How to bring health and fitness home with elliptical cross-trainers?
Does your gym or fitness center have a cross-trainer? Even if it does, the chances are that you have to wait for at least 30-minutes for your turn. There are many fitness enthusiasts in the gyms, but too few elliptical cross-trainers. Interestingly, that is one of the leading reasons that is driving people to set up home gyms. Health and fitness lovers want access to the right equipment at the right time, all the time. Waiting an hour for a station to be free does not make sense to most of us.
Have you thought about getting an elliptical cross trainer at home? Having a workout station at home means you no longer have to brave the rain or the snow to adopt a healthier lifestyle. You can switch to your workout gear any time you want and hop on the cross trainer in the next room. It is no surprise that people love their time on these machines. They provide a low-intensity aerobic workout to all ages. In almost every gym you will find young bodybuilders as well as retired executives pumping it out on this particular fitness equipment day and night.
How to find the right cross trainer for your home?
Buying an elliptical trainer for home use can be quite confusing. Thanks to advanced engineering and design technology, there are hundreds of variants and patented designs now available in the market. Almost all of them promise at least one unique benefit to regular users. So, how do you figure out which cross trainer to purchase? Buying a cross trainer is not a budget decision so that you can go back to the fitness store and exchange the current model with a brand new one. That makes it a daunting choice for even seasoned fitness enthusiasts.
Here are a few tips that might help you find the right cross trainer –
What is your budget?
No significant decision should depend solely upon the budget, but for many of us, money does become the final deciding factor. While buying home gym equipment, you should consider how much money you can spare easily. If you are thinking about a monthly expense, then hiring an elliptical cross trainer might be the best idea. Check out hirefitness.co.uk for the latest and best cross trainers you can get for your home gym. Buying is not always a great idea, especially if you have no experience at the gym. Hiring can enable you to try out different makes and models before you decide which one suits your needs the best. You should try low-intensity, high-intensity, and adjustable cross trainers, which allow you to explore a wide range of workout options.
How much space do you have?
While elliptical cross trainers tend to take up lesser space as compared to treadmills, they are not notably minuscule. A small city apartment might be too small for a non-foldable elliptical spinner. The typical ones are between four and seven feet in length. Some can be longer than seven feet as well. For the freedom of movement, you should consider about one-and-a-half-feet of space on either side. Another factor you must consider if you are planning to set up your home gym in the basement, garage or attic is the ceiling height. It should be comfortable enough for you to stand on the trainer comfortably at the time of working out. You should not have to crouch in fear of hitting your head. That would defeat the purpose of getting an elliptical trainer in the first place.
What style of cross-trainer do you want?
If you visit the business website of any authorized fitness equipment rental, you will find at least three different types of cross trainers with their salient advantages and disadvantages lists.
- Centre drive: these are very similar to treadmills, but they have pedals. They are ideal for low-intensity workouts. They have compact designs.
- Front-drive: they have large wheels in the front of the machine. They have basic design styles. Hence, they are the most affordable.
- Rear-drive: they have small wheel housing at the back of the pedals. They allow varying inclination setups.
If you still find the choice hard, you should speak with your physician and a personal trainer to help you find the best fit.
What features are a must for cross-trainers?
The best cross trainers in the market have the following features –
- Stride length –for some users, the 21-inch stride would be too long, but a 14-inch stride might be too short. Always go with a design that offers an adjustable stride length. If multiple people are going to use the elliptical trainer, the flexible stride is a must.
- Smooth motion –all pedals should be smooth and quiet. The movement of the components and the jerks should not hinder your daily workout.
- Customization of resistance –like all state-of-the-art workout equipment, your elliptical trainer should offer adjustable resistance. You can increase the intensity of your daily workout gradually on the same machine with the option of adjusting resistance. As you gain endurance, you can challenge yourself further on the same cross-trainer.
- Adjustable incline –while it is not a must-have, adjustable incline can help you add or subtract the intensity from your routine. Some machines have auto-adjust modes. If you adjust the incline levels frequently, you might want to go for the higher end automatic models.
- Comfort –your lower body and your upper body should be in sync with each other. The machine should ensure upper body comfort. If you are looking to switch up your regular exercise intensity, look for a setup with handles. The handgrip is a must for high-intensity workouts for beginners.
- Quietness –your decision to become fit and lean should not keep your neighbors awake at night. Your elliptical cross trainer should be quiet in spite of the various stride settings and motion settings.
No number of features and discounts are enough unless you get to try the machines you are about to buy. Hiring an elliptical cross trainer can give you that trial experience before a significant investment. Additionally, rentals take away the headache that comes with the periodic maintenance of the hefty machines that promise lean backs and toned abs.