Safety
With every workout, there's risk. Falling, injuries, pains and strains are a part of training life. How safe is the exercise machine? How big is the risk of something going wrong?
An elliptical trainer is very safe to use.
The way the cross trainer works, it stops immediately when you stop, which reduces the risk of falling off it.
There is hardly a risk of falling from an elliptical machine. There's a remote chance of that happening when you use it in reverse, by walking backwards, as the motion feels strange the first few times you do it.
The models that have the handlebars are even a bit safer, as you have more points of contact with the elliptical - thus making it less likely you'll fall off it.
While there is always a concern with exercise machines and young children in the house, it is not a big issue with the ellipticals, as young kids would probably not be strong enough to operate it. The machines usually have a low center of gravity and are therefore not likely to tip over.
Minimal Space and Power Needs
When you but an exercise machine for your home, you need to put it somewhere and sometimes plug it in as well. Every type of exercise machine has different needs in terms of space and electricity usage.
An Elliptical trainer uses very little electricity and is economical to operate.
Most of the models for home use do not require electricity at all, or only very little power to enable the exercise monitor.
The elliptical trainers also have small footprint and take up less floor space than other fitness equipment. This makes them a very good option for small houses.
Workout Effectiveness
What type of exercise do you get from this exercise machine? What can you expect in terms of the exercises effectiveness?
Performed correctly, an elliptical exercise machine provides a very efficient cardiovascular workout.
Most elliptical trainers have dual action handlebars, and together with the foot pedals they give you a total body workout, exercising both your legs and your torso.
Since your feet never leave the pedals, an elliptical cross trainer workout is low-impact. Some studies show that this lack of impact on the joints allows a very effective workout in terms of fat burning vs. perceived effort levels, meaning you will feel that you can go on for longer.
Most elliptical trainers let you change the incline, intensity and sometimes the gait length. This adds variety to the workout. Additionally, the elliptical trainers are unique in that they let you go both forward and backward. The backward motion adds lower body workout of different muscles.
The elliptical trainer is first amongst all exercise equipment in that it simultaneously works the largest number of muscle groups. That is the reason an elliptical machine is also called a cross-trainer. The workout on the elliptical uses your quadriceps, hamstrings, gluts, chest, back, triceps and biceps.
The more muscles are exercised - the more of your body gets toned, the fat burning process is accelerated, and your fitness level increases faster.
In terms of fat burning, elliptical trainers and jogging burn a similar number of calories. However, because of the impact, jogging carries a risk of injury to the back, knees, hips, or ankles. On a cross trainer your feet are always on the foot pedals. The exercise on an elliptical trainer can be compared to running in midair.
Being a low-impact workout, elliptical machines are very good for older people or for exercising when recovering from a joint injury. People who suffer from repeating shin splints also find that the cross trainer lets them get a good cardiovascular workout without over-straining their shins.
Exercising correctly on the elliptical trainer, when using the handlebars, burns lots of fat quickly. This usually shows quick results in weight loss, toned muscles - both lower and upper body, and increased level of fitness.
While a workout on the elliptical trainer can be very effective, it tends to allow momentum from bodyweight alone. This means that if you set the resistance level too low, you will not produce force and move your bodyweight yourself. Rather - the machine will use the momentum built up in the first minute or so of the workout. The risk here is that you will not actually use your muscles to move, and therefore not burn many calories. This happens more often than not.
Price
How much will it cost you to get a good fitness machine?
Good elliptical trainers are not cheap. While prices change considerably, they will always cost more than other same-grade fitness equipment.
Fat Burning Efficiency
While every exercise burns fat, some forms of exercises allow more fat burning to occur. This usually has to do with length, intensity and the total number of muscles participating. Research shows that when more large muscle groups are exercised - more fat burning happens even after you finish the workout on the exercise machine.
Since the more muscle groups you use for an exercise, the more calories you will burn, an elliptical trainer lets you burn more fat in less time than other fitness equipment.
This is not so simple though, because in order for this to be true, the machine has to be used correctly, that is - with no momentum. If you can achieve that, an elliptical cross trainer is probably the best fitness machine to burn fat with.
Because there's no impact, you can exercise harder on an elliptical trainer compared to high-impact exercise equipment. This is because your perceived effort is lower. This also means that you will be able to exercise for more time, and therefore, overall, burn more fat.
Some researches show that the type of energy exertion on the elliptical trainer is very effective for overweight individuals, as it burns fat more effectively.
Note that it is easy, using the elliptical cross trainer to gain bodyweight momentum. This lets the machine do most of the work for you (like with bicycle) so it loses points for easiness of self deluding.
Maintenance Considerations
Every fitness machine needs maintenance. The more moving parts your machine has - the more time and money you'll need to spend over the years on maintaining it.
An elliptical trainer has very low maintenance compared to other fitness equipment.
The elliptical trainer works by means of a very low-impact motion, and does not have many moving parts. It is therefore not very likely that your cross trainer will require frequent service.
The lesser impact also means less wear and tear of the elliptical machine, which contributes to lowering maintenance needs.
Most ellipticals do not have a motor and work by using a magnetic resistance wheel. The wheel and foot rests need infrequent oiling, but as there is no motor - no serious maintenance work is usually required.
Risk Free
What are the specific health benefits or risks involved with using the exercise machine? How can this machine contribute to your health specifically? This category is mainly around impact. Impact is the price the exercise machine takes from your joints. Running is high-impact, as your feet land on the hard ground many times. Swimming is non-impact. The more impact the machine has, the more risk you face of pain and damage to your bones, joints and other parts of your body.
Elliptical trainers are the machine of choice for older people or those having knee problems.
The cross trainers are regularly used for rehabilitation, as the elliptical workout does not involve impact at all. Your feet never leave the foot rests and so the elliptical provides exercise without abusing the joints in your lower body.
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Feel factor: 13
Great Machine
(score 5/5)
The Schwinn 430 eliptical was very easy to put together. I am a woman and put it together by myself in a few hours. I couldn't get the electronics to work, but called customer service and they were very helpful and sent me the parts I needed. The machine is very quiet and the operation very smooth. The computer console is easy to understand and program. It's well worth the money.
Posted on: 2010-09-14
By PJ
Fantastic Value
(score 5/5)
I am a frequent user of elliptical machines and find this machine to be a great value. The machine has good resistance levels, many options, can go in reverse and all-in-all provides an excellent workout. This machine is also (relatively) inexpensive for its type (elliptical) and is well worth the price. The machine is quiet (I exercise when my children are sleeping) and is not overly bulky. Also, the machine is not difficult to assemble (the instructions are very clear) and machine upkeep has been easy. I am very happy with this purchase!
Posted on: 2010-08-27
By Anonymous
Great machine @ great price!
(score 5/5)
My boyfriend and I purchased this machine based on the strength of the positive reviews on Amazon...and we weren't disappointed in the least...the assembly was pretty straightforward (except for the addendum to step 7 that I discovered while half way through step 9...$%#!?&!) and, for the most part, (except for step 2) I was able to put the whole thing together by myself (I'm no engineer!) in about 2 & 1/2 hours. As soon as the machine was assembled and plugged in, I tried it out and was amazed...not only does the Schwinn 430 look great but it's also fairly compact, very sturdy, smooth, and quiet...and it came at the great price of $599! It's a great deal! I'm in love! :D
Posted on: 2010-08-26
By V. Minnett
Nice machine for the price...but a bit noisey
(score 3/5)
This machine is a great value for the price. The machine is relatively compact compared to other similar models. Construction seems solid although it is a little noisey at low speeds.
Posted on: 2010-08-23
By Torretta
smooth and quiet
(score 5/5)
This is a great workout machine. Very smooth and quiet in operation and can give a light or strenuous workout, depending on what one chooses. In a ten minute workout, I have been able to work up pretty heavy breathing and (sweating). As a mechanic, I consider it well designed and well constructed. The moving parts etc. do not appear likely to break with normal use. I applied lots of white lithium grease to all the joints (axles) during the "put together". Wipe the excess grease off after tightening the nut. One should pay close attention to the instructions and finish one section before going to the other. It may be difficult and time consuming for some but with diligence, can be done. Tighten all screws tightly but the axle nuts should be slightly looser. I have been using mine, now, for about a month and it is working just fine, very smooth and quiet. I did add an external fan ,though, to keep me cool.........................................
Posted on: 2010-08-06
By sploziv