Eliptical Crosstrainer Reviews
For a Total Body Workout

Eliptical trainers are the fastest growing fitness equipment on the market. We're not talking about gimmick and infomercial equipment, we're referring to machines that really get results and have a extensive track record.

Eliptical trainer were first introduced over 8 years ago. They were built in respond for the need of a machine that could get people in shape without serious impact to their joints. Since then millions have been installed in health clubs and homes.

"Eliptical crosstrainers are the only real breakthrough aerobic product of the past few years. They are absolutely not a gimmick." says Gregory Florez, of the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

Treadmills may still be very popular at health clubs. And stationary bikes seem to be making a comeback, but the fitness equipment that is growing the fastest in popularity is the eliptical exerciser.

The use of an eliptical exerciser has increased 158% in the past five years. There are over 6.7 million elliptical machines sold.

The benefit of a crosstrainer is the ability to offer a weight bearing workout that puts minimal stress on the joints. Unlike a treadmill, your feet never leave the pedals of eliptical crosstrainer. Consequently you eliminate the impact associated with other fitness equipment. Whether you go forward or reverse, and regardless of the level of resistance, there is a reduced risk of injury from overusing any one-muscle group.

Weight bearing exercises like running, hiking and aerobics benefits the body in ways that non-weight bearing exercises like rowing and cycling cannot. Weight resistant workouts builds bone density and burns calories more efficiently, but they also put tremendous stress on your body. Which is evident with the considerable number of middle age people suffering from joint injuries, particular in their ankles and knees.

For example, when you run on a treadmill, the impact on the machine can be 2.5 times your body weight. That is impact that affects not only your ankles and knees, but also your lower back.

Eliptical crosstrainers offer resistance in addition to aerobic exercise, but without the impact. For individuals trying to burn calories and trim down, the weight-bearing arm/leg exercise optimizes energy expenditure during self-selected exercise of moderate intensity in overweight subjects.

In recent studies it was concluded that energy expenditure among overweight subjects was higher on the eliptical crosstrainers than a treadmill, or leg cycles with and without upper body motion. For overweight individuals who are initiating a regular exercise program to decrease excess body fat, they will find that eliptical treadmills optimize energy expenditure.

The Benefits of Eliptical Motion

The low impact, intensive cardiovascular workout of eliptical crosstrainers is achieved through smooth and natural motion. The fluid, non-jarring motion makes the eliptical trainer ideal for anyone with back, knee, hips and joint problems.

With scarce time, a major factor in people's busy lives, total body exercise can be truly beneficial. A total body exercise machine meets three goals that are most desired - weight loss, time efficiency, and motivation.

Eliptical Crosstrainers offer Total Body Exercise

The dual action machines utilize both the legs and arm in providing a full upper and lower body workout. Total Body Exercise involves more muscle mass in an aerobic exercise activity. Since you are exercising the upper and lower body simultaneously you are burning calories and building muscle endurance in an efficient period of time, and at a reduced perceived rate of exertion. The upper and lower body workout of a trainer utilizes the quadriceps, chest, back, triceps and biceps, hamstrings, glutes,.

Eliptical Technology

The technology of eliptical trainers mimics the natural path of the ankle, knee and hip joints experience during locomotion - walking, striding, jogging and/or running.

In its most rudimentary form, Eliptical Technology consists of a crank arm that revolves around an axis at one end and that is attached to a bar at the other. The opposite end of the bar moves in a reciprocating, linear pattern when the crank rotates. Since one end of the bar rotates in a circular pattern while the other moves linearly, points between the two ends of the bar move in eliptical patterns. The points of the bar closest to the crank move in wider, more circular ellipses (closest to a circle) and the points closest to the other end move in thinner, flatter ellipses (closer to a straight line).

The most obvious advantage of Eliptical Technology is the lack of impact to the lower limbs and back. Unlike a treadmill in which the foot of the user is continuously lifted off of the running surface, striking that surface upon the return, the foot and foot pedal of an eliptical machine are in constant contact. Eliptical crosstrainers effectively eliminating impact.

The mechanism incorporated in eliptical crosstrainers moves in a smooth, continuous motion and does not suffer the effects of direction reversal as you would experience with a stair stepper. In comparison to a exercise bike, the exercise on an eliptical crosstrainer is weight bearing, which is important in the inhibition of osteoporosis.

Although cycling is a well-recognized and safe tool to improve cardiovascular conditioning, the eliptical modality is a more functional pattern of movement. Since eliptical crosstrainers simulate a natural walking pattern, they easily lend themselves to an upper body component of exercise. Many other devices, either due to their mechanical structure (treadmills) or the pattern (cycling) do not readily adapt to a total body configuration.

Due to the low impact, total body workout you can expect continued growth of elipticals. Especially as baby boomers age and their bodies will require a non-impact alternative to exercising. They will appeal to a population that is increasingly overweight and looking for an optimum workout for burning fat and calories.