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Why an elliptical trainer?

If you are looking for a total body workout an elliptical cross trainer is the best choice. Dual action arms provide a more complete workout, stimulating the upper body as well as lower extremes. Ellipticals don’t wear on your joints and this is great for people with knee problems. Ellipticals also provide a weight bearing exercise, which helps protect bones against osteoporosis.
Ellipticals have the advantage of providing a training heart rate that quickly reaches the 160-175 bpm range (optimum for burning calories), without feeling like you need to over exert yourself. Another advantage of total body training is that the heart rate climbs very quickly and the total exercise time needed is shorter (20-30 minutes).

Why upper body handles?

Because of the fact that the user’s feet never leave the ground, ellipticals result in a reduced intensity caloric burn and lower heart rate than a treadmill workout. A new innovation was added that resulted in a total body workout. Handles were connected to the pedals allowing the user to push and pull with all four limbs.

Which ellipitical is best for me?   

There are a few factors to consider when deciding which one to choose, do you want an inexpensive basic machine or a high-end durable model. Top end models usually offer a higher weight capacity, heart rate control and more natural stride patterns that prevent you from bobbing up and down.   
 
Resistance control

You will need to think about whether you, or anyone else who will be using the treadmill, have any particular requirements. A very heavy user will have to check the maximum user weight of the treadmill to ensure that it will keep running smoothly under the extra strain, whereas a taller person might require a longer running surface to be able to run comfortably. It is also important to consider any medical factors such as joint or cardiac problems. For those with joint problems it is worth investing in a machine with extra good deck cushioning, both for comfort and protection. If using a treadmill for cardio-rehabilitation, heart rate controlled training can be a very useful feature for a safe and effective workout. However, please note that heart rate monitors may not be suitable for people with pacemakers whereas pulse sensor grips would be.

How will the treadmill be used? 

There are two types of resistance control. Controlling the resistance makes your heart rate increase by making the stride movement harder. There is manual (turning a knob) and electronic (change via the touch of a button). The majority of machines typically have manual and the advantage of this is the price. Electronic usually means it also works with the heart rate control program to automatically keep you in your target zone. If you don’t want to worry about adjusting resistance to keep your heart rate where it needs to be, select a machine with electronic resistance control and heart rate control (explained below).

Heart rate control

Heart rate control means your heart rate is monitored by a pulse-grip (handles you place your grip on). Many of the elliptical programs will include "heart rate control" which will adjust the resistance to increase your heart for the desired target heart rate. This is a great feature if you are trying to lose weight and don’t want to worry about your BPM (beats per minute) which needs to be in a specific target zone for weight loss. This all depends on your gender, age, and body type which can be entered into the computer program of some models.

Programs

Some ellipticals have an array of programs. Programs are predefined settings that help keep you motivated by varying the resistance each minute to provide a specific type of workout. More than 3 programs is usually enough.

Ergonomics

Oversized foot pedals glide easily and silently on sealed bearings. If the pedals incline and decline through the stride path, you may experience a bobbing motion which can make you uncomfortable. Look for pedals which look flat or parallel to the ground while in use. This will mimic the geometry of cross country skiing. You also want to have ergonomically designed handlebars for proper technique and a smooth stride. Upper body handlebars function in unison with the adjustable resistance of the stride, this encourages good posture and proper technique.
Ellipiticals are user friendly and typically have fewer settings. Some however; do have preset programs and incline adjustments, but it is easy to master and doesn’t require much balance or practice.

Warranties

As with all exercise machines, you should check out the warranties on any elliptical trainer you are considering. We offer a parts and labour warranty for 1 year.