Elliptical Machines
The two of the most popular pieces of home fitness equipment are treadmills and elliptical trainers. Most people recognize treadmills, but far fewer are aware of the versatility and variety of the many new elliptical trainers on the market. Homefitness.com recommends ellipticals to those seeking low-impact workouts due to joint problems, age or infirmity. Ellipticals have also been the machine of choice for physical trainers rehabilitating clients with knee problems. Ellipticals are not just for the weak or injured, they can deliver excellent cardiovascular total body workouts for everyone else too.
While treadmills focus on your lower body and legs, ellipticals are equipped with dual-action handlebars that deliver a total workout for both legs and arms. Studies have shown that because of the low-impact on joints, elliptical training allows users to burn the same amount of calories as they would on a treadmill, but with less perceived effort. One feature that separates elliptical trainers from most other exercise machines is the ability to reverse the foot-pedal motion and work the lower body in a different direction. The fact that elliptical equipment allows workout intensity levels to be varied is another plus. The versatility allows elliptical trainers to encourage a variety of aerobic workouts to help keep their clients motivated and interested.
Elliptical trainers come in a broad range of prices ranging from just under $200, all the way up to over $5000, depending on the brand and features included. Regardless of the price tag, there are a few basic requirements every good elliptical machine should have, like adjustable resistance. If you want the maximum benefit from your elliptical, you will need to be able to vary the amount of resistance. Most good ellipticals also allow some degree of platform incline variation as well. Be sure to get one with handlebars, if you’re going to purchase an elliptical there is no sense in getting one without this simple, but effective feature. Finally, a good elliptical should operate smoothly and quietly. No one wants noisy home fitness equipment that halts and jerks while in motion.
If you want to be able to create your own custom workouts you may be interested in an interactive machine with computer connection capabilities. Whatever you decide, the more features you choose, the more money your machine will cost, but when it comes to your overall health, ellipticals can be a home fitness bargain.
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