You wouldn’t be reading this unless you had decided you need to do something serious about reaching and keeping a reasonable level of fitness and a healthy weight. And you’ve decided that the best way to achieve this is at home, using your own equipment.
An elliptical machine looks like it could be the solution – low impact, ideal for cardio fitness, and you can work with more than just your legs. Not to mention that they can be quite enjoyable to use.
There’s heaps of them, with many types, brands and models, including at least one which is right for you.
Here are seven things to look at carefully before you make your final decision.
1. Do You Really Need An Elliptical machine At All?
The sort of question a mother might ask, but could it end up an costly dust gatherer? Along with exercise bikes and treadmills, ellipticals are very common items at yard sales, Craigslist, eBay and so on. If you haven’t already done so, why not treat yourself to a few weeks gym membership just to make sure you can manage the routine of regular exercise.
2. Who Will Be Using It?
If it’s just for you, no worries.
Just find something you like and can afford.
But if your elliptical machine will be shared among people of different weights and heights, compromises may be necessary.
Variable stride length elliptical machines offer a solution to this problem, allowing everyone to have a comfortable workout.
3. Where Will You Put It?
Three things need to be thought about – space, noise and ceiling height.
Effective ellipticals have to be stable, and accordingly they can be very heavy. A good solid elliptical machine is not easy to move, even with transport wheels, so it is best to find a permanent position for it.
Most ellipticals are reasonably quiet, provided they have a firm base and don’t rock too much, but noise can be a factor when other family members need to be considered.
Even though you can be quite high above floor level during a workout on an elliptical machine, you are unlikely to run into problems in standard rooms. You may need to check out your basement or cellar though.
4. Assembly.
Elliptical machines, particularly front drive models, are sophisticated pieces of equipment, and even with help you should allow 1 1/2 to 2 hours to get it up and running. An alternative is to get it assembled before delivery, but this only works if you are buying locally and are prepared to pay a fair bit extra. But if you buy through the internet you have no choice but to put it together yourself.
Before you start putting your elliptical machine together, it is a really good idea to read the manual (maybe more than once), check that all parts are present, and make sure you know what each of them is.
5. What sort of exercise program will you have?
This question comes back to your build and the time you intend to spend on the machine – heavy or light, daily or occasional use, short or long sessions?
If you are reasonably heavy and an enthusiastic machine, give careful consideration to the width of the base and the weight of the machine – the greater they are the more stable you will be.
6. There Are Different Kinds of trainer – Which Is Best For You?
Elliptical machines are generally similar, but they do behave differently depending on whether the flywheel is located at the rear, in front under the handles, or in the middle.
The most common are front and rear drive machines, and because they have a different feel to them it is a good idea to check out both types before you make your final choice.
Elliptical machines with a front drive are more complex pieces of machinery, and will require a little more maintenance The set up of the flywheel is different, and the wheel track will need to be cleaned out regularly to keep things running smoothly.
7. What Sort Of Money Are You Looking At?
Now that you have cleared your mind about what you need and what you don’t, it’s time to see how closely you can match your desires with your budget. It is true that with elliptical machines you get what you pay for, and the heavier and more enthusiastic you are, the more you will need to spend to get a good trainer that will last a long time. The news is better if you are lighter, and are looking at a less testing program to maintain fitness.
But while they may not be rock bottom bargains, there are usually a few elliptical machines around that stand out from their price group as better made and much better value for money. One way of identifying these is to check the buyer reviews on the big retail sites like Amazon.
Let’s Summarize
There’s quite a bit of stake when you consider buying a fairly highly priced item like an elliptical trainer, which you would reasonably expect should last for years. If you have evaluated the range of elliptical trainers in terms of the seven questions we have looked at, you should now have a short list – it’s now time to try them out for comfort and stability before you make your final decision.
Go visit my expanding blog about Home Elliptical Trainers to find out more about the many different brands and models available, and where to find the cheapest prices. You’ll find out what is probably the cheapest Value Elliptical Trainer around at the moment.