Treadmills have long been the number one home fitness product, but recently, sales of elliptical trainers have exploded. Proform, Life Fitness, and Octane, to name just a few brands, have become household names.
Is it all a bunch of hype? After all, the fitness equipment industry is full of worthless, overly advertised junk — turn on the television at two in the morning and catch an infomercial if you don’t believe me.
Fortunately, not in this case. Buying an elliptical machine is well worth considering if you’d like the convenience of completing a cardio workout at home.
Here are three benefits to adding one to your home gym:
1) Low-impact exercise.
An elliptical provides a low-impact, but effective, aerobic workout. Using one literally feels like pedaling through air. This is due to the magnetic resistance that most of these machines employ.
If you suffer from bad knees, weak ankles, or other joint problems, the opportunity to enjoy low-impact exercise is especially important. Perhaps you’d like to work out more often, but jogging outdoors punishes your knees, and even using a treadmill makes your feet sore the next day.
The advantage of an elliptical is that it offers weight-bearing resistance (important in maintaining bone density) without the harsh, painful impact other types of exercise can cause. This factor alone is a good reason to consider purchasing one of these machines.
2) Calorie burning capabilities.
According to several tests, elliptical trainers have been proven to burn calories almost as effectively as treadmills. They are an excellent means of expanding your cardiovascular capacity, burning fat and calories, and boosting your overall level of fitness.
The best elliptical trainers feature a display that gives you an estimate of how many calories you’ve expended during your workout session, and include a heart rate monitor, too. You’ll be able to easily track the effectiveness of your workouts and your progress.
3) Cross training potential.
Another key benefit is the movable arms on these machines. This gives you an excellent upper-body workout, a bit like using a ski machine, but significantly easier on your joints and tendons.
This feature is what truly sets these machines apart from treadmills. Using the handlebars forces you to work harder, and will lift your heart rate into the desired target zone, ultimately giving you faster, more dramatic results.
On the better models, as you increase your strength and cardiovascular capacity, you can adjust the resistance of the handlebars, too, tailoring your workout to your personal fitness level.
These days, buying fitness equipment for your home can be a confusing, time-consuming process. But if you’re seeking a versatile, proven piece of exercise equipment that almost anyone in your home could use, an elliptical trainer might be the perfect choice.
April 20th, 2010 
My Health 
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