The ultimate Elliptical Cross Trainers Buyers Guide [2020!]
Elliptical cross trainers are one of the absolute staple items in any gym across the country or even around the world. If you’ve never heard the term elliptical cross trainer before, deathly will have seen one of these in the gym before. They are a great way to exercise a high intensity level without so much force on your joints which can be an absolute godsend when you are looking to get into training or if you are perhaps a little bit older suffering from joint issues. These are one of the absolute staple items that you should have in your home gym equipment, so choosing the right elliptical trainer can be really really hard process as there are so many different brands available in the market today and it’s difficult to know what is best especially if you’ve never bought one before. So we’ve got a few handy guidelines that will help you make the best purchase possible as well as making sure that you save some money if you can and that this machine lasts you a lifetime! |
What is an elliptical cross trainer and how to use it?
Elliptical cross trainers are a staple piece of gym equipment and can form a good basis for any cardio workout that you will be looking to undertake on your rate of fitness. Elliptical cross trainers work similar to running except there is no impact and can set the amount of resistance that you desire when working out.
Cross trainers are a great stepping stone into cardio work in the gym but they can still be a staple part of your workout even up to much higher levels of fitness due to their great ability to provide a full body workout at different levels of resistance. Almost anyone can use a cross trainer and they are great to get your cardio in without being so impactful on your body making sure that you protect your joints. They are not just for the older generation who perhaps suffer from more joint pains, it can be a great exercise machine to anyone of any ability.
How much do they cost?
How long is a piece of string? The amount of money that you can spend on elliptical cross trainer can range massively. Like any piece of home gym equipment you can really cheap out on them or you can spend a little bit more and get a much much better machine. As a rule of thumb you really don’t Wanna be keeping out on one of the cheaper machines because you will end up replacing it and buying twice, which is not a very sustainable way to live.
Spending a little more at the outset can get you a lot better build quality and a machine is deafening and the last and also have much more functions you can get much higher level of work out from it and it won’t outgrow your fitness ability.
Do they take up a lot of space?
The simple answer is yes, like any piece of gym equipment they do take up a lot of space. But that doesn’t mean that they are not an important piece of equipment to have in your home gym. As long as you are mindful before you buy your elliptical cross trainer of the space it will take up and the role it will take in your fitness workout regime then there is no reason for you not to purchase one.
There are a lot of different machines on the market these days and folding machines are becoming more and more common so that they don’t take up so much space and you can simply roll out whenever you need to. They used to be quite bad in the past and had a bad reputation for bad build quality however they are much better in recent years and can have a great solid construction and still be a excellent piece of machinery. It really depends on how much you want to spend, but we definitely recommend you take good dimensions first and mock up exactly where it will go in your home gym.
What resistance system should I be looking to buy?
Most elliptical cross trainers these days come with a very simple elliptical cross trainers these days come with a very simple electromagnet system to provide resistance for the machine. These are very simple in operation and can produce very smooth operating machines whilst offering a good level of resistance to be able to bring your work out up to a much higher level.
In general these types of machines with electromagnets and a lot less moving parts so they have a lot less issues with them, and most of the manufacturers that supply these types of machines offer a much higher and longer manufacturer warranty which is always a good thing for you the purchaser.
Which elliptical cross trainer should I buy?
Good question! There are a wealth of different optical cross trainers on the market today and choose between them can be superhard because they all have massively different price ranges and massively different functions on them however we have tested out tons of them personally so we can offer our own advice so that you don’t have to guess!
We are going to list a few of the cross trainers that we have used personally, or used in the gym or close friends of ours have used personally we know that they are good recommendations.
Reebok Cross Trainer
XS Sports Luna Pro 2-in1 Elliptical Cross Trainer
Sportstech CX608 Cross Trainer – German Quality Brand
What type of programs do cross trainers come with and does it matter?
The better elliptical cross trainers that you see on the market, especially the ones from higher market brands, come with a huge array of different workout programs that you can run that allow you to become more immersed in your workout and also give you something to aim for.
The programs in particular have a few different agendas behind them that are generally meant to benefit your workout programs even if you don’t know it! Often they are categorised into interval training and heart rate training. Both of these types of training are beneficial in many different ways and can target both advanced and beginner athletes. Interval training is often seen as a much harder but much more beneficial type of workout and these programs can get you more immersed in your workout and often forget what you are doing was a good thing because it means you can work out harder without really realising it!
Don’t get too hung up on the different programs, if this cheaper machine that you are looking to purchase doesn’t come with a lot of programs it really doesn’t matter you can still work out on them just as hard as you can on a machine with lots of programs however just need to be more dedicated to ensure that you stick with your workout program.
In conclusion
Should you be looking to buy an elliptical cross trainer? Yes!! they are a great piece of home gym equipment that will massively benefit your workout program and ensure that you are getting enough cardio in without being so impactful on your joints.
The price of them can be offputting at the start however its investment in your future and its investment in your health which really cannot come with a pricetag. So we definitely recommend that you do your research, look at the links above that we’ve given you make a purchase! It will be one of the best things that you do!