An Elliptical treadmill will allow the machine user to complete a non impact variable resistance workout in a short amount of time. These exercise machines are considered to be one of the best pieces of equipment in the gym due to their ability to offer such a effective workout while being very easy to use and easy on the body. Many people who could not workout on machines like the treadmill find the elliptical treadmill is perfect for their sore joints. Even people with arthritis and other leg and foot problems can enjoy a workout on these machines.

While the elliptical may not be the best choice for the serious hardcore athlete they are perfect for the average person that wants to get in shape, build up their stamina and drop a few pounds. Because they are low impact your chances of sustaining an injury from them is extremely low, in fact injuries from ellipticals are almost unheard of in the gym community. And because they have the ability to work your entire body in the same workout you do not have to spend hours a the gym to get a complete workout. In fact many people have reported excellent results from just three to four 20 minute elliptical machine workouts a week. And the best part is that almost all of these machines are very easy to use so you do not waste precious time in the gym getting frustrated trying to program or get the machine started, just hop on and go!

Because of this ease of use and excellent benefits to the user the elliptical treadmill has increased in popularity to a point where it now has surpassed the standard treadmill in many health clubs and gyms around the country.

Shopping today for an elliptical machine online is difficult enough if you haven't spent time comparing current reviews and ratings. Almost all gyms, fitness clubs and many homes are already outfitted with their own elliptical trainers. Higher-end machines brands such as SportsArt Fitness, Quantum Fitness, Precor, Life Fitness and other brands found in specialty stores, can usually handle users who weigh up to 180 kg (400 lbs). And they range in price from $1300 to $5400 (US).

Now when you go shopping for a unit, you may already know if you want to buy something expensive or do you just want to buy a low cost or discounted machine. Because of the fact that it's a low or no impact machine it's a perfect choice for people who are suffering from or are recovering from any type of joint problems such as those in the knees, ankle, hip or back. Also for people with balance issues or have disabilities or medical issues that prevent them from lifting up their feet as they would on a treadmill, than the elliptical machine is the perfect answer. When shopping for a trainer you want to find the best quality machine while saving as much money as possible.

To get the best possible price when shopping online or at your local fitness store, sporting goods or big box stores always ask the salesperson, or better yet the manager, for a discount no matter which store you end up buying a machine. There are business discounts, professional discounts, health professional discounts, nurse's discounts, senior discounts, student discounts, college student discounts, disability discounts and many others to name a few.

Whether or not they give you a discount ask them to throw something in with your purchase. Perhaps something related to your workout routine. Just make sure to ask. Discounts are given all the time. They want to make the sale, so why not benefit.

The best way to decide which machine is the best fit for you and/or your family or partner is by making a list of all the features that you'd like to have.

With elliptical exercise equipment, your legs travel in an elongated circular motion. They use the arms and the legs, making it a cross trainer, in a smooth and natural motion. While using a machine gives you a no-impact workout, the resistance exercise helps to build up bone density and fight off osteoporosis it's reported.

They have also been proven to offer a lower - what is called -'Perceived Rate of Exertion' whenever you're working out. An elliptical workout provides an overall body workout without all the strain. Many people want machines that store well because they want to use them when they need them and then put them away in a closet when they're not using them.

The elliptical trainer uses all of the muscles in the lower part of the leg. Most units will come standard with an on-board computer. According to the manufacturers, a general estimate of calories burned by an elliptical trainer can go up to as high as 720 calories an hour.

Assorted facts: ellipticals are able to help provide healthy bodies by maintaining healthy bone density, which is important today with the standard American diet. You may want a trainer that folds away for storage purposes so make sure to consider this before you purchase. It combines the movements and benefits of hiking, cross country skiing, and biking all rolled up into one.

Recent studies have shown that because these trainers are optimizing your energy expenditure, the average person will burn more calories. A workout burns 13 calories per minute or so. Because these units are a mix between the treadmill and a stair climber you have a great opportunity to cross-train each time you work out.

The best machines offer many, many advantages over other forms of exercise and exercise equipment. It is quickly gaining popularity both in and out of the gym or health club. And it can provide the same benefits people can get with exercises.

Kettlebell training requires only one pair of Kettlebells, which are similar to dumbbells, but they are round with a fixed weight. They are highly effective and used by strongmen and strength trainers. They also promote size as well as functional muscle.

1. Strength Trainers - Anyone interested in becoming stronger at one point or another gets on a kettlebell program to experience major gains in strength. You can perform numerous power lifting like exercises with only one pair. Some remain solely on this type of training, while others use them as a bridge or break in their normal routine.

2. UFC, MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) and Cage Fighters are using kettlebells as an integral part of their strength program. This training promotes major muscular endurance which is key in winning fights. Whether wrapped up in a clinch, or on the ground defending yourself, muscular endurance will determine whether you survive and dominate or fold and lose. Ketllebell training can essentially determine whether you win a fight or lost a fight.

3. Muscle Builders. Anyone looking to increase muscle size and bulk should highly consider kettlebell training. Though strength gains are very effective, muscle gains can also be greatly achieved. With a good kettle bell training manual you can learn how to train specifically for muscle gain (some manuals are e-books which you can download from the internet, one excellent e-book is listed below.)

The great thing about this kind of training is that all you need is one pair of kettlebells. No gym memberships or expensive gym equipment. Just one pair and an e-book training manual will get you started in this awesome and highly effective form of strength, size, and endurance training.

Alright, I received some comments and crits from my article "The Five Worst Pieces of Exercise Equipment". The majority of fitness enthusiasts who have written to me want to know why on earth would I just simply list the worst gym equipment without giving up the best gym equipment? Well, I'm selfish. Just joking with you. For those interested in the best exercise equipment in the gym, here are my choices:

1. Squat Rack or Half Rack:

Where the Smith Machine will do you wrong, this will do you right. Anytime you are able to stand and use free weight, please do so. Smith Machine will not allow for natural (functional) joint movement. Many times bad habits are formed and the "core" is weakened. Many exercises can be used with a plain squat rack. Conquer the basics and progress as needed.

2. Dumbbells:

These older than time pieces training equipment are perfect for those solo training people out there. They are safer forms of free weights and you can really get creative with them. Don't be afraid to try the heavy ones out from time to time, if you are used to using the baby blue or hot pink dumbbells. Grab the big grey and black ones and really start training.

3. Bands:

One thing I like doing from time to time is going outside, enjoying the sunny weather, and training hard with elastic bands. Just like dumbbells you can get pretty creative with these. This is also a great choice for folks who travel a lot. Instead of relying on a machine-ridden gyms, grab some bands (which are very affordable by the way) and train hard.

4. Chinup/Pullup Bar:

Welcome back to grade school. The coach blows the whistle and you better do a chinup. Chinups are squats for the upperbody. If you can not do a chinup, just regress down a bit until you can. Start by jumping up and holding yourself there for as long as you can. You can even jump up and slowly lower yourself down. Trust me, you are exposing your body to the mechanics of a chinup and it will learn the new skill. I'm not a big fan of assisted chinup machines. The transition from machine to free weight is pretty harsh.

5. You!

That's right. The human body is an amazing, complex and organic machine. Luckily, you are equipped with one. This machine will perform above standards any time it is fueled properly, trained, and maintained. Each body has the potential to get stronger, faster and look better naked. Even without other pieces of equipment it can get better.

To wrap this up, if you are interested in getting more information on training from me, just go to my website and download the free ebook "Proving Ground".

The Schwinn Airdyne bike has been made and sold since the 1970's. But is it still competitive compared to all the recumbent exercise bikes today with computerized workout routines built in and magnetic drives? Is there a reason why Schwinn can still sell this exercise bike?

The Schwinn Air-Dyne bikes introduced the fan resistance exercise. The concept is simple. You pedal the bike and the pedaling turns a large fan. The faster you pedal, the faster the fan turns and the harder it is to turn. So the resistance increases as you pedal faster.

Also the handle bars are linked to the pedals so the handlebars move as you pedal. You can "pedal" just with your arms or just with your legs or with your arms and your legs together. So someone with a injury can work just the legs or just the arms.

If you push the handlebars and the pedals, you really get a total body workout. The handlebars work your entire upper body in a vigorous workout. You don't just work your arms, this thing works your arms, your shoulders, your back, really your entire upper body. Your lower body is worked on by the foot pedals. So it's a great machine for a muscle workout plus a heart and lungs routine too.

This machine is built like a tank! Every part of the Schwinn Airdyne is nearly indestructible. Every piece is heavy duty. That's why you can find a used one if you look for awhile. You literally cannot wear the thing out. You may get tired of it, but you won't wear it out. Of course you'll need batteries in the electronics and you might wear out a pedal or some minor piece, but this thing is made to last. Even the seat is super heavy weight and durable.

Mine was purchased used and now has 7,000 plus miles on it and except for a little rust from dripping perspiration and one worn pedal, it rides like new. Schwinn doesn't sell two of these to very many people. You can't wear it out.

What are the downsides? The bike is hard to move since it is so heavy. It does have wheels for rolling it around, but it's still hard to move. Secondly, it's noisy. The fan stirs up a lot of air and is loud, too noisy to listen to anything much while you pedal. That's about it on the downside.

Exercise bike upright types provide a riding experience much like a road bicycle. The seating position is upright with handlebars and a seat much like a conventional bicycle.

This is a good starting point for equipment if you are just looking for a cardio machine to add to your workout. This will give you an option for an indoor workout even in bad weather. The lower priced exercise bikes are often found in this design. But even many of the lower priced machines are very useful and well made.

Those with injuries or severe limitations may find these bikes hard to use. Also the lower priced exercise bikes are not heavy enough for very vigorous stand-up pedaling. But for moderate level workouts for most of us, the moderate priced upright bikes may be all you need.

One advantage to upright exercise bikes is they have a small footprint. They do not take up much space so are useful in most any home and are fairly easy to move.

Another consideration for a bike is the noise level. Most of the upright exercise bikes have a quiet magnetic resistance system. The resistance system provides the load against which you pedal. Listen to music or videos with no problem if your bike uses a resistance system. With an air resistance machine, there's much more noise, but you get the cooling breeze from the fan.

A final major consideration in choosing an exercise bike is the workout programming. Most of these bikes have a performance monitor tracking time, calories burned and miles covered.

Do you want other functions? For extra motivation you can get bikes that vary resistance levels and simulate workouts over varying terrain. This should make your workout time fly by. You can even get machines that let you play video games as you ride for a real diversion to make the workout time rush past. Consider getting a heart rate monitor.

Choose an upright exercise bike as a starter machine and you can get a very useful machine at a moderate price. A higher priced upright bike may be right for you if your bike will be punished by very vigorous workouts. Higher priced upright exercise bikes can stand very hard use for many years.