Are you saving energy @ the gym?

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  May 15, 2008 4:07 PM GMT

  Hey Rj guys,
  
  When I'm on the treadmills I notice that alot people do not turn off their t.v's on the treadmills or the elliptical machines.
  
  Also do you really need 4 or 5 towels in the steamroom or sanna? Then another 2 for the shower?
  
  When I workout I cut off my t.v screen and only use 2 towels when I'm working-out.
  
  I could walk around naked and air-dry but who has time for that? (maybe it's better for the skin?)

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  May 15, 2008 4:18 PM GMT

  WHY hasn't someone come up with a treadmill that acts as a generator? Wouldn't that be an environmental slam dunk? Run fast enough and you can power your own TV? (Okay, admittedly you'd have to run pretty dang fast.)
  
  But is it eco-friendly to drive to the gym for a workout instead of just going for a run. Not to mention those of us who exercise generally burn more calories, have a higher food intake, and subsequently suck up more resources. Yada yada...

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  May 15, 2008 5:04 PM GMT

  The best way to conserve energy if you're running is to run without using a machine, period. For stairmaster, use the stairs. The elliptical's I've seen are the most efficient, as they don't actually use energy till you're moving. I assume they are smart enough to use your movement to power the monitors, but I don't really know (they might use batteries).
  
  Of course, running on pavement is tough on the knees, and sometimes it's raining and I'm a big baby, so I go to the gym. As Hobronto said, yada yada yada...
  
  I think it's difficult to design a treadmill that actually generates power, due to the tread (and all of the fancy settings). A treadmill effectively requires as much power as you generate to keep you in place (because it moves the tread in the opposing direction as you run).
  
  I did read something recently about some research group at a university developing something you could use while running that would store the energy in a battery. It would be enough apparently to power an Ipod. I don't have a link; think I heard this on the radio while driving.

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  May 15, 2008 5:41 PM GMT

  

  hobronto saidWHY hasn't someone come up with a treadmill that acts as a generator? Wouldn't that be an environmental slam dunk? Run fast enough and you can power your own TV? (Okay, admittedly you'd have to run pretty dang fast.)
  
  But is it eco-friendly to drive to the gym for a workout instead of just going for a run. Not to mention those of us who exercise generally burn more calories, have a higher food intake, and subsequently suck up more resources. Yada yada...

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  May 15, 2008 8:21 PM GMT

  The question you should be asking is if you want to save energy Do you really need a machine to run on

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• DCEric
  
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  May 15, 2008 8:55 PM GMT

  somebody goes to a fancy gym...TV's? Sauna? I am probably lucky that the walls aren't exposed supports.

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  May 15, 2008 10:06 PM GMT

  ^^me too. my gym has no tv's or anything like that. they treadmills and the three little portable fans are the only things that plug in. the elipticals, stair steppers, and bikes are all powered only while you're moving on it. although IF your gym has tv's in everything then I see no reason that a lower powered LCD couldn't be run off of the power generated by the machine, except in the case of treadmills, they need to have a powered motor to control running speed so you don't kill yourself.

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  May 15, 2008 11:32 PM GMT

  My gym has windows

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  May 16, 2008 2:16 AM GMT

  Hmmm...TV's? I save energy by shower with someone else...saves soap too!
  (grin)

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  May 16, 2008 2:20 AM GMT

  LA Fitness has the running machines on a catwalk overlooking the central weights area.
  
  Who needs a TV

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  May 16, 2008 6:18 PM GMT

  Maybe I've just become an exercise snob, but in my mind, if you're able to watch TV, you're not working hard enough.

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• EricLA
  
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  May 16, 2008 6:39 PM GMT

  And what about water consumption? There are guys who take 5 hour showers! And I'm not even talking about the guys who are obviously in there to cruise and just hang out in the showers. Earlier this week someone walked away from a faucet going full blast because they couldn't shut it off. It obviously needed fixing, but I managed to shut it off. There are a few guys who seem to do all their grooming at the gym, shaving their face, trimming (body hair), brushing teeth, clipping nails -- all with the water just running down the drain. We have a water crisis here in California and people don't seem to care.

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  May 16, 2008 6:53 PM GMT

  Gigaram saidMaybe I've just become an exercise snob, but in my mind, if you're able to watch TV, you're not working hard enough.

  
  
  Totally agree.
  
  Is anyone else tired of there being TVs everywhere you go these days? You can't go to a bar, restaurant, gym, etc without having a TV thrown in your face.

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  May 16, 2008 7:24 PM GMT

  Can't you just go and swim instead of using the treadmills/spin bikes/ellipitcal machines on cardio day? You definately don't need any electricity for that (hell, you're covered in water!) plus it is a much better cardio exercise. It also beats having to constantly stare in one direction without the possibility of actually moving from one place to another and getting your ass penetrated by the spin bike! Yes... this comes from my experience...
  
  Also, I too have never heard of separate TVs hooked onto the treadmills, bikes, etc... We just have one big TV showing music videos on TRACE. Too bad it isn't really positioned as to allow the entire the gym to watch, and when they switch the music to the radio they don't turn off the TV, they leave it on standby. Just go buy an iPod/MP4 and watch music videos and podcasts on it instead.
  
  I don't have a car, so you don't have to worry about me driving to the gym, I just walk down to the gym after/before school. And I take my own towel... only 1, not 7! We also don't have saunas or steam rooms as far as I know... but that's probably because it's not a 'fitness & spa' facility, but a 'fitness complex'.

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  May 17, 2008 2:29 PM GMT

  Here in Ohio the pollen count is very high, I love to run outdoors but in the spring it just kills me. So I rely on the treadmill and sometimes the elliptical.
  
  
  

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