EllipticalTrainers

There are three types of elliptical trainers, categorized by the motor or "drive" location. The oldest Elliptical Trainer is the "rear drive" type. The "front-drive" elliptical was the second generation design. The latest design technology is the "center-drive". We will briefly provide you with Elliptical Trainer Reviews On some models, the incline of sloping roller ramps beneath the pedal-links can be adjusted to produce varying pedal motion paths. The result of such adjustment changes the burdens on various muscle groups in the legs. Some models can vary the incline, resistance and stride length over the course of a workout according to a preset program which is common in most Gazelle Edge and Elliptical Trainers.

Some Elliptical Trainers can be driven in a reverse as well as in a forward direction. Elliptical trainers are primarily driven via the legs, and most are combination designs having handle-levers attached to each pedal-link for the purpose of enabling a burden on the arms to provide a secondary source of driving power. With trainers like Horizon EX-59. the user grips the handles below shoulder height and pushes/pulls them while shuffling the feet back and forth within their elliptically shaped paths. Thus the oscillating handle motions are dependently coordinated with the constrained pedal motions. Poorly designed machines are too dependent on the user's leg power, producing excessive handle speeds as a result of mechanical ratios that do not provide enough advantage to the handle-levers of these Elliptical Trainers. Consequently such machines feel to the user as if his or her arms are simply going along for the ride, rather than sharing in the work. The better models offer a harmonious combination of arm and leg exercise in the correct ratios. You can also consider taking a look at Horizon EX-69 as it is considered to be the best in the market.

An elliptical cross trainer is comparable to a treadmill in its exertion of leg muscles and the heart. Ellipticals produce an intermediate range of leg motion between that of stationary bikes and treadmills. There are claims that the dual action exercise of an elliptical trainer can actually be more efficient in burning calories. The logic is that by exercising more muscle groups simultaneously, a more intense workout can be achieved in less time. It is also suggested that the perceived rate of exertion is lower. However, other studies have shown that the rate in which calories are burned on an elliptical trainer is similar to that on a treadmill.[4] Thomas Altena, a professor of nutritional and exercise physiology at the University of Missouri-Columbia measured oxygen retention, lactic acid build-up, heart rate, and perceived rate of exertion to compare treadmills and elliptical trainers.[5] According to Altena, the "physiological responses associated with elliptical exercise were nearly identical to treadmill exercise".[5] One reason why elliptical trainers sell well may be that exercise can be done at a variable rate, while still getting the same degree of results as with a treadmill. Since users do not take their feet off the pedals, the absence of impact between the user's feet and the machine means that elliptical trainers may generate less noise than a treadmill. This is especially desirable in a home setting, such as an apartment with downstairs neighbors. A 2002 study by the University of Idaho[6] shows that varying the stride length on the elliptical trainer can recruit a larger variety of muscle groups. The study also showed that as the stride is lengthened, more calories are burned without any higher rate of perceived exertion by the user. This study lends credibility to the claims made about the adjustable stride length feature on some newer ellipticals.