Saturday, January 10, 2009

Elliptical trainers - what to look for when buying one?

By Amanda Jocks

As more and more people become preoccupied by the way they look and feel, and since they learned the benefits that an exercising program can have on their bodies, they turn to home fitness equipment as a solution for their problem, as they usually don't have the time to go to a gym. So the demand for this type of equipment in general - and the demand for elliptical trainers in particular, has greatly increased.

Whatever your fitness goal is, an elliptical trainer will help you achieve it from the comfort of your own home - exercising whenever you want to. As there are many types on the market today, you should be very careful when choosing what you want to buy, since not all of them have the features that you might need to succeed - there are a few things to consider when making a decision.

When you first decide to make the purchase, you should check your wallet and make an estimation on how much you are willing to spend. Elliptical machines come at various prices - from $300 to $3000 or more; but the tricky part is that not always the most expensive one is the best; and another catch is that you might never need the features offered by the most expensive models.

However, there are some basic features that any elliptical machine should have and you should consider too. First of all, the stride length is very important because a short one does not allow you to fully work your leg muscles and it also makes your workout less comfortable than a longer stride elliptical. Usually a cheaper machine offers you a 12 - 14" stride, but for an average height person it will be proper an 18 - 20" stride and for taller people a 20" or even a 21" stride.

The adjustable resistance is also a good indicator for an elliptical trainer's quality; you will be needing many resistance levels, as you progress with your workout. The ramp(or incline) is another factor to consider, since will help you workout various muscle groups. Depending on your priorities, you could choose a model that also has upper body workout arms - great extra effort that will add up. The last but not least things to consider are the weight capacity(because it gives you a perspective of how durable the machine is) and the warranty(which is usually a great sign for a product's quality).

With all of these being said, we can conclude that there are many differences amongst the various types of elliptical machines and you should choose wisely. In the end, you shouldn't only settle for those basic features, and reach for better ones, such as the display able to show you the distance, time elapsed and calories burned. - 15438

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