Elliptical Trainer Blog
3 Benefits of Elliptical Trainers
by Editor - EllipticalTrainerReview.com on 08/10/10
So if you're trying to decide between an elliptical trainer and another piece of fitness equipment, you're probably wondering about the benefits an elliptical can give you. Here are 3 of the main benefits you get from elliptical crosstrainers:
#1 Low Impact - Ellipticals are great for those who are prone to injury or are already injured since they deliver low impact workouts and are much easier on the joints than other equipment.
For example, a friend of mine had to stop running because of painful shin splints. She loved to exercise and was going crazy not being able to workout. So she decided to get an elliptical trainer - and loves it even more than her treadmill. If you're looking for a low impact exercise that still burns plenty of calories, an elliptical may be right for you.
#2 Total Body Workouts - Because most ellipticals come with upper body arm bars that move, you can work not only your legs but your arms as well. This gives you a total body workout (as opposed to walking on a treadmill or peddling on an exercise bike which mainly just uses your legs). This can result in more calories burned as well as lower and upper body toning.
#3 Ability to Crosstrain More Effectively - Because of the many options you have with elliptical trainers, you can crosstrain your body - and work different sets of muscle more effectively.
For example, on an elliptical you can go forward or backward. Many ellipticals now come with incline, which changes the slope of the elliptical motion and helps to bring in different groups of muscles to work through the motion.
And there are even several ellipticals like the Smooth Agile Trainers which offer 12 different elliptical pathways to choose from. So you're always challenging your body and avoiding exercise plateaus.
So those are 3 benefits of Elliptical Trainers. While an elliptical may not be right for everyone, they do offer some great benefits that can get you faster results in less time. For a review of the top rated elliptical see the Best Elliptical Trainer Buys.
Elliptical Sale - Lifecore LC985VG
by Editor - EllipticalTrainerReview.com on 07/13/10
[ Full Review of Lifecore LC985VG ]
Lifecore has dropped the price on their LC985VG elliptical model from $999 to $799 for a short time. This turns it from a good buy into a great deal in my opinion.
The Lifecore LC985VG isn't as well known as some ellipticals however it is a strong, well-made elliptical with a "Best Buy" rating from a leading consumer magazine (We can't say the name, but you can figure it out).
It also gives you adjustable stride lengths, 4 different user profiles and at around 52 inches long it's more compact than many other elliptical trainers at the same price point.
While it doesn't have some of the bells and whistles of other elliptical brands, if you're looking for a great deal on a solid, well-made elliptical you may want to check out the Lifecore LC985VG
Click Here for More On the LC985VG
Save 5% Off Smooth Ellipticals For A Short Time
by Editor - EllipticalTrainerReview.com on 05/04/10
[ Full Review of Smooth Ellipticals ]
Smooth has given our visitors an exclusive 5% Off any of their ellipticals $1499 and above. Use promo code smooth5 at checkout (online orders only).
This is a great deal particularly on the Smooth 7.4 elliptical - which is already on sale for $1499 (it usually runs around $1899-$1999 and is also one of our Best Elliptical buys.
Click Here To Save 5% on Smooth ellipticals
Rear Or Front Drive Elliptical?
by Editor - EllipticalTrainerReview.com on 04/14/10
One thing many buyers are confused about is the difference between rear and front drive ellipticals. (Rear drive has the flywheel in the back and front drive has the flywheel in the front).
Which is better?
It's a good question. Personally, I've tried many brands of both rear and front drive ellipticals and don't notice too much of a difference. There are more important things that affect the feel of an elliptical like stride length, weight of the flywheel and proper ergonomic design.
However some people do notice a difference between them - mainly that a rear drive elliptical gives you more of a flat elliptical path - similar to walking and jogging. A front drive gives you more of an inclined path - similar to stair climbing. So it depends on what you prefer.
You can see an example of a quality rear drive elliptical with the Smooth elliptical models.
You can see an example of a quality front drive elliptical with the Sole elliptical models
Sole E95 Elliptical - Another Reason It's A "Best Buy"
by Editor - EllipticalTrainerReview.com on 04/14/10
One thing I get asked about a lot is the difference between the Sole E95 elliptical vs the Sole E55 Elliptical (the next model down). They both have some great features including high incline, heavy flywheel for smooth ride and a long 20" stride.
But there are a few differences. First of all the E95 has a heavier unit weight (400 lbs vs 375) and has a bit more substance to it. So if you're planning on heavy use of the elliptical, the E95 can take a bit more abuse.
Also the E95 is the only Sole elliptical with cushioned foot pedals to give you a bit more comfort - especially during longer workouts.
But the thing that really stands out for me is the console. The E55 has a decent console - and it is much better than some other similarly priced options. However the E95 console blows it out of the water. The E95 uses a red and black dot matrix console.
If you've ever used an elliptical at the gym, you'll probably know what this looks like. It shows you a visual of your current and past intensity levels in graphical display.
It's also much brighter and easier to read than the other Sole consoles.
To compare the Sole E95 with the Sole E55 click on the links below:
