Why An Elliptical Machine?
When people talk about increasing their level of fitness or losing some weight, the first activity that comes to most people's minds is running. The problem though is that running isn't always a convenient activity for exercise in the UK due to the weather, as well as the physical impact it can place on the body.
Not everyone is blessed with a body that can handle the rigours of running which can cause pain throughout the legs and in particular the lower legs. It is not uncommon for people to feel the sharp pains of shin splints along the front of the lower leg which can be incredibly painful and prohibit running.
An elliptical machine - also known as an elliptical trainer or cross trainers - provides an impact-free way of exercising not just the legs but the entire body using the built-in arm polls. They are great for providing both aerobic and anaerobic exercise routines and usage can easily be tailored towards your personal goals.
If you are looking to lose weight or build up your respiratory stamina then you should use elliptical trainers on a low resistance setting thus focussing the session on the aerobic systems. Alternatively using a higher resistance can be a great way to build up strength in not only the legs but the entire core and arms.
The elliptical motion of these machines is a movement that carries over, and is directly transferable to various sports, so training on elliptical machines serves more than the purpose of just exercise for the sake of exercise.
Not everyone has the time or the inkling to get to the gym a few days a week so an elliptical cross trainer provides a convenient solution within the home. They take up little space and once assembled are ready for use without any additional setup.
Common Features of Elliptical Cross Trainers
The core functionality of elliptical cross trainers will vary only slightly between models. Key differences between machines of varying price range and brand will include details such as the maximum resistance available and the full range of automatic programmes.
Elliptical machines have the ability in most cases to be used in both forwards and reverse motions, with each direction targeting different areas of the body.
While arm poles are common on the majority of machines not all will include heart rate monitors built in to the polls. As well as the arm-poles some models will provide an additional fixed handle area below the central control panel which can be used to hold on to for a lower body only workout.
The complexity and level of information available about your workout will vary between machines but will almost certainly be presented in some format via a centralised digital control panel. You will be able to choose which programme you wish to use and receive feedback throughout, such as calories burned and time elapsed/remaining.
Automatic programmes will include basics such as: manual, time, and calorie burn target, but more complex programmes can control variances in intensity and required RPM (revolutions per minute) speeds. The more programmes available the fresher you will be able to keep your workouts.
Being able to track calories burnt and performance can be great motivating factors that encourage you to continue and keep up with your training goals.
Top Brands
Gym users up and down the country are familiar and feel completely at home with the iconic Life Fitness elliptical machines. Although more expensive than some other brands they provide the highest quality of exercise equipment and can actually make more economical sense when compared to the cost of a year's gym membership.
For those looking for an elliptical machine that offers exceptional performance and sturdy construction at a reduced price tag should look at the brands Hammer and Frontier Pennine.
The Germans don't just built fantastic cars, Hammer are one of the leaders in exercise equipment from Germany and so any of their machines will be built using trusted and advanced engineering practises. Although previously not well known within the UK their popularity has exploded as more people are introduced to their elliptical trainers.
Any of the machines listed here at EllipticalMachine provide a great way to make an investment in an incredibly valuable commodity - your health!