stand up and try it elliptical testNow stand back up and rest for a second because we are going try it again. But this time, I want you to get off the balls of your feet, and set back on your heels. Put all your weight on your heels now and squat down again, using the same form. Hold that position for several seconds and listen to what your legs are saying (or screaming) to you.As you read this I want you to stand up and give yourself a little space. Stand with your feet at shoulder-width apart, turned outward about 30 degrees and with your knees aligned with your toes. Now, put all of your weight on the balls of your feet. You can even lift your heels off the floor slightly to ensure you are doing it correctly. Now squat down slowly. Don't round your back . . . keep it straight, stick your butt out and look directly ahead. Squat down as low as you can comfortably go, and hold that position for several seconds. Don't stand back up right away. Make sure to keep your knees behind your toes the entire time. Now pay attention. Where do you feel it most? If you are doing it correctly, you should absolutely start to feel a burn in your quads, and it won't take long at all. Do you feel it there?
Where did you feel it this time? You should have felt it primarily in your hamstrings and glutes, and the burn in your quads should all but have disappeared. Why did that happen? You're doing the same movement, right? Your distribution is the key.
This is very similar to what you will experience on an elliptical depending on where the flywheel and drive axles are located and where the resistance comes from. Front drive elliptical machines are like that first squat you did - anterior – because you are required to push the flywheel to make it turn. Because you have to push it, you'll be more on the balls of your feet and using your quads.
Rear drive ellipticals are more similar to the second squat you performed. The wheel is behind the foot pedals and you are pulling it to make it turn, so it's posterior, which means you will more naturally want to drive through your midfoot or heel, recruiting your hamstrings and glutes (which is exacerbated with the addition of a crossramp).
There are a couple of points that come into play here, and the following two tidbits are primary reasons why a lot of professionals will commonly tell you that a rear-driven elliptical is generally “better” (although “better” is still relatively subjective).
closeup of legs on pedals of elliptical for buyers guideFirst, it's a proven higher overall workout efficiency. Different folks use different means to assess how efficient their training sessions are, and for this example, we will use overall caloric expenditure because that is the most widely-used metric. You should know that when it comes to calorie burn and muscle recruitment, bigger is better. Your hamstrings are about three times the size of your quadriceps, and your gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in the body. Those muscles, when contracted, will result in a higher caloric output requirement than your smaller anterior muscles such as your quads. Not only that, but you'll get the benefits of increased blood flow and nutrient transport as well.
Second, when you are using an elliptical machine, you want your spine to be in a neutral position. This is one of the most important things I look for when I fit my client to an elliptical. You don't want to be excessively leaning forward the entire time you are on the machine, which puts undo stress on your lower back and stress on your joints. Typically, it is considered by professionals that a rear-driven elliptical trainer naturally puts you in a straight and upright position. This is because you are pulling the wheel, so your feet are flat in the foot pedals and your posterior chain muscles are doing most of the work. You won't have to consciously correct your posture when using a rear-driven elliptical because the machine is designed around the natural way your body operates. Since front-driven elliptical machines require you to push the wheel to make it turn, you will be more likely to be on the balls of your feet more and using more anterior muscles, resulting in the natural tendency to lean forward.
real wheel ellipticals are patented and cant be produced without permissionIt's because when Precor invented the EFX elliptical and put it to market in 1995, they filed somewhere around 250 patents on their new machine. The rear-drive system was one of them, and they only license it out to a handful of companies. Inversely, it is worth noting that some front-drive manufacturers have taken big steps to counteract the effect of pushing the wheel, and a few of them have done an excellent job. One company puts you at a low, static incline to set you back so you don't lean forward. Another changes your overall articulation and range of motion so you bring your knees up higher to work your glutes and stand more upright with adjustable incline.
Still, just because there is a common belief about something doesn't mean you won't have to adjust to every single elliptical you try, regardless of what is considered to be “better.” This is why it is a good idea to ask a professional fitness consultant in your area to fit you to a machine that flows best with the way you uniquely move, and have them explain it all to you in great detail. This way, you can minimize the adaptiveness you will have to contribute on your end over long and frequent workouts and for many years ahead. These things tend to snowball and from my experience, it's one of the big reasons why an elliptical that doesn't fit you correctly could be a potential clothes-hanger in the future; you won't enjoy the experience if it is uncomfortable, right?
The frame is the skeleton of the machine, and depending on how the machine is constructed (wheel on ramp vs. suspension system) the frame will have a huge impact on how the machine feels under you. When you use an elliptical in a way that requires you to output high levels of intense energy, you are going to create a lot of force that the frame will be required to absorb.
welding is better than bolts for ellipticalsIf you look at the machine where two pieces of steel are joined, check to see if bolts or welds are used. Welds will be much stronger at those connections because welds will maximize the integral strength of the steel due to no unnecessary tightened pressure created by bolts. Also, bolts will loosen over time, and welds will not. Be careful though, because not all welds are equal, and you want to look for full welds around the entire connection, as opposed to spot-welding.
Also, this is something that will require a little investigative work by you, but knowing what types of steels are used can be very important. Some manufacturers use carbon steel frames with little-to-no heat treating process to strengthen the steel which results in a a very low Rockwell hardness. Also carbon steel is highly susceptible to rust, and because the electrolytes in your sweat are corrosive, that means a lot of preventative maintenance is going to be required of you. Higher quality machines that are designed to be used intensely and over long periods of time will use high-speed steels that have been strengthened by heat treating processes and use materials that are more impervious to rusting, such as air hardened steel, electrostatic powder-coating, stainless steel and aluminum extensions on exposed parts of the frame in high-sweat areas.
Lastly, the overall weight of the machine itself should be a good reference for you as to the integrity of its construction and its ability to hold up to the demands of being used regularly and intensely. Light and compact machines are designed around lower costs and minimizing your space restraints and personal inconveniences; and heavier, more robust machines will hold up more often when you need them to, and be more comfortable to use.
scam alert buyer beware the truth about elliptical marketingA lot of review sites out there on the web talk about how important stride length should be, and frankly, I think it is highly over-rated. There are a few reasons why. Many review sites will beat you into submission with the importance of stride length, because most of those websites have ulterior motives to direct you to specific products and/or brands. This is called affiliate marketing. It is unfortunate, but it is true, and it is a big problem in the fitness equipment industry. They talk about stride length a lot because they have to sell you their products somehow and some way, and they don't really have a whole lot else to talk about, with respect to bio-mechanics and ergonomics. Stride length is something that's easy to construct an intangible value around, and these companies and paid review sites are betting that the average consumer will not take into account some of the more complex considerations that make stride length moot. Here are few examples for you:
There's a large emphasis on the user's height in correlation with appropriate stride length. This is incorrect. In all actuality, the user's hip index number as well as their own respective desired pace should be a more important factor when considering “appropriate” stride length. Two people who are both six feet tall will likely have different stride lengths because the distance from the ground to their hips is highly unlikely to be exactly the same.
The overall range of motion and angle of the elliptical pattern could sabotage the so-called effectiveness of what a company states as their idea of optimal stride length. Because all ellipticals are designed substantially different from one another, Company A's 20-inch stride is going to feel completely different than Company B's 20 inch stride because of bio-mechanical design, pedal articulation, range of motion, position of linkages, flywheel and drive axles, types and locations of resistance systems, and so on. Knowing this, stride length should now become more of a trivial consideration in the overall purchasing decision. What's more important is a focus on how far the knees, hips and ankles bend while in motion; yet companies and paid review sites continue to lift up stride length as one of the most important factors when comparing ellipticals! Look at it this way: a school bus and a Ferrari can both go 20 MPH, right? Even though the speed is the same, is it going to feel the same driving a school bus at 20 MPH and driving a Ferrari at 20 MPH? Nope! They are two completely different products of engineering designed with two completely different objectives in mind. Given that information, the speed you are trying to travel now becomes inconsequential when you are shopping for a Ferrari in a parking lot full of school buses.
Are you really getting a better workout because Company A has a 1 or 2-inch difference in stride length over Company B? The answer is no, you are not. And if you want proof, stand up and take a few long steps, and then go climb a flight of stairs. Which elevated your heart rate more quickly? Taking long, flat steps or climbing the stairs? The stairs did it, of course, and they'll do it every time. Your pace stayed the same but your muscle recruitment and required energy changed dramatically. And your stride actually gets shorter when you climb! If the primary reason why you are shopping for an elliptical is cardiovascular exercise, and you are comparing a machine with a longer stride versus a machine with a crossramp, and your heart rate, RPE and resistance levels are all equal, the added modality of the crossramp will give you better cardiovascular results than the simple adjustable stride. And the kicker is, when you climb, your stride actually gets shorter! So much for the significance of stride length!
ellipse mechanical drawingStill, to be devil's advocate, one could present an argument based on performance. If a user is only covering “x” amount of distance for each step they take, it will take longer for them to cover a specific distance when compared to running outside, because their natural stride is longer than the elliptical can provide. It's a tad unfair, because now you are using your elliptical machine outside of the scope of its purpose. What you're doing is driving the school bus like it is a Ferrari, but it doesn't have the same suspension. It doesn't have the same acceleration. It doesn't have the same brakes. It's apples and oranges. Ellipticals aren't running machines. Treadmills are running machines. Ellipticals are cross trainers, and if you use the elliptical they way it is designed to be used, stride length becomes much less important.
Also comfort is absolutely important because you need to be comfortable as you use the machine. I won't overcomplicated it for you and try to make it as simple as possible. Your formula for assessing the degree of importance for stride length to ensure optimal comfort as you shop, should look something like this:
Elliptical Cross TrainerDon't completely ignore the stride length, let it be one of the many factors that contributes to your overall purchasing decision. Just don't let it be one of the most important ones!
Manual Friction Brake systems are operated by the user turning a knob, which tightens down a brake pad on the flywheel. This system is one of the most simple and cost effective ways of applying resistance. It is also the least reliable and requires the most preventative maintenance. This system is not as common as it used to be however, as newer technologies have become more sophisticated and cost effective. Still, there are manufacturers today producing equipment that use extremely high quality friction brake systems and they should not be dismissed simply because they use friction for resistance. Talk to your local fitness consultant about the pros & cons of friction resistance and why/how they are not all equal.
Manual Magnetic Brake systems work similarly to manual friction systems, however in lieu of applied friction, it uses a magnet. When the user turns a knob or pulls a lever, a U-shaped bracket with a magnet attached to it is moves closer or farther away from the flywheel. The closer the magnet is to the flywheel, the more resistance is applied. It's more practical than friction resistance, for the most part, because you don't have wear and ongoing maintenance. You want to be careful though because not all magnets are the same quality, and just because it is magnetic does not mean it is going to have powerful resistance. Try the machines out for yourself at your local specialty showroom and compare the different resistance systems. Make sure to match your workout goals with the appropriate system that best meets your needs.
Eddy Current systems work similarly to a manual magnetic system, however the magnet moves with the push of a button. Inside the machine is a curved arm bar with magnets attached to it, evenly spaced from the flywheel. Because this system is controlled electronically, the additional magnets will allow for more resistance that a manual system where the user has to physically turn a knob or move a lever. Just like a manual magnet, there will still be a small gap between the flywheel and the magnet when maximum resistance is applied . . . so there is no wear or friction. All of this equals an elliptical which lasts longer for you.
Electromagnetic Induction Brake systems are the most powerful and sophisticated resistance systems out there today. Instead of using moving magnets, the magnets are fixed in place and as such, no moving parts. The magnets are fixated evenly with the flywheel spinning in between them. When the user increases the resistance, a higher electrical current is exposed to the magnets which makes the wheel harder to turn. Because the current is what determines the magnetic power (as opposed to the current remaining the same while the magnet moves closer and father away from the flywheel), the user has access to much more powerful resistance with an electromagnetic system. In addition, now you genuinely have no moving parts, and as such, less that could possibly go wrong in the future. Lastly, your resistance changes are instantaneous; meaning, when you go from level 1 to level 20 it will immediately respond. In moving magnet systems, you have to wait on the magnet to get closer to the wheel (which could take upwards to 30 seconds).
A common phrase I hear when talking about electronics is, “bells and whistles.” From my experience and general observations, people who use this term are referring to features integrated on the unit's console apparatus.
First things first here. For you to be able to find the right machine that fits your needs, you are going to need to concretely determine what it is you are trying to accomplish. Console workout programs are designed specifically around these personalized decisions, and unfortunately, I find that they are not talked about nearly as much as they deserve to be. These could include but are not limited to: entertainment options, number and types of workout programs, heart rate control and feedback, fitness apps metric feedback, memory features such as user profiles and workout calendars, USB and/or Bluetooth connectivity, speakers, touchscreens, cross training options and personalized coaching. Fair enough! However, when you say to me that you don't need any “bells and whistles,” and you are referring to the console options, what I am actually hearing – as YOUR fitness consultant – is that you have not put any detailed thought into the path to your fitness goals!
Hear me out. What I am saying is this: if you have a specific goal to drop your pace so you can achieve a better result at your next 5k, and you put some logical thought into accomplishing that goal and formulate a plan of action, you might say to me, “I really need something with a pacer function so I can monitor where I am at all times.” Or, if you are trying to lose a pound a week and keep it off, and you know how you are going to accomplish that goal, you might say, “I really need something that has a calorie goal program.” What if you are trying to lower your resting heart rate? You would say, “I really need to monitor my heart rate and do intelligent workouts designed to strengthen my heart.”
Point being, all of the options that are integrated into an elliptical's console are not fluff; each program and feature has a specific purpose designed around your specific goals, and to also motivate you.
Commodity shoppers will commonly look at these console features as the first expendable option when the cost of the machine is their primary focus. When my client starts to dismiss the console as a pretext to get the best value for their money, it is very important to me that I ask them follow-up questions to make sure that they aren't falling into the stigmatized “bells and whistles” trap and that they are not sabotaging their own goals before they even get started. Some of the most common feedback statements I receive when I ask for their thoughts are:
These are not made up statements to fit the agenda of my argument, these are actual deflections from clients that I hear all of the time. And believe me when I say I know they aren't being unreasonable. I empathize with my clients. I want them to use their machines and get the most out of them. I want the machines to improve their lives and their health. I'd never argue with a client about their objections. All I try to do, really, is to fit them with a machine that best fits their needs before they automatically dismiss anything for the wrong reasons. And most of the time, I can help by asking one very simple question:
I am just as busy as anyone and I can tell you with honesty that I wouldn't be able to get through the day if I did not optimize my time. A common reason (but not the only reason) why our clients are shopping for equipment for their home is because they don't have time to go to the gym. If this is also the case for you, and you told me this when I asked why you are shopping for an elliptical, I already know your time is valuable before I even ask!
“You told me you want to burn 500 calories five days per week to lose a pound per week and keep it off. Instead of hitting Quick Start and working out for one hour, what if you tried this comprehensive interval program instead and finished in 30 minutes? Would an extra 30 minutes a day to get some other stuff done help you out?”
“I know you said you don't monitor your heart rate, but by doing this target heart rate program, you could really focus on torching fat first and foremost, and by staying in that zone the entire time, you could shave a few minutes off that traditional steady state workout in which it sounds like you have conditioned yourself.”
“I know you said it's just you using the machine and you don't need any user profiles, however if you save your information into a profile, you won't have to type in your age and weight every single time you start to exercise, which will save you lots of time.”
My contention really, is that the more options you have at your disposal, the more likely you will be to hit your goals, and the more you will use your elliptical for years to come. A fitness goal is a journey, and it's going to have ups and downs, and anything that will help you use the machine more frequently, and go longer, faster and harder . . . will shorten that journey.
