Health

Take it in Stride

Here I was on my way home on a flight from Florida feeling a little claustrophobic and frightened as we take off into a major thunderstorm with high winds. So, I try to ignore what’s going on and reach for SkyMall Airline Shopping magazine from the pocket in the seat in front of me. Opening the pages I came across the Street Strider: an exercise device that combines the benefits of jogging, skiing, and cycling. All my thoughts immediately switched over to this Street Strider. I was anxious to find out where to get one of these and test it. SkyMall said, “free,” so I made sure to grab it on the way off the plane. Upon landing and getting into the airport I searched on my phone for their Website. I then emailed to find out where I could test one. It turns out that you just put your zip code in the website and they give you a list of demonstrators near by. My connection was 58-year-old Randy Cohen from Chalfont. Randy is a real nice guy—all ready to meet and give me a demonstration. We met at a park in Chalfont. He was already there riding around on the Street Strider in the parking lot. He leaned from one side to the other looking like he was having the time of his life. He introduced himself and began to tell me all about the Street Strider and how he got involved with it. He told me how the Street Strider actually changed his life and how he looks forward to his three day a week routine. I asked Randy if it was true that you could burn up to 1,000 calories an hour. The Skymall airline shopping magazine article I read emphasized this. Randy showed me his target meter and sure enough, one hour and six minutes showed up, and he burned a little more than a 1,000 calories. Randy was very helpful and detailed and showed me how to begin riding the Street Strider before I jumped on it. So, I hopped on this cute three wheeler. It was the model 8R—the most popular one they carry. The arm and leg motions came naturally. It felt a little awkward and wobbly at first, and I had a difficult time turning until Randy gave me further instructions. I soon got into the flow, and it became smooth and it felt like running, biking and skiing without any impact. I could feel it working the arms, legs, core, and back at the same time. The Street Strider feels like an elliptical that moves. So, here I was working it in first gear allowing me to move freely. I then switched a higher gear, up to four, which kept me more focused. I caught myself using my legs more than my arms. So I tried to use a combination of my arms and legs which made more sense or should I say common sense. By this time, I was having a blast! And I was getting what Randy was showing me! The Street Strider works the core area quite nicely. To turn you have to shift your weight from one side to the other which is great for those oblique muscles. It ‘s durable. Its beauty is that you can also use it indoors. With a trainer stand, it can be turned into an indoor elliptical machine. How neat is that! Definitely a good pick. Need I say more? For more information visit www.streetstriderdemo.com. And as with any other form of exercise, always consult your physician before using the Street Strider.