Elliptical Trainer Buyer’s Guide
Consumers love elliptical trainers for their low impact workout. Whether added to other machines in your home gym or the main machine you use everyday, a good elliptical trainer will provide also provide a great cardio workout. Many consumers are confused about what to look for when buying an elliptical trainer. Below are some great, quick tips to help you decide and choose the right machine for you. We hope this Elliptical Trainer Buyer’s Guide will make choosing a machine easier!
Price
For most buyers, this is the most important question we will tackle in Elliptical Trainer Buyer’s Guide. While everyone will have a budget to consider, everyone also wants the most machine for their buck. With so many choices in elliptical trainers on the market today this will make quick work of paring down the machines to choose from.
Coming in at a very low price, around $200, is Tony Little’s Gazelle elliptical trainer. A great machine, a basic machine, available in the very lowest price level. It is very hard to find this good a quality trainer at a local fitness equipment shop for this low price.
Most consumers expect to pay in the vicinity of $300-$600. This price range will get you all of the standard features on the elliptical market today, and a few perks.
The best elliptical brands such as ProForm, Weslo, NordicTrack usually comes with the better prices. Machines on the highest end of elliptical trainers on the market range from $600-$2500 or more, with some are over $4000. With great additional features on these machines including, iPod plug ins with speakers, wider pedals, console fans, inclines, higher pre-programmed workouts and resistance levels, sturdier manufacturing, and terrific warranties. When looking to purchase a machine in this price range it is especially important for users to carefully compare features. There are many websites with consumer reviews and fitness pro suggestions that will help you differentiate which machine may be the best for you. It is a great idea to include suggestions from reviews noting consumer use and opinion.
Features & Benefits
Among the important features to consider when purchasing your new elliptical trainer, stride length is one of the most important. Stride length, varying from machine to machine, with a range of 7” on the low end of machines to about 22” on the more costly machines. A long stride is important; however stride length normally directly correlates to user height. The taller the user the longer their legs, the longer the stride needs to be to get a good workout. Short stride lengths do not give as comfortable a workout, usually feeling more cut up or halted.
Ellipticals are known for their low impact workout. Many users purchase ellipticals because of this. Another important feature to consider are the machine pedals. Pedals on the mid to high end machines are usually both wider and adjustable, which helps with to prevent stress on your lower legs, knees and feet. Users that weigh over 250 lbs, and users that exercise regularly need to pay special attention to this issue.
Users can adjust resistance on all elliptical trainers. Resistance allows for an easier or harder workout. Machines have 2 ways they deliver the resistance. The first is tension or friction on a flywheel located either at the back or the sides of the elliptical trainer and the other way is magnetic resistance. Magnetic resistance is the best way, offering a smoother adjustment, and usually available with the push of a button on the console of the machine.
A few of the better machines on the market also offer additional resistance with an incline that allows for a harder workout as the pedals take on an adjustable slant.
Monitoring
Monitoring your heart and cardio is important to keep you in the targeted zone during your workout. Monitors are usually added to the upright handles of better ellipticals that help monitor your pulse during workouts to keep you exercising in your optimal heart rate zone.
Pre-Programmed Workouts
Advancements in the market, especially in higher end ellipticals, include better programs and higher technology consoles. Many machines provide virtual trainers with sound and video that add motivation to your workout. Offering 10 or more cardio challenging pre-programmed workouts the variety makes each workout unique. This is a must have feature when considering an elliptical trainer. Without this feature users do not get the variation in their workouts and tend to exercise less than they would otherwise.
Newer consoles allow you to watch your heart rate and pulse, track the progress of your workout and refine your workout to make it more challenging. A great add on is a fan that keeps you cool during workout and some machines offer an iPod plug in and speakers for music motivation!
Hopefully, this Elliptical Trainer Buyer’s Guide has provided direction to make your choice easier!