Buying any piece of fitness equipment is an investment in your health, which is great. However there are a number of factors to consider when purchasing fitness equipment. I’ve outlined a few points which I think are important when purchasing an elliptical trainer.

Elliptical trainers also known as crosstrainers first entered the market in 1995 and have been in constant development since. Reebok introduced the first elliptical trainer with moving arms giving the user a lower and upper body workout. Elliptical trainers have become so popular because:

• Low impact exercise, which is gentle on backs, knees, hips and joints.
• Weight bearing exercise that helps build bone density and burns calories efficiently.
• Suitable for a large range of training needs.
• Low maintenance, keeping costs down.
• Smaller in size than a treadmill.

How much are you willing to spend, budget?

As with most things generally but not always the more you spend on an elliptical trainer the more you get. With fitness equipment there are three categories, home equipment, light commercial equipment and commercial equipment. Home equipment is designed for home users and it generally suitable for an hours use per day, light commercial equipment is designed for the demanding home user and small gyms situated within offices and hotels. Light commercial equipment is generally suitable for up to 5 hours use a day. Commercial equipment is designed for gyms and is designed to be suitable for 18 hours use a day.

In my opinion £250 upwards will buy you a reasonable quality home elliptical trainer, try and avoid unbranded equipment and look for brands such as Tunturi and Reebok who provide service backup and warranties with their products. A light commercial elliptical trainer is going to set you back between £1000 & £3000 whereas a commercial elliptical trainer may be anything from £3000 to £5000.

How much room do you have to store the elliptical trainer?

Always measure how much room you have available before purchasing an elliptical trainer, remember they are larger pieces of equipment. An elliptical trainer has to be able to withstand the weight of a human, which as we know can vary enormously, so they can be rather bulky. All good websites or retailers will be able to provide you with the dimensions of the elliptical trainer your interested in.

Which brand?

With so many options it’s difficult to know which brand to opt for. Personally I would suggest selecting a brand which provides a good warranty. If a product has a good warranty then generally you can be fairly confident that the manufacturer is confident in the quality of their product. Brands which I’ve tested and prefer include Tunturi, Reebok, Bremshey, Nautilus, Trimmaster Life Fitness, and Schwinn.

What are programmes and how do they benefit me?

It is often difficult to motivate yourself when you’re often using the same routine! Purchasing an elliptical trainer with programmes maybe the answer. Having pre-set or even customisable workout programmes is a great way to provide some extra variety and motivation. Some of the more expensive crosstrainers now offer heart rate controlled programmes which using your heart rate, increase or decrease the resistance of the crosstrainer keeping your heart rate as close as possible to the pre-set rate. This is a safe way to exercise and can help with weight loss.