Elliptical-Buying-Guide

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Elliptical Buying Guide - Learn how to find the perfect elliptical for you.

Whether you are purchasing an elliptical cross trainer for the benefits of a low-impact workout or diversity in your exercise routine, an elliptical could be the perfect fit for you. Elliptical s have gained popularity in both home and gyms, they're efficient, space-saving, easy on the knees and joints and offers smooth performance that mimics a walking or running motion without the hard surface impact.

What's the Elliptical for you?

Budget: How much can you spend? This is the most basic and important way to narrow down your search. At All American Fitness Superstore offers high quality ellipticals at affordable prices; mid-to higher- range price points that gives you a choice in your price range and affordable quality, without giving up all the smart features that you want.

Goals: What is your motivation for purchasing an elliptical? Do you want to lose weight? Tone muscle? Will this workout be part of a physical rehabilitation program? How frequently do you intend to use the machine? Answering these questions will help to determine what features and type of elliptical to look for.

Space: Where will you use the elliptical? do you have a dedicated home gym space or will you need to move the elliptical around? At All American Fitness we can help you create an effective room design that incorporates your new fitness equipment.

Users: Who will be using the elliptical? Will it just be you? Or your family? The number of users are very important considerations when you look at durability, frame and warranty of a prospective elliptical.

Shopping for an Elliptical - What's important?

There are several things to consider when shopping for an elliptical. Don't get to sidetracked by all the bells and whistles that are available. Your first consideration should be the quality of the machine itself. While the extras are good for keeping your workout fresh, entertaining and motivating, pay close attention to the following items to ensure you get a high-quality elliptical that will meet your needs. And, of course, be sure to step onto the elliptical and try it out to get a good feel for the motion and stability. Hands down, feel is the most important part of an elliptical workout.

Frame & Drive System The drive system determines how smooth, stable and quiet the elliptical machine will be. This is the heart of the elliptical and its quality determines much of the machine cost. Here's what you need to keep in mind:

Stride Length is the overall distance the pedals travel during the elliptical motion. The length of the stride is an important factor in how the elliptical feels. Proper length depends on the size of the user, but a longer stride generally offers better range of motion. The stride should mimic the feel of jogging or walking, without impact on your body. Stride length ranges from 12" up to 21" on higher end models.

Frame Design determines how easy it will be to get on and off the elliptical, and how stable it will be during use. Ellipticals are constructed on either a front-drive frame (the wheel is in the front) or a rear-drive frame (the flywheel is at the back).

The Flywheel is the feature that controls how smooth the elliptical feels. The heavier the flywheel, the quieter and smoother the elliptical will feel because the additional weight helps it spin efficiently. Flywheel weights for most home ellipticals generally begin at around 13 pounds, but can vary.

The drive belt is the only link between the flywheel and the pedals. Quality belts use grooves to maintain an efficient transfer of energy between the pedals and flywheel. The more grooves on the belt, the less slippage the user will feel.

All ellipticals offer variable resistance. Usually, the resistance is controlled by a magnetic brake that applies resistance to the flywheel as it moves closer to the steel flywheel. A larger brake provides more contact area with the flywheel for more consistence resistance and a longer lifespan. The brake warranty is a good way to gauge the actual size and durability of the brake.

Be sure to consider the warranties associated with the elliptical, for the frame, brake, parts and labor. The frame and brake should ideally be covered by the same lifetime warranties, which tells you that the product is built to last and will have less need for maintenance down the road. For parts and labor, look for a warranty that offers at least 1 year of unlimited parts replacement and in-home labor repairs. This tells you a lot about the integrity behind the manufacturer and their products.

Pedals: The pedal system on the elliptical shapes the fluid, non-pounding motion, and is the user’s main contact point with the machine. They should be joint friendly and comfortable. Be sure you do several test-runs on the elliptical you are considering. Feel is crucial when choosing the right elliptical for you, so pay attention to these two important factors for a quality pedal system:

Articulating pedals pivot as you move on the elliptical to support your foot’s natural movements. When you move through the elliptical motion, the natural angle of the foot changes. Larger pedals allow more flexibility for comfortable foot positioning. Better pedals use traction strips that are inserted into the pedal to keep your foot from slipping.

The distance between the pedals is the Q factor. When we stand, our feet are far apart to give us balance, but when we walk our feet move toward the center of the body. This helps the body move efficiently and decreases stress on the hips and lower back. Better ellipticals have tighter pedal spacing to mimic the body’s natural movement.

Electronic System The electronic console controls all aspects of the elliptical and determines how easy it will be to use the machine. There 3 areas to consider.

Basic Console Operation From warm-up to cool-down, operation of the console should be clear and easy to understand. The main function of the console is to control the operation, and higher-quality ellipticals offer more sophisticated features, but also simplify operation with “quick keys.”

The operation should be clear and easy to understand throughout your entire workout. Step on a machine and navigate through the programs and keys to make sure you are comfortable with the console and won’t have a problem understanding how to use it.

Console Feedback The console should clearly display useful information about your workout performance. Higher-quality ellipticals will help monitor your workout progress with various feedback options, such as heart rate and performance data tracking. This information should be easy to view during your workout.

Programming Elliptical workout programs provide an opportunity to target specific fitness goals. Higher-quality ellipticals give you more preset workout program options. A console should include at least eight pre-set programs to help reach fitness goals and keep the workout motivating.

Features like iPod- or MP3-compatibility let you connect your audio device to the console and work out to your favorite playlists through included speakers, and workout fans will provide added comfort to help keep you going. For meeting specific, long-term goals, features like Nike + iPod workout tracking will allow you to upload your workouts online, so all your data is easily accessible and you can track your progress at any time. And it will keep things entertaining.