Strengths:
Up to 22" Stride Length - With the A.C.T. you can choose from 3 different stride lengths: 18", 20" and 22". The larger stride length means you work the full range of leg muscles and burn the maximum calories. The 22" is the longest stride length currently found any elliptical.
This makes the A.C.T. ideal for multiple users. Shorter people will probably prefer the 18" stride, medium height users will prefer the 20" stride and taller users will love the 22" stride. Plus different stride lengths can help you train different areas of your lower body.
Dual Side Flywheel Design - The 2 side flywheel design is a relatively new type of elliptical construction on the market (most ellipticals use a front or back flywheel design).
Advantages to this design is that it places your body a little more upright on the machine. You don't have to lean as much to reach the handlebars. Plus the foot pedals are placed slightly closer together so it may feel a bit more natural than front or back flywheel models.
Interplay™ Universal iPod® Dock - Plug in, charge and play your iPod or mp3 player and listen to your favorite music through 2 built in speakers. This is a great feature to help keep your workouts fun and energetic.
20 Personal Trainer Workouts - The 20 Personal Trainer workouts automatically adjust the resistance to focus on aerobic, weight loss, and performance goals. The A.C.T. is also iFit card compatible if you want to add more workouts. (iFit cards can be inserted into the elliptical for even more personal trainer designed workouts).
4 Game & Train™ Interactive Video Games - This is a very cool distraction. You can choose from 4 games: Calorie Destroyer, Fat Blocker, Black Jack and Texas Hold 'Em. The harder you work, the easier the game becomes - so you'll probably end up burning more calories than you'd planned.
iFIT® Fitness Journal™ - This lets you track your fitness history and see how far you've come. It gives you daily, weekly and monthly workout totals for up to 2 individual users.
Compact - Because of the two side flywheel design the Nordic Track A.C.T. elliptical is more compact than the standard single flywheel ellipticals. Measuring only 47" long (standard design ellipticals can go up to 78" long), it's great if you want a high end elliptical that doesn't take up much space.
Weaknesses:
The A.C.T. weight capacity is a bit on the low side. So if you're planning on very heavy usage, you may want to look at another Nordic Track like the Elite 1300 with a higher 350 lb user weight capacity.
Summary: Highly Recommended
The Nordic Track A.C.T. elliptical is becoming very popular - and it's not hard to see why. It offers 3 different stride lengths, including the longest stride you'll find on an elliptical - 22". This will help you optimize your workout and train different muscle groups.
You also get commercial grade construction, 20 resistance levels and a decent warranty. Then there's the extras that make this machine fun: 4 built in video games that get easier as you work harder, iPod dock with speakers and 20 built-in workouts. And in a more compact layout than your standard 1 front or back flywheel elliptical.
So if you're looking for the longest 22" stride for under $2000 - along with some excellent extras, the A.C.T. is a great value.
Where To Buy At A Discount:
You can save on the Nordic Track A.C.T. elliptical when you buy direct from the Nordic Track closeout store. They've got some great discounts on their most popular models and you can also save on shipping.
You can also choose an 18" or 20" stride to work different sets of muscle groups.
Along with the adjustable stride you get an iPod/mp3 port with built in speakers, 4 video games, 20 personal trainer workouts and a fitness journal for up to 2 different users. The ACT is also more compact than most other ellipticals -only 47" long.
So is it the right buy for you? Here's a review of the Nordic Track ACT elliptical to help you decide:
Features:
Price: $1799
Stride Length: 18", 20" & 22"
Resistance Type: Magnetic
Resistance Levels: 20
Built In Workout Programs: 20
Upper Body Arms: Yes
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse Grip
Water Bottle Holder: Yes
User Weight Capacity: 250 pounds
Warranty: Lifetime Frame, 10 Year Brake, 1 Year Parts and Labor
