Fly, Fly Away -- The Latest Equipment On Infomercial Overload

AMID THE LONG LINE-UP of exercise machines at SportMart near Southcenter, a woman was looking at treadmills when I arrived to check out the flyers.

I hopped on one, turned on my heart-rate monitor and started flying, or gliding, or air walking. Whatever you call it, it's the hottest new thing in workouts. Or at least in fitness infomercials, with four brands among the top 25 best-selling products.

These flyers claim to summon the best elements of walking, running, aerobics, cross-country skiing and resistance training - all at one's own speed, without any stress to ankles, knees or back, while burning up to 1,000 calories an hour.

I'd been on the flyer for a minute or so when the woman walked past. "Do you know anything about those machines?" she asked.

I thought a moment. Not even two weeks earlier, when I'd left for The SuperShow fitness trade fair in Atlanta, I'd guessed (hoped?) those flyer machines would be a short-lived fad, hardly worth mentioning, much less devoting a whole column to. But the show was teeming with them, like it was with riders in '95 and abdominal machines last year.

I could ignore them no longer.

Over that four-day period I tested every model I could find - 25 in all - trying to figure out why this equipment was so enticing, what sort of a workout it offered and how the brands differed.

My initial check was for sturdiness: A surprising number wobbled or squeaked, and several started to tip with just a little side-to-side rocking.

I found I preferred the arc of the stride when each footplate was suspended from two pivot posts instead of one. I favored independent movement of the legs, instead of one forced back when the other moved forward. Independent legs allowed for a more natural stride and additional exercises, but they could also be dangerous: If the machine didn't have a motion "limiter" to prevent both legs from flying forward, the user could wind up flat on the floor, head and back first.

The machines I preferred had adjustable resistance for both legs and arms. Though it's a better workout if the arms are above the heart, I found such high handles uncomfortable.

Some machines require little assembly and fold for storage; some have videos and electronic monitors and holders for water bottles and the TV remote control.

With all those variables, it's no wonder they range in price from $89 to $499.

Guess which one I liked the best?

Yep, the $499 one. The Freedom Strider (888-843-6700) doesn't fold or roll, but was by far the most sturdy, with independent legs and long, smooth strides. An arcing handrail allowed a full arm swing with variable resistance, according to how tightly one grasped the hand grips. I could do push-ups, biceps pulls and, when sideways, scissors-like leg movements. Its optional heart-rate monitor, however, would be improved with a chest strap rather than the outdated ear clip.

Next favorite, in my book, was the Health Walker Plus ($199.96 at SportMart, or $249.95 via 800-637-8334). Double-pivot posts and independent legs give a natural walking motion; arms are positioned comfortably; and it folds and rolls.

I'm still trying to track down the research paper that shows these machines burn up to 1,000 calories an hour. Maybe they do; my heart rate did get up about as high as it does on a medium-intensity stationary bike ride.

But I don't like the feel of flyers enough to spend an hour or even 20 minutes on one. I wouldn't be surprised if there were just a couple brands left by the '99 Super Show. If you're considering buying one, make sure there's a money-back guarantee. And keep in mind something I read in one machine's promotional material: "Airofit: A new fitness category built by infomercial media."

After all that, when the woman asked, "Do you know anything about those machines?" I felt I still had to answer, "Not really."

So she offered her advice. "I tried them and didn't feel much," she said. "Then I tried a treadmill, and I was out of breath right away.

The flyers, she said, "were like playing on swings. Just too easy."

Molly Martin is assistant editor of Pacific Magazine. ----------------------------------------------------------------- NOTEBOOK

Walkers wanted

A National Walkers' Health Study is seeking 55,000 people whose principal form of recreation is walking. Participants are asked to fill out a short questionnaire now and another every five years. A companion to a study of runners started in 1991, one goal is to learn if walkers can experience the same low risk of heart disease and cancer as runners do, but with fewer injuries.

For a copy of the questionnaire, write Dr. Paul Williams, National Walkers' Health Study, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Building 934, Berkeley, CA 94720.

Cycling while intoxicated?

Alcohol is a factor in about a third of fatal bicycle accidents, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. They studied more than 300 serious bicycle injuries in people over age 9 that occurred in Maryland over an eight-year period. Cyclists who died in accidents were almost twice as likely as those less seriously injured to have positive blood alcohol levels and to be legally intoxicated. Alcohol impairs coordination, prolongs reaction time, and greatly reduces the likelihood of a cyclist wearing a helmet, researchers said.

Ask Molly Send comments to On Fitness, Pacific Magazine, Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111, e-mail mmar-new@seatimes.com or call 464-8243.