The dual action motion of an elliptical trainer ensures that more calories can be burned than with a more traditional 'linear' exercise method such as running or cycling. The elliptical's handles - attached to the pedals by a series of gears that enable it to utilise their momentum without being rigidly constrained in terms of speed - allow for an upper as well as lower body workout. Since the upper body is moving against resistance provided by the pushing and pulling of the handles, the result is a more effective calorific burn, a more efficient exercise motion that allows all the muscles to work in unison, and much less impact than other forms of exercise.

The elliptical's handles can usually (certainly always on the higher-end machines) be set to provide a level of resistance independent of the elliptical pedals. This makes for the ability to create a unique and benefiting training experience every time one steps onto the trainer.

Cross trainers, or elliptical trainers, are gaining momentum and popularity; this is for very good reason. Will it ever trump the treadmill? Who knows. Scientific sports research shows that elliptical trainers provide just as much or more of an effective cardiovascular-based exercise than that of a treadmill and does so in a safer manner. Treadmills, by their very nature, force the user to pick up and put down their feet in rapid succession many thousands of times during an exercise session, the fragile tissues, muscles and ligaments located in the lower body (especially the knees and ankles) may be irreparably damaged.

The fluid motion of the elliptical means that the exerciser is not forced to pick up and hit back down with his feet and legs: there is no jarring, shocking motion to transfer force into the legs. This gives an all-round safer and much more comfortable exercise. This also means that the energy used before to jar and resist jarring can now be used to work the muscles - which is probably what we all look for when exercising, not damaged legs!

Elliptical trainers provide and easy to use and versatile workout that meets anyone's needs. The machine can be set to work with sprinting workouts, slow workouts, fartlek, time trials, and absolutely anything else that the user wants to use it for. Some machines have pre-programmed or programmable profiles that, for example, allow the resistances to change over time to simulate hilly terrain, an uphill run, or a fartlek training session.

Elliptical trainers hold a distinct advantage over the more 'traditional' treadmills that induce impact on the lower half of the body and can cause serious trauma to the legs, knees and back. Ellipticals utilise pedals and handles that mimic a comfortable, natural rhythm that is easy to maintain; feet stay flat on the pedals (thus no impact), and the hands grip handles that are attached to the pedals. Elliptical trainers provide a full-body workout that is rare for a single piece of gym equipment.

Typically stand-alone pieces of equipment, elliptical trainers do not require expensive accessories or additional pieces of equipment in order to provide the full-body workout.

The resistance provided by the workout itself can easily be adjusted simply by changing the machine's controls - in the higher-quality examples the handle resistance can be set independently of the pedal resistance, allowing for an independently controlled workout with a high granularity of individual control over what muscles are worked, and how hard.

Higher-quality ellipticals use weight cross-training to provide a high-quality workout without the need to buy, maintain and waste time with heavy weights; ellipticals have easy-to-use controls that change the resistance and result difficult of the workout easily and quickly. Training can work either forwards or in reverse, and this simple fact puts the versatility of the elliptical trainer head and shoulders above many other pieces of equipment.