadmill may cause damage to your knees. Why dont you consult a doctor before walking barefoot.

1) There is no comparison between concrete and treadmill surfaces. High-end treadmills are specifically designed for low-impact.
2) In my experience, most doctors know very little about fitness related issues, at least in India. In India doctors are mostly trained for treating deceases and injuries. I have spoken to many doctors to find out what they learn about fitness exercises and related topics like conditioning. I was told that only doctors who specialise in sports medicine and physiotherapy learn about such things. I hope things would change in this aspect in future. If you strictly go by doctors advice any martial arts related activity would be injurious to health, but it is done anyway.

Khanak, I know you mean well. But I am not going ask a doctor whether barefoot running on treadmill is good. Chances are doctor would be at loss to answer it, and might say something for the sake of it.

After long fitness workout experience one learns to listen to the body. Each body can react differently to a given exercise, and you can know that only by trying it yourself. Since I started working out in 1984, I have tried most things under the sun, took me 15-20 years to figure out what really works for me and what doesn't. That is why I shun fitness advice except in special areas where I am having problems, that too only if I am convinced that the advisor knows his stuff. For example, I can figure out if an exercise works for me in matter of minutes. After that, it is very difficult to change my mind.:)

Has someone used the BSA range of fitness equipment. I plan to get an entry level motorised one. Essentially for me and wife.

Any idea on how effect cycles are? How different is working on cycles compared to treadmills?

The criteria while buying a treadmill is :

1. Maximum user weight
2. Objective (Cardio or Weight loss... or both?)
3. Walking or Jog/Run

The heart of the Treadmill is the motor and that is where your investment ultimately lies. A motor which is rated and is truly 1.5hp CONTINUOUS will be able to handle a gross load of about 100kgs.

Swimming, Running/Jogging and Skipping are activities that require more effort and hence more cardio vascular stress and calorie burn. Elliptical/Cross trainers also come in a close second.

Somehow a lot of people have the misconception that cycling will target fat burn in the stomach area compared to all other activities.

Listen to the man, he KNOWS what he is talking about.
Seperately, my partner's dad is looking for a treadmill (Walking) for home use. Will PM you. Need your inputs.

I bought an elliptical Trainer recently for the following reasons
1. it takes lesser space.
2. it does not need power.
3. it exercises both hands and legs at the same time, thereby giving better calorie consumption in same time.
4. it costs one fourth of the cheapest motorized tread mill.

i have been successful in exercising 3 days a week :) i will update if i lose weight

add one more, in US staying on upper floors, if you use a treadmill, downstairs folks will call the cops. I bought a stepper for the same reason.