Best Elliptical Machine - Top Features When Buying an Elliptical

Looking for the best elliptical machine? Ellipticals are one of the most popular choices in fitness equipment today.

They give you a lower impact workout than other machines. They can also be lighter and more compact than other machines.

Plus, because you use both arms and legs they give you a lower rate of perceived exertion. (This means you actually worked harder than you felt like you did - which can add up to more calories burned).

But there are so many brands and models on the market. How do you choose the best elliptical machine for you?

This article reveals 6 key features to consider before buying. So you can choose the best machine for you.

1) Stride Length.

This is one of the most important features when buying an elliptical. Stride length is the farthest distance between the pedals during the elliptical motion. Stride lengths vary from 12 - 21 inches.

Stride length is important as a longer stride length works your leg muscles more fully, giving you a more effective workout and helping to burn more calories. Plus a long stride gives you a smoother, more fluid feel.

Cheaper ellipticals usually offer a 12 - 14 inch stride. For the average height person an 18-20 inch stride is good.

Taller people or those who really like to pick up the pace may prefer a 20 inch or even a 21 inch stride.

2) User Weight Capacity.

Along with unit weight and quality of construction, user weight capacity is a great indicator of the stability of the elliptical. You don't want a machine that shakes or wobbles when you pick up the pace.

User weight capacities usually run from 200 lbs up to 400 lbs. Cheaper ellipticals run around 200-250 lbs and might be alright for 1 user under 200 lbs.

The higher you go - other things being equal - the more stable a machine you get. A great user weight capacity, especially for heavier users or more than 1 person is 300 - 350 lbs.

3) Resistance.

Resistance is basically how hard your legs have to push during the elliptical motion. Resistance gives you more of a challenge while you work out.

Increasing resistance can help you burn more calories, push to the next level or build intervals into your workout to boost metabolism.

Most elliptical trainers offer a range of resistance levels. Look for a trainer that makes resistance changes easy (i.e. one-touch resistance adjustment) vs a dial that you turn to increase resistance.

4) Incline.

Incline (also called Ramp) is not the same as resistance. Until a few years ago incline was only found on $4000 commercial models. However it's starting to make it's way into the home elliptical market.

Incline allows you to automatically increase your workout slope so you work different muscle groups. This optimizes your workout and burns maximum amount of calories.

Some ellipticals offer automatic incline (where you press a button to increase incline). And some offer manual incline (where you have to get off the machine to set it). Although incline isn't necessary to have, many people really like it.

5) Footprint / Folding.

The footprint is the width and length of your elliptical. While ellipticals in general are smaller than treadmills, they can still take up a lot of space. If space is limited in your home, make sure to consider the elliptical's footprint before you buy.

Another option to save space is to buy a folding elliptical. Some manufacturers are starting to make elliptical machines that fold up and this can save space if workout area is limited.

6) Console.

Elliptical consoles come in many different shapes, colors and sizes. Many give you standard feedback like speed, time, distance, calories burned and heart rate.

One thing that many of the best elliptical machines have is a back-lit console. This makes the display bright and easier to read.

Consoles that are not backlit (usually found on cheaper models) can be very hard to read. This is especially true if you have poor lighting in your workout area.

So those are 6 of the top key features to consider when choosing the best elliptical machine for you. Other popular features include upper body arm bars, personal trainer workout programs and built-in speakers for your iPod or Mp3 player.

Finally, when buying your elliptical trainer, remember to consider everyone who will be using it. Consider their weight capacity, height (for stride length), workout preferences and fitness goals. Do this and you're practically guaranteed to find the best elliptical machine for you.

Elliptical Comparison - What To Look At When Comparing Elliptical Trainers

If you're buying an elliptical, you'll want to make several elliptical comparisons and get the best deal. Enter the Internet. With the knowledge you can find online, buyers can get a much better deal than they used to get at their local department store.

So what do you need to know when making elliptical comparisons? While the elliptical market is getting more crowded each year, there are some simple things you can look for to find the best value models.

This article will give you 7 main features to look at when you compare elliptical trainers along with where to make easy elliptical comparisons.

1) Stride Length - This is essentially the farthest distance between the pedals during the elliptical motion. Stride length ranges on ellipticals from 12 to 21 inches.

Stride length is important as a short stride length doesn't fully work your leg muscles and doesn't give you as effective a workout as longer stride ellipticals. Cheaper ellipticals usually offer a 12 to 15 inch stride.

For the average height person an 18 inch stride is good. Taller people may prefer a 20 inch stride and shorter people may prefer a 16 to 18 inch stride.

2) Upper Body Workout Arms - Most people want the option to work their arms while exercising. This helps provide resistance training for your upper body so you burn more calories and get a better workout overall. This feature is found on most elliptical trainers however on some - even the higher end ones - it is not available.

You also want to make sure you don't have to lean over while using the bars which can diminish the effectiveness of your workout (this can happen on many of the cheaper elliptical models which don't have the proper arm to leg pedal ratio).

3) Weight Capacity - The user weight capacity is a great indicator of the stability of the elliptical trainer. For example, a 250 lb user weight capacity may mean that it can take up to 250 lbs however it is not nearly as stable as one with a 350 lb user weight capacity.

The 250 lb elliptical also probably won't hold up as well if you want to pick up your pace. Highly stable elliptical trainers will have higher user weight capacities (depending on your weight this could be 300 lbs and up).

4) Warranty - While warranties range for different elliptical trainers, you want to choose an elliptical with at least a one year parts warranty - preferably longer.

Just like user weight capacity, the length of the warranty is another indicator of the quality of parts used to build the elliptical machine. A longer warranty indicates a higher quality of elliptical construction.

5) Console: - While there are a range of different options here, it really depends on you. Do you want to see calories burned, speed, time, distance, heart rate? Do you want to see them all simultaneously?

One thing to watch for is that the console is well lit so you can read it while you exercise. Many cheaper ellipticals are hard to read, especially if the lighting in your workout area is not the best.

6) Resistance - Resistance is basically how hard your legs have to push during the elliptical motion. Resistance gives you more of a challenge while you workout and can help you ramp up your calorie burn or work intervals into your workout.

Most elliptical trainers do offer a range of resistance levels. Look for a trainer that makes resistance changes simple (i.e. one-touch resistance adjustment).

7) Price - Ellipticals range in price from $300 to $3000. It's up to you what you pay but just keep in mind that with elliptical trainers - price usually reflects quality - you do get what you pay for.

Economy priced ellipticals (under $800) are simply not built as well as higher quality ellipticals in the $900+ range and this can end up costing you in repairs, injury and less effective workouts.

Finally, when buying your elliptical trainer, remember to consider everyone who will be using it, their weight capacity, workout preferences and fitness goals.

By knowing these facts when making elliptical comparisons, you're way ahead of 99% of most elliptical buyers and well prepared to choose the best elliptical for you.

All about Smooth Elliptical Trainers

More then likely you have heard about Smooth elliptical trainers as the Smooth elliptical trainers are not only one of the best selling elliptical trainers over the Internet, but also are one of the highest rated manufacturers right now. Smooth elliptical trainers are made by Smooth Fitness, who added several more models to their Smooth elliptical trainer's product line. We are going to help you find out all about Smooth elliptical trainers and what makes them so great, so you can see why Smooth elliptical trainers are one of the hottest products out there today.

The first thing that you will more then likely notice about Smooth elliptical trainers is the great price that they have for all that the Smooth elliptical trainers offer. Smooth elliptical trainers do not fit into a budget buy or expensive price range, but instead, the smooth elliptical trainers are actually mid priced.

You will not find a Smooth elliptical trainer for over two-thousand dollars, however, you can compare the features of Smooth elliptical trainers to more expensive models form such manufacturers as Precor and see that despite the large price gap, they have many similarities. This is why you really get your moneys worth form Smooth elliptical trainers, because they can compete with other elliptical trainers that cost over three-thousand dollars.

Smooth elliptical trainers have patented technology as well. You can adjust your elliptical motion based upon your height. This might not seem important; however by not having your bodies motion correctly aligned with the machine can actually keep you form burning off more calories then if your body was properly aligned with the machine. Proper alignment with your bodies' motion also decreases the risk of a possible injury which makes smooth elliptical trainers safer to use then most. These features also add to why Smooth elliptical trainers are so great and also give Smooth elliptical trainers an advantage over other machines.

Some other useful features that you will find on Smooth elliptical trainers are electromagnetic braking; upper body arms which will help give you a full body workout, pulse sensors built into the hand grips, as well as having a high weight capacity. All of these features are what makes Smooth elliptical trainers so desirable by consumers. Another great feature is the noise control that smooth elliptical trainers have.

There have been many satisfied customers who have claimed that the machine is completely silent. The reason for this is, is that Smooth elliptical trainers use whisper mechanics. The electromagnetic brake system also has no motor and less parts then regular brake systems, which means that the chances for the brake system to have problems is greatly decreased on the Smooth elliptical trainers.

Not only do Smooth elliptical trainers have a very good warranty, but because of all of the fantastic features and the use of up to date technology, the Smooth elliptical trainers have received very good ratings. Because Smooth elliptical trainers carry such a high value for such a low cost, Smooth elliptical trainers are recommended for people who cannot afford the high end elliptical machines and are on a slimmer budget. With the Smooth elliptical trainers, you can get a high end machine at the fraction of the cost.