Choosing An Elliptical Machine

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lucyJames | Jan 3, 2011 |

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An elliptical trainer machine is a great way to get fit and lose weight. Widely recognized as being one of the best ways to burn calories and to get a good upper and lower body low impact workout there are elliptical machines for sale in a variety of price bands to suit most budgets.

If you are not familiar with elliptical cross trainers then the best way to describe them would be a machine that produces an exercise similar to cross country skiing. The machines have two footplates that operate elliptically (rather than a stepper machine where the footplates tend to only go up and down) or rather an up and down and forward and backward stride that has variable resistance and the upper body is worked by exercising arms and shoulders by operating ski poles that can have variable resistance. The user is effectively striding whilst pumping ski handles.

Clearly these machines are not light weight and don't have much scope for folding and storage, but there are lower cost variants that are specifically built with storage and portability in mind. The vast majority of models on the market require the user to have space set aside for exercising.

If you are after a portable version the stamina inmotion e1000 elliptical trainer is the version for you. This model comes in under $100 and consists of simply a set of footplates so you don't get the upper body workout a classic elliptical will give you. However it can be stored in a closet after use and is ideal for beginners. If you want something a little closer to the real thing but still have an eye for storage and a keen budget the Gazelle Edge elliptical machine may be worth considering. This machine is a light weight frame that allows upper and lower body workout but lacks resistance level settings you might find on other more expensive machines.

If you have plenty of room and a reasonable budget then choosing an elliptical is easier and your options more varied. Most home ellipticals fall into various price bands the lowest cost band is $150 to $450. These machines by manufacturers such as Confidence fitness, Body Champ and Schwinn tend to lack the features of higher cost models but more importantly lack the stride length of the more expensive machines. It is not uncommon for these machines to have a stride length as short as 14 inches. For a good home elliptical for an intermediate user you generally want a machine with a longer stride pattern and a good selection of resistance levels and programs. Machines that cost from $500 - $1000 tend to have stride patterns from 18 -21 inches that suit more body types and resemble stride lengths more naturally. At this price bracket you will get loads of resistance levels and programs as well as monitors. Check out Sole ellipticals and more expensive Schwinn models in this price bracket for some best selling machines.