Ellipticals

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What’s the most annoying thing about being a human being? There’s lots, but one that really rubs us the wrong way is gaining weight. Gaining extra pounds plain sucks. Nobody wants to feel overweight and unattractive, and as such there is a massive exercise sector designed to help us keep off the weight, stay fit and trim, and remain healthy. Extra weight comes with a lot of baggage (no pun intended), so keeping it at bay is more than a necessity, it should be a priority.

There are several ways to keep the weight off. You can hit the streets for a run, hit the gym, hit the pool or hit your living room. We say living room, but that could mean bedroom, garage, spare guest room, you name it. Nowadays the options are plentiful for working out in the house, and one of the best pieces of equipment to do so is the elliptical. The elliptical jumped on the scene in the 1990s. Manufactured with the lower body in mind, elliptical companies quickly discovered an easy way to incorporate the same technology in the same machine for the upper body as well. In 1997 the American company Smooth Fitness manufactured the first elliptical designed to work the lower and upper body, and now known as InternetFitness.com, this company is still a top seller of ellipticals, treadmills and general home exercise equipment.

Today elliptical trainers are available in an array of shapes and sizes. They also cost anywhere from a couple hundred bucks to multiple thousands. Most contain articulating foot pedals and plates and are made to conform to our natural human stride. On the foot side, constant contact with the pedals is maintained, and because the foot does not rise off the pedal pressure on the joints is next to nothing. On most ellipticals there are a range of resistance levels which are controlled either manually or electronically. The latter is possible when a motor is present and a corresponding control panel.

Regardless of the brand or model you choose, you will have a general choice of self-driven, front-driven or center-driven ellipticals. The first does not feature a motor where the front-driven one does and the center-driven elliptical sports a more specialized motor positioned between the two axles on the back and front of the machine. This type of elliptical is considered the top of the line of the three and naturally the most expensive. Another feature to key in on is the stride length. The smaller the length, the less smooth the motion. Most professional trainers recommend something in the 18-inch length if a smooth ride is what you’re seeking. But that’s a silly question, who wants a rough ride!

Popular elliptical brands that you can’t go wrong with are Eclipse, Nautilus, LiveStrong, Life Fitness, Diamondback, Nordic Track, Schwinn, Reebok, wow, it could go on and on. Ellipticals are fantastic for having around the house, so don’t let those extra pounds get you down. Pound on that elliptical and keep fit and trim for 2020.