Ellipticals have become very popular home gym machines in recent years. Treadmills once dominated the exercise equipment market, but elliptical machines have been steadily moving into more and more homes across the country.
An elliptical machine can be thought of as part stationary bike, part treadmill, part stairclimber, and part ski machine. They incorporate factors from each of these types of machines, but they are designed to mimic the movements of walking or running with the smooth, controlled gliding of the pedals along an elliptical path.
Elliptical Machine Benefits vs. Treadmills
The first of many elliptical machine benefits is the low impact of elliptical workouts. Running is considered the best available cardiovascular workout, but running on hard surfaces takes its toll on bones and joints. An elliptical machine allows you to get a great cardio workout without the impact that outdoor and treadmill running imposes on your joints. This helps tremendously for people with joint problems, recovering injuries, or individuals with extra weight.
Ellipticals also allow you to get a total body workout on one machine. Because of the movable arm handles on most models, you are able to get a dual action workout of both your upper and lower body. Unlike treadmill running, where only your lower body is working, ellipticals allow you to tone your legs as well as your chest, back, biceps, triceps, and shoulders all while providing a great cardio workout and burning calories.
Another benefit is the fact that you can get a weight bearing exercise with little to no impact. Treadmill running has less impact than outdoor running, but is still considered a high impact activity. Stationary bikes provide a no-impact cardio workout and have been used to rehab injuries, but the weight factor has been eliminated with these machines. Ellipcals allow you to perform a weight bearing workout without impact. This can be great for older individuals or those with knee problems. These machines are also a common means of cross training for athletes to allow them to exercise without overtraining.
Electric treadmills traditionally allow you to increase or decrease the intensity of your workout by adjusting speed and incline. Ellipticals offer similar features, but with added benefit. There is no need for speed adjustment because you provide the power to the machine, the rhythm and cadence of your workout is set by you. Incline can also be adjusted on some machines, providing a workout similar to a stair climber at higher incline levels. However, the difference between the treadmill and elliptical is based on the adjustment of resistance levels.
Elliptical machines allow you to increase or decrease the resistance to control the intensity of your workout. This allows you to increase the calorie burn of your workout, but it also allows you to turn what is usually considered a cardio workout into a muscle building workout.
The one main drawback of an elliptical workout, is that some people find that the movable arm handles feel awkward, or that the movement feels unnatural compared to walking or running on a treadmill. This is a matter of personal preference, and something you should consider before making a purchase. You can use an elliptical without the arm handles, but this lessens its benefit as a total body workout machine.
Tips for Buying Elliptical Machines
- Consider your available space – Many home gym machines tend to be large and can take up tons of space in your home. Make sure to find an elliptical exercise machine that will fit into the allotted space in your home. If you do not have much space but would like to have some type of cardio machine, consider a foldable elliptical or a portable treadmill. Folding ellipticals and treadmills can be great, space saving options.
- Consider your budget – Gym quality equipment will cost over $2,000, but you can find budget priced machines for much less. Higher priced machines tend to be of much higher quality, provide a smoother workout, and have less defects or problems. Lower priced machines will have less features and less overall quality, but there are many ellipticals that will suit your needs for $1,000 or less.
- Decide which features are important to you – Some machines will provide more variety of features than others. You should find a machine that has all of the features that you feel are important, but you don’t necessarily need to pay for a machine with all of the bells-and-whistles if those features are not important to you. Some common features are:
o Pre-programmed workouts
o Adjustable incline and speed
o Moving arm handles are standard on most models but not all
o Adjustable pedals to provide comfort and proper stride length
o Heart rate monitor
o Dual direction option (forward and backward movement) vs. forward movement only
o Other built in gadgets – CD players, MP3 players, even TVs
- Consider the warranty – Some manufacturers will provide better warranties than others. A warranty of at least 2 years for parts and 1year for labor will usually cover most defects or problems that you will run in to.
- Try before you buy – This is the most important consideration. Even if you intend to buy your machine online, be sure to go to a fitness equipment retailer near your home and try out the machines that you are considering. It is important to find a machine that has all of the features that you desire, but it is much more important that you find a machine that you feel comfortable working out on. Make sure that arm handles are in a comfortable position or that they can be adjusted, and be sure to find a machine that feels stable at different intensity levels.
Types of Ellipticals
When it comes down to it, there really are only 2 types of ellipticals, expensive or gym quality machines and cheap machines.
Cheap Ellipticals
Budget conscious consumers will be able to find some cheap ellipticals available at a number of retail stores or online, typically ranging from a few hundred dollars up to $1,000. The benefit of these types of machines is obviously the price, but the primary drawbacks are that you will find that these machines are much less stable than more expensive models, offer fewer features and shorter warranties.
You can also try to find cheap ellipticals in your local area through garage sales, newspaper classifieds, or even on craigslist.org. By shopping around you can find more expensive models and deeply discounted prices. Just make sure to try the machine out before you buy it.
Expensive Ellipticals
Gym quality ellipticals will be in the $1,000 and up range, and are usually much more stable that their cheaper counterparts. They tend to feel more solid and have a much smoother and easier operation. The best ellipticals have great ergonomics, smooth operation, and adjustable stride length that allows you to customize your machine to provide the most comfortable and effective workout for you. They also tend to be more feature-packed and come with a much better warranty to safeguard your investment.
Keep in mind, however, that cost does not necessarily correlate with quality. There are some expensive models available that have poor design and rougher operation than some of the cheaper models. It is important to try every machine before you make a purchasing decision.
There are many benefits to having elliptical equipment in your home gym. They can provide a great cardiovascular and muscle building workout with no impact on you joints, and help you burn calories to lose excess pounds fast, but it is up to you to decide if this type of machine is best for you.
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
