| Starting somewhere around $200 are the lesser | | | | frequent) maintenance dates. You could opt to |
| quality elliptical cross trainers. As the price range | | | | exchange the original hardware with better quality nuts, |
| increases, so does the overall quality of the machine, | | | | bolts, and washers if you care to invest your time in |
| as well as the features offered. It is fair to assume | | | | that way. Due to the low quality of materials involved, |
| you will not receive the same value and quality when | | | | you will find it necessary to perform routine |
| paying $200 as opposed to paying $5000 or even | | | | maintenance more often. |
| $1500. However, what are the chances you are going | | | | The warranty will also need to be carefully considered. |
| to purchase the $5000 professional cross trainer? | | | | On the lesser quality cross trainers, the customary |
| These are typical of public gyms, health clubs, and | | | | warranty will only cover 90 days at most, as opposed |
| fitness spas. By acknowledging both the benefits as | | | | to the better quality machines that offer a 1 year |
| well as the shortcomings of the lower priced cross | | | | warranty for labor and a 3 year warranty for parts. |
| trainers, you are able to make a better selection out of | | | | The wisest course of action for any "noise" repairs, |
| the elliptical trainers available, finding the trainer best | | | | parts, or any malfunctions in general, would be dealing |
| suited to your personal fitness level. | | | | directly with the manufacturer. |
| People are choosing elliptical workouts over treadmills | | | | Determining the amount of calories you burn in any |
| and cycling due to the low impact, but intensive | | | | exercise is a function of the intensity of the exercise |
| cardiovascular workout. Focusing on lower body | | | | and your current body weight. A 150 pound person will |
| elliptical movement, your legs and heart muscles gain a | | | | burn fewer calories per minute of exercise than a 250 |
| beneficial workout. The same effect could be | | | | pound person even if they match each other exactly |
| accomplished running in place without a machine, | | | | in intensity. So unless the calories burned monitor on |
| resulting in high impact exercising. Clearly, your body | | | | whatever elliptical trainer you buy has accounted for |
| does the work of exercising, not the machine. This is | | | | your current body weight it is almost certainly wrong. |
| why it is imperative that you choose a good quality | | | | With the right information you can easily and |
| machine that enables you to maximize the exercise | | | | accurately determine your calorie expenditure for any |
| you have chosen to perform on a fitness machine. | | | | physical activity from a chart or with a quick |
| To be completely honest, running in place tends to | | | | calculation. |
| become extremely monotonous. The cross trainers | | | | The bottom line here is that the monitoring system on |
| offer an impressive feature, varying resistant levels, | | | | a cheap elliptical trainer will probably be no worse than |
| that encourage a more intense elliptical workout. | | | | the monitoring system on a more expensive model, |
| Although both inexpensive and expensive trainers are | | | | and unless you are willing to spend $2,000 plus for an |
| equipped with this feature, the higher priced and better | | | | elliptical trainer the monitoring system is only incidental |
| quality cross trainers are preprogrammed to adjust the | | | | and should not be a major consideration at all. |
| resistance level in random intervals during your | | | | The primary limitation of cheap elliptical trainers then is |
| workout. The lower priced and poor quality elliptical | | | | their sturdiness, construction quality, and warranty |
| trainers may require you to manually change the | | | | period. If you weigh 250 pounds then you cannot |
| resistance, resulting in interrupting your workout. | | | | reasonably expect an 80 pound elliptical trainer to feel |
| Compare the multiple features on the LCD displays | | | | solid under your feet. The same cheap elliptical trainer |
| and the monitor feedback as well. The standard | | | | would probably feel very comfortable to a 125 |
| monitoring featured is pulse rate, distance, duration of | | | | pounder. Your height and body weight are the primary |
| workout, and calories burned. All of these features, | | | | considerations here. An arbitrary cut off point for |
| truthfully, have little or no reliability for accuracy. The | | | | consideration of a cheap elliptical trainer may be more |
| chest strap heart monitor is, by far, a more efficient | | | | than six feet in height or more than 175 pounds of |
| option offered on higher quality trainers, or available | | | | body weight. |
| where exercise equipment is sold. | | | | Another primary consideration is your intended intensity |
| When figuring the calories burned during a workout, the | | | | of use. Most people can begin to achieve a cardio |
| monitor is essentially flawed. Your current weight and | | | | training effect at about walking speed plus half. That |
| the intensity of your elliptical workout is what | | | | would be roughly equivalent to the pace of a 10 minute |
| determines your calories. Therefore, if a person | | | | mile. If you do not intend to work your elliptical trainer |
| weighing 180 pounds works out at the same intensity | | | | much harder than that it will probably stand up to |
| as a person weighing 260 pounds, the higher weight | | | | constant use. If you intend to pound the machine at the |
| person will burn more calories and unless the cross | | | | upper limits of your maximum safe heart rate that |
| trainer is able to be programmed at your current | | | | would probably stress a cheap elliptical trainer into |
| weight, the results will be false. | | | | breakdown. |
| Incidentally, the computerized system governing the | | | | Even with non abusive use, because a cheap elliptical |
| monitoring of your calories burned, etc. would probably | | | | trainer will by definition be built from cheaper materials, |
| not function any differently on a lesser quality cross | | | | you have to expect to perform more maintenance. |
| trainer than as an expensive model. It is a convenient | | | | Supplied nuts and bolts will be lower grade, probably |
| "extra" but try not to depend on it as the determining | | | | without adequate lock washers, and they will require |
| factor in your final decision. | | | | occasional tightening. If you're handy you can change |
| The stability of the machine is another leading factor | | | | out the hardware for fine thread bolts and nylon nuts |
| that requires attention. The higher the purchase price | | | | during assembly. If the very idea of tightening a bolt |
| often ensures better quality. Your height and weight will | | | | and nut is beyond you then you must factor that into |
| contribute to narrowing down your choices. If your are | | | | your decision making. Assume that a cheap elliptical |
| over 6 feet tall or over 175 pounds, you may want to | | | | trainer will require occasional lubrication and |
| consider a better quality cross trainer that is heavier | | | | maintenance. |
| and increases the safety usage level. Anyone under | | | | Lastly is the warranty period. 90 days is probably the |
| that height and weight may feel secure on a lighter | | | | best you can expect. A cheap elliptical trainer is going |
| cross trainer, weighing about 80 - 90 pounds. | | | | to be noisier to begin with than a gym model so put it |
| The materials used to construct the lesser quality | | | | through its paces early and listen for different or |
| machines are undoubtedly low quality. The mandatory | | | | unusually loud noises. Deal only with a manufacturer |
| hardware, being low quality, will not perform as well. | | | | and seller that will stand by their warranty if there is a |
| They will need additional tightening at later (possibly | | | | problem. |