In order to pick the best elliptical cross trainer, you need to first determine your goals. Do you want to lose weight? Get back in shape after pregnancy? Prepare for an upcoming sports competition? Or you just want to maintain an active lifestyle. This article will guide you in choosing the right elliptical machine suitable for your fitness goals, budget, and space at home. You will also want it to be comfortable to use, heavy duty and equipped with preset workouts.
The elliptical cross trainer is one of the most in-demand home exercise equipment today. This machine is used to perform low-impact cardio exercises to burn calories, build muscles and improve endurance. It exercises both the upper and lower body muscles making them stronger and firmer. There are several cross trainer available in the market today and finding one that has everything you need can be daunting therefore knowing this top 5 criteria will make a difference.
5 Criteria to Consider when Choosing an Elliptical Cross Trainer
Performance. The flywheel of the elliptical is responsible for ensuring the quality and smoothness of pedaling. A flywheel that is 7-10 kg may cause unstable pedaling. Consider an elliptical trainer with heavy flywheel because it gives more resistance encouraging you to pedal faster to reach the maximum speed. Proform Pro 12.9 Elliptical is our recommended elliptical with a 14kg flywheel that delivers natural motion and seamless pedaling.
Resistance. The resistance is one of the main features most fitness enthusiasts look for in an elliptical machine. Some elliptical has automatically adjustable resistance levels while others are manually adjustable. The resistance provides extra difficulty in your workout session. It is mostly utilized to add a bit of intensity to burn more calories in a short period of time.
Design. Having a limited space in your home will not be a problem if you choose to have an elliptical machine with a semi-compact design and built-in transport wheels like Proform Pro 12.9 Elliptical. Find an elliptical with a robust framework and made from durable materials that can withstand intense workouts from the entire family.
Display. Ellipticals are built with a display that provides a clear view of the workout statistics such as speed, calories burned, distance traveled, time and heart rate. Displays can be either touchscreen or not but most are equipped with LCD screens.
Comfort. Anyone wishes to exercise comfortably even at home so make sure you look for the max user weight, stabilizers, well-cushioned pedals and grips. With Proform Pro 12.9 Elliptical, it can accommodate a user up to 170 kg and adjustable oversized pedals.
Other features to Consider
- Audio System for entertainment
- Workout fan to keep you cool all throughout the workout session
- Adjustable stride to accommodate a large group of users with different height
- Preset workout programs
- iFit Coach Ready
- Easy to assemble
- Quiet operation
The price tag should also be considered when buying a cross trainer however it’s important to understand that an elliptical with low price will not provide the best performance and features. If you want to a high quality, stable and quiet machine, you should invest a bit more, at $1000. By having the right elliptical at home, you will be a step closer to making your fitness dreams into reality.
