The Craziest of Crazy Cardio Equipment

During my long run Wednesday night, I saw a few pretty interesting pieces of exercise equipment being used that I had never seen before.  I was going to write about them in that post, but I had way too much to write!

Kangoo Jumps

I saw a man using these, which I learned are called Kangoo Jumps, on Wednesday night.  He was probably around 50 or so, not moving too fast in them.  But hey, if that's how he wants to get his workout in, then right on.  I didn't have much time to stare as I ran by him, but decided they looked fun and would be cool to bounce around on.  I am pretty sure I would not purchase them, but they would be awesome to try sometime!  Wouldn't it be fun to get a group together wearing these and play basketball?  Anyone who would like to do that, please let me know.

Frog Scooter

The girl I saw using the Frog Scooter on Wednesday night was probably in her 20s, just swinging her hips back and forth to make it go.  It's hard to describe the motion and also seemed like it would take up a lot of space on the path given the side to side motion you need to do to propel it forward.  Can you imagine what terms I put in Google to figure out what this thing was when I got home?  I don't remember which one ultimately worked but I tried things like "triangle scooter" and "2 footed scooter."

Elliptigo

I have seen people using the Elliptigo a few times on the lakefront path and out in the suburbs at the forest preserve.  It is a bit wider than a regular bike, but overall not that much different in size.  I actually don't think this is that crazy of a concept, it's just new and different.  The bike was outside first and then stationary bikes came along for indoor use.  The elliptical was an inside machine first, so why not take it outside?  It's a great cardio machine for people who are injured and need little impact or who just don't like running.

Treadmill Bike

Now here's where things get fun.  This is just silly.  I have never seen anyone use this, but I decided to use Google to see if there were any other crazy outdoor cardio fitness devices on the market - and lo and behold - the Treadmill Bike.  The silliness is brought to a whole new level when you check out the website of the makers of the Treadmill Bike.  Here are a few of my favorite excerpts:

"Have you ever wished you could get a quality treadmill workout without paying expensive gym prices?"

Unfortunately, the link on their website that is supposed to direct you to order your very own Treadmill Bike takes you to a site to purchase a bicycle design software.  My guess is that it would cost at least a few hundred dollars.  If you did want a quality treadmill workout without gym prices, maybe buy a real treadmill?  Just a thought.  Yes, I imagine a real treadmill would be more expensive than the Treadmill Bike, but it can be used year-round, not just when the weather's nice.  Speaking of...

"When the weather's nice, the last place you want to be is cooped up in some stuffy gym. Imagine running through evergreen forests or strolling down country roads."

Can't I run through evergreen forests or stroll down country roads while just, you know, regular running?  My reasons for running on a treadmill are either (a) the weather sucks or (b) I want to do a speed workout using the treadmill to control my paces.  The Treadmill Bike would work in neither of these situations.  We have Garmins now to do help do speed workouts and see/control the pace.  Furthermore, just to drive the stupidity of this thing home, how on Earth would you know how far you ran on the Treadmill Bike? I imagine the pace you are running and the pace this contraption is moving along are different. But there's more...

"The Treadmill Bike's hard wearing belt offers a sure grip while protecting your feet from dirt and other contaminants commonly found on the earth's surface."

You would still need to buy a new pair of running shoes after a certain number of miles on them, whether those miles are indoor or outside. Sure they may look prettier if you never get dirt on them, but where's the fun in that?

"Thinking of taking the Treadmill Bike to the grocery store? Be sure to stock up on ice cream while you're there. You will have earned it."

And where are you going to put the ice cream? Maybe in a backpack?  That's logical for something smooth like biking or even rollerblading, but not for something bounce-y like running.

There is no way a runner would want to use this thing because how can it give you a "quality" treadmill-like workout if you aren't using your arms?  It would be awkward to run while holding handlebars.  So, even though the Treadmill Bike would be something else that would be fun to give a try, I definitely don't think it can replace real running.

This was just too good to not look up on YouTube.

Which one of these would you want to try the most?

Or have you tried any of them??