HOW TO CHOOSE A CROSS TRAINER / ELLIPTICAL TRAINER
By: AP On: 4 January 2019
HOW TO CHOOSE A CROSS TRAINER / ELLIPTICAL TRAINER
It may surprise you that Elliptical Cross Trainers are the second most intense cardio machine after the rowing machine. Elliptical Cross Trainers were developed to simulate the motion of running, without putting excessive stress on any of your joints and muscles. They force you to use your primary muscle groups and if used properly can target your arms, upper body, legs, gluts and calves.
There are two main types of Elliptical Cross Trainers to consider and each have there own functions and feel. Below are a few things to help you decide which is the best Elliptical Cross Trainer for you.
Stride Length
Stride length is the horizontal motion you make when you walk. Stride length vary from 16 inch to 24 inch. In general most people find a stride length of 19 inches is perfect for general everyday fitness. For taller or more advanced users they will benefit from a 22 inch stride length.
Remember if there is more then one person using the Elliptical Cross Trainer the stride length needs to match the tallest person because a shorter person can fit into a larger stride.
Fly Wheel Weight
The fly wheel absorbs and releases energy from the running motion that you create. Without a flywheel the motion would be uneven and jumpy. The larger the fly wheel the more momentum which equals a more natural feel. For most people a 9lb fly wheel is about perfect.
Adjustable Stride Length
Adjustable stride length allows you to deepen your stride length, which is naturally what you body does when you are running and gaining speed. This is a really great feature which can be adjusted manually or can adjust automatically as you speed up. It creates a fantastic motion and you will find you can go harder for longer. This feature is not a necessity and can be quite expensive.
What is the difference between an Elliptical and a Cross Trainer?
An Elliptical Trainer has an oval shaped motion which aims to emulate the motion of your feet when your running.
A Cross Trainer has a circular motion which is normally found in the basic entry level machines. This circular motion is not an ergonomically correct motion and therefore isn’t very comfortable.
Rear & Front Wheel Elliptical Cross Trainers
Rear Fly Wheel and Front Fly Wheel are the two main designs of Elliptical Trainers.
In simple terms the front wheel Elliptical Cross Trainers have a smoother motion, because the motion is more level giving your body a smooth run. Like most things front fly wheel Elliptical Cross Trainers are more expensive.
Rear wheel Elliptical Cross Trainers tend to have a more up and down running motion which isn’t as natural but can still be comfortable and do the trick. There are some fantastic rear fly wheel Elliptical Cross Trainers on the market which can offer the great feeling motion for half the price.
We hope this information will help you choose the right Elliptical Cross Trainer for you. For more information please contact the Fitquip Team.
Team Fitquip
