We just bought a vintage NordicTrak skier

[prolesunited]

for the workout room in the basement. Beautiful wood rails in mint condition, too. Guess how much we paid?

Anybody have any experience with them? We definitely have to get the coordination thing down. Any tips?

[cally]

1. I have a Nordic track skier

How old is considered vintage? ;-)

My advice is to just do the leg part first and hold on to the rail. You should be standing mostly upright and not take long strides. Once you are comfortable, then you add the arms. It just takes a few days.

[prolesunited]

3. Not sure

although it does have a digital time, speed, distance display that doesn't seem to work. Seems like the models you would see in the 1980s.

The numbers light up, but nothing registers. Have you ever had a problem with that. Everything else seems to run smoothly.

Do you like yours? Does it seem to work well for you fitness-wise?

[cally]

5. Mine doesn't have any digital displays

When I use it regularly, it's a great workout. You do have to watch your posture in the beginning to make sure you aren't stressing your lower back. I haven't used it too much recently but I just started back on it this week. That's why it's out again.

[prolesunited]

9. Where exactly would you recommend

the pad on the front rest? Should it be more on your stomach or more on your hips?

[cally]

10. It should be on your lower hip

Just high enough so your legs can move easily.

[prolesunited]

12. Thanks for the tips!

I'll let you know how it goes.

[benburch]

2. I was never able to coordinate like that.

Sold it to my brother. Bought a treadmill. Much happier with the treadmill!

Got ours from http://www.smoothfitness.com/

We got the Model 9.3 HRAB model, now discontinued. Built like a tank! Not like the treadmills you see in the mall stores!

[prolesunited]

4. We're both pretty coordinated

I'm sure we'll get it down. Treadmills seem boring to me. I like lots of things going on.

[11cents]

6. Getting the coordination only takes a few sessions

Do just the legs first, and keep the resistance high enough so that you don't slide around when you get on it. But working up some endurance on the thing took me quite awhile! Thirty minutes still kicks my butt, but I've been using it about 5 times a week for several years now, so it hasn't become a coat rack.

One of the nice things about them, other than the fact that they look nicer than most exercise machines, is that they're mechanically simple. When parts wear out (as the flywheel, for example, eventually will), you should be able to find replacements on eBay or elsewhere and switch them in yourself. Contrast with the nice but often out-of-order treadmills and ellipticals that you see in gyms.

[Skip Intro]

7. Well how much did you pay for it? I'm gonna guess $150.

Close?

[prolesunited]

11. Not even!

We were poking around a resale place down the street from our house. Lots of junk but sometimes they have good stuff on the sidewalk in front. What had caught our eye was a set of four wooden folding chairs.

They were priced at $40, but no huge deal. I found the NordicTrack when we were poking around. It was priced at $30. We went home, talked about it and he cleaned out his trunk.

Jason went back and said he would take it off their hands for $25. We paid freakin' $25 for it!!!

If we can't get it down, I can always turn a tidy profit on eBay. :D

[MrMonk]

8. I still have mine from 1989

Aside from being a little worn, it's still in good.
I don't work it nearly as hard as I used to, but I plan on keeping it until it falls apart.