The Best Ways To Buy Treadmills Today

February 19th, 2009 by Winston Salem, under Fitness Tips. 1 Comment

Treadmills are designed to enhance the most popular form of exercise – walking, jogging and running. The home treadmill has experienced substantial growth over the past few years. While other home exercise fitness equipment and infomercial gimmicks gather dust, treadmills continue to gain more popularity and get the results people are looking for.

Treadmill cushioning absorbs the force of your step; get good cushioning to lower the impact on your joints and ligaments. Some treadmills fold up for easy storage which makes them an ideal choice for those with limited space in a small apartment, small house or condo. Treadmill belt widths generally range from 17″ to 22″ and lengths from 51″ to 61″.

The deck is the belt area on which actual running, jogging and walking take place. The more expensive treadmill models will offer a selection of preprogrammed exercise routines. Adjustable inclines let you vary the steepness of a hill.

Safety features on a treadmill are especially important if you plan to work out alone or if you have small children who might accidentally start up the treadmill. People, who don’t have enough room for a bulky exercise machine, may want to consider a folding treadmill; they collapse to allow for easy storage. Quite a few of the treadmills available today have the ability to add an incline to your workout to duplicate running or walking uphill, thereby increasing the intensity of your workout.

One of the key things to remember is that the larger motors tend to run cooler and usually require less repair and maintenance. The newest models of treadmills come with many extra features that you may not need.

Keep in mind that what feels right to you may not accommodate others around you as comfortably. The more incline variation offered in a treadmill unit, the more expensive the model will be. Before buying, make sure the deck area provides enough space for you to exercise in comfort and the belt should work smoothly without slipping or sticking.

When you’re reading treadmill ratings or treadmill reviews, they’ll usually cover safety statistics, the heart rate monitor, the various merits of the interactive model and computer fitness programs and levels. To make sure that your treadmill is sturdy and comfortable and doesn’t operate noisily, start it up, step on it and test it out before you buy, if possible. Do your research; treadmills are an important investment, regardless of the price, and if it’s not right for you, you don’t want to find out after you’ve set the treadmill up at home.

Commercial club treadmills are reliable and well constructed; do look into a home version. Probably the most important thing to look for in a treadmill is to see how sturdy it is. Consider the cost of maintaining your treadmill as well.

You’ll probably want to buy a unit with a motor that delivers 1.5 to 3 continuous, not peak, horsepower. You’ll want a treadmill with an aluminum or high alloy steel frame that’s strong enough to support the heaviest runner who’ll be using it. It’s best to buy a treadmill that has at least a one-year warranty. Most manufacturers of commercial treadmills found in gyms and health clubs also produce home versions.

The more programs the treadmill has to offer the more you can vary your workout and you’ll be likely to continue exercising on a regular basis. As you increase your fitness levels, a quality treadmill will continue to assist your exercise needs as you progress to light jogging or to running. Be careful, because any type of jogging or running, whether on a treadmill or not, puts strain on leg and hip joints. Running or walking on a treadmill is an effective way to workout compared to other more complex cardiovascular exercises.

Buying a treadmill over the Internet doesn’t have to be intimidating when you’ve done your homework. Take time to do your research, the same way you would any major purchase and buying a treadmill won’t be difficult. If you’ve never used a treadmill before, make sure to have someone show you the basics of operation before you buy.

Tags: exercise, Fitness, Treadmills

Four Steps To Building a Better Backswing

February 18th, 2009 by Winston Salem, under Health Tips. No Comments

The golf swing is basically a chain reaction, as I’ve said before. One good move leads naturally to another. Obviously, the first few “links” in the chain are critical, since they determine the quality and the shape of the swing. If you make a proper backswing, as I often write in my golf tips, you’ll develop power, accuracy, and consistency in your swing.

Unfortunately, some golfers take their backswing lightly. Instead of taking the club back slowly and smoothly, they rush it and find themselves in a poor position to start their forwardswing. A poor backswing requires complex adjustments during the swing, which can throw it off. The end result is a slice, a hook, or an otherwise ugly shot. If you want to develop consistency and power-while improving your golf handicap-you must build a better backswing.

Make a Preflight Check

Get in the habit of making a preflight check before starting your backswing. A good set-up increases the chances of starting off right. Check for correct posture, the right weight distribution, and the proper ball position, which should be just inside the left heel when using longer clubs and toward the middle of your stance for shorter clubs. Also, check to see that the club’s shaft is an extension of the left arm (right-handers) and that you have a neutral grip.

In addition, check your tee-height. As a general rule, the top edge of the driver should be level with the ball’s equator, irrespective of the clubhead’s size and design. This rule also applies to the 3-wood when used from the tee. The design of this club hasn’t changed significantly over the years. Its clubhead is smaller than almost all drivers’ clubheads, especially the new ones. You need to tee the ball lower to achieve the right height for the 3-wood.

Shift Weight Properly

Allowing your weight to move back and forth in harmony with the swing’s direction generates power. If the upper body coil and the weight shift are both correct in the backswing, the natural movement is a lateral one onto the right foot (right-handers), preparing the golfer for a forceful forwardswing. This is followed by a weight shift to the front foot.

Annika Sorenstam, considered by many as the number one ranked woman golfer on the pro tour, presents a good example of someone whose weight shifts properly during her backswing. Watch her when she swings. If you compare her head position at the top of backswing with her head position at the start of her backswing, you’ll see that it has moved a good 5-6 inches (12-15 cm) to the right, enabling her to “get behind the ball.”

Think “All Arms”

A proper takeaway is critical to a good swing. The catalyst for the chain reaction, the takeaway starts everything in motion, as I stress in my golf lessons. It introduces width and coordination in the swing, and determines the quality and shape of the shot. The first 30 inches of the takeaway is perhaps the most crucial point in the swing. The goal is a one-piece takeaway.

To achieve a one-piece takeaway, sweep the club back low and slow as your left knee, hip, and shoulder turn to the right. Shift your weight slightly onto the right foot (for right-handers), creating the feeling as if the move was “all arms.” And hold your chin up as you take the club away to allow for a full left shoulder turn.

Turn and Set

The turn and set is the final element of the backswing. Once the takeaway is complete, the wrists hinge as the body continues to turn and the arms swing the club up on plane. A useful checkpoint in the swing occurs at the halfway point in the backswing. In a properly executed backswing, the club points toward the sky. From there on, it’s a simple movement to the top of the backswing.

Watch the takeaway of Ernie Els when opportunity permits. His upper body, hands, arms, and the club all move away from the ball in harmony. The wrists are almost completely passive. They only start to hinge as the hands reach a point just beyond the right hip, the ideal takeaway to emulate. Notice also that he lifts his left heel slightly as he takes the club back. There’s no hard and fast rule on this, as I’ve said in my golf tips. If you need to lift it slightly to complete a full body turn, then do so.

One last tip on building a better backswing: As you begin, try thinking “low and smooth.” Maintaining this swing thought as you start your swing encourages you take the club back in a deliberate manner.

Building a better backswing is a key to generating a consistent, repeatable swing-the hallmark of players with low golf handicaps. Work on your backswing in practice. You’ll see a difference in your swing on the course.

Tags: Backswing, exercise, Health

Core Strength For Golf

February 17th, 2009 by Winston Salem, under Fitness Tips. No Comments

When someone talks about core strength, they’re referring to the strength of the muscles that go deep within the abs and back attaching to the spine or pelvis. A few of these muscles are the tranversus abdominis(TVA), the muscles of the pelvic floor, the lats and the obliques. The core muscles are the origination point for stability and movement on the golf swing. Stronger core muscles convert to better balance and a more powerful swing. Strength in the core muscles can also prevent injuries to the hips and back.

The relationship between core strength and speed and power capabilities is very important. Golfers must have the core strength to handle the power they are capable of generating peripherally. Therefore, an increase in speed or power requires an increase in core strength. Exercises to strengthen these muscles should be a continuous portion of your fitness regimen.

In recent years, there has been more implementation of functional fitness exercises. The same holds true for golf fitness. Rather than focusing strictly on separate muscle groups, the training is targeted to strengthen the overall movement pattern in an integrated fashion. More of the body is involved. Many of these types of exercises mimic movements required in the golf swing. The body becomes better conditioned for the anticipated movement and strength improves as well.

Core strength is important to the golfer because the core is where all movement begins. It is the body’s center of gravity. Core muscles act to produce power, stabilization and transference of energy.

Many people have weak core muscles. A weaker core leaves the golfer much more susceptible to injuries. As time progresses, this continued weakness goes from spinal stress to injury to more permanent damage.

For more power and stability, as well as overall continued health, core strengthening exercises are among the best activities you can pursue. For stronger golf, strengthen the core!

Tags: Core Strength, exercise, Fitness

Exercise At Home Without Weights

February 16th, 2009 by Winston Salem, under Exercise Tips. No Comments

It’s easy to see why many individuals would be interested in home exercise routines. You can get great results exercising at home, as long as you know what you are doing. All it takes to get results at home is an exercise mat, some free weights (dumbbells) and exercise tubings. Even if you don’t have all these tools, there are several exercises you can do around the house. You can always try exercises that use your own body weight. The secret to success is to exercise the right way without hurting yourself.

At home, you can train at your own time. You are unaffected by the timings of your gym or your trainer. This is an excellent solution for stay-at-home moms, individuals who work from home, and individuals with an erratic work schedule. It’s nice not to have to pay for a gym membership.

Personally, I enjoy exercising at home, because that’s how I started. It’s fun and convenient. I have a treadmill that faces a large TV, some dumbbells and a never-say-die attitude. That’s all it takes. With the number of tools available today, it is simple to set up a gym atmosphere in the comforts of your own home. I train most of my clients in their own home. To get results at home, you need self-motivation and discipline, since you are going to be on your own. It’s not as hard as you think and can be enjoyable and beneficial. When you are committed mentally to pursue a leaner, energized and dynamic fitness level, changes happen much faster.

There are some reasons that home exercise can fail. It’s likely your hectic schedule or a long commute discourages you from exercise. Sometimes, an individual can get intimidated by the social atmosphere of a health club. After all, if a club is a place where people flirt more and exercise less, you might find yourself less inclined to go! It could also be crowded, and many people do not like waiting in line for the equipment. With home exercise, there is not waiting period. Despite the popularity of health clubs, many individuals are now exercising at home. In fact, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported a study conducted by Stanford University. The study said exercising at home is just as beneficial as working out at a health club. Interestingly, the study also found people who trained at home were more likely to stick with their program than those who exercised at a club.

The advantages of working out at home include convenience, cost effectiveness and control over the atmosphere and timing. You don’t have to wait in line for any equipment, and can pace yourself. There is no fear of embarrassment, or feeling of incompetence On the other hand, there may be some minor drawbacks to home exercise. Working out in solitude may affect your long-term compliance, it’s easy to get distracted, bored or lackluster in your efforts. If you follow the same routine for each and every workout, chances are you will give up at some point. The body adjusts to an exercise routine very quickly. It’s important to change up your routine every 3-4 weeks. If you don’t know what you are doing, you may get injured.

Strength Training Exercises At Home For The Upper Body and Abdominals.

For best results, warm up for 10-15 minutes with light aerobic exercise (walking, cycling, jogging). Deep breathing and stretching for 3-5 minutes before you begin strength training helps the muscles relax and rejuvenate.

The following exercises do not require any equipment, other than a pair of dumbbells. This is a unique method that I have developed on my own, and it has helped thousands of clients get results.

Push-ups, seated rows, triceps dips, shoulder raises, overhead shoulder presses, lateral shoulder raises, biceps curls, regular abdominal crunches. reverse abdominal crunches, standing trunk twists.

Tags: exercise, Exercise At Weights

Financing Sports

February 15th, 2009 by Winston Salem, under Health Tips. No Comments

In earlier times the marketing manager of an athletic team would project sales, the engineering and production staffs would determine the assets necessary to meet those demands, and the financial manager’s job was simply to raise the money needed to purchase the required plant, equipment and inventories. That situation no longer exists. Decisions are now made in a much more coordinated manner, and the financial manager generally has direct responsibility for the overall financial status of any business.

According to theory, a healthy economy depends on efficient transfers of funds from people who are net savers to firms and individuals who need funds. Without efficient transfers, the economy simply can not function. Thus, sport businesses, as individuals and government units, often need to raise funds. Stock exchange markets, merges, acquisitions, promotional techniques, athletes’ transfers, diversification, product or market development and syndicated loans, constitute methods for increasing cash flow levels.

But since some clubs and sport unions, spent more than they can afford, it is more than obvious that they will accrue dept and losses. As ticket sales have severely dropped over the years, agreements have collapsed and governments have not yet engaged themselves in financing clubs, the interested parties have tried to find ways of minimizing the losses, such as cutting down players wages or not renewing their contracts. Actually, financing a sport and keep the interest in high levels, both in the athletes’ and in the funs’ circles, is a difficult task that clubs have to work with. One of the practices in order to put an end in the expenses of clubs was the decision to pay athletes in relation to their performance. Bonus deals did not found always the athletes agreeing to such a policy, as their solicitors claim that ‘regardless the game’s outcome, players are still doing the same job so they should be paid what was in their original contract.’

Innovation and careful financial planning-like the new emerging market of stadium construction, debt refinancing and revolving loans-are considered as the prime considerations of any sports organization if it plans to excel. Additionally, fierce competition, environmental trends and demand fluctuation play a very important role regarding financial backing. However, some observers see an opportunity for investors, as low trading and share prices dropping are considered ‘good’ times to invest. Some experts believe that merges and acquisitions, related or unrelated to the core of the sport business, is a current issue of great concern for most sports financial managers, as it can save firms from losses.

Establishing higher prize money can also lead sports firms towards success by reducing risk and uncertainty to the interested parties. In 2002, for instance, British racecourses earned 46 million pounds from media deals, but only 5 million was distributed as prize money-a mere 11%. The British horseracing Board, response was to announce a plan to raise minimum prize money in 2003 by 18 million pounds. In fact, fair distribution of prize money can alter the financial condition of the sport and provide a safer environment in such a competitive industry.

Reduced revenue required companies to reduce costs by minimizing funding, cutting work force and spending less in sports sponsorships and advertising. For example, Investing in infrastructure is considered more serious than funding the Olympic bid. Consequently, the financial manager looks over the funding as money that can be spread out into schools, coach wages and sport clubs.

Sports business operates as a money generator if top management strives for excellence and performs continuous environmental scanning techniques. The main factor that distinguishes winners from losers is the eagerness to win competition and excel. Talent correlates nowadays with character promotion. When these two are combined can be translated to ticket sales, sponsorships, or image transformations.

Tags: Financing Sports, Health, Sports

4 Tips for Designing an Attractive and Functional Home Gym Room

February 14th, 2009 by Winston Salem, under Exercise Tips. No Comments

Home gym and interior design is becoming a topic that is being discussed today more than ever. It used to be the case that a home gym was just some barbells, dumbbells, a rusty weight bench and maybe an exercise bike that looked like it was just taking up space inside your house. Today, however, with more and more emphasis on fitness and exercise, while having less time to do it, people are placing more attention to the design of their home gyms.

Designing a home gym to make it appear inviting makes it easier for you to workout at home. Not many people enjoy working out in a “dungeon”-like environment (such as a home gym located in a poorly lit, unfinished basement). An attractive looking home workout room filled with quality equipment that you will use can be easily accomplished with the following tips:

Select High Quality Home Exercise Equipment

The last thing you want in your home gym is a nice looking interior design with a piece of machinery that looked like it came out of the automotive junk yard. Select the best home gym equipment you can afford. Not only will this look nice, but chances are the gym equipment will last a lot longer than a cheaper variety.

Arranging Exercise Equipment

Construct a floor plan in order to visualize where your home gym and other exercise equipment will be located. With multiple exercise machines, it’s best to arrange the tallest and largest home exercise equipment along the walls, and the smallest shorter gym equipment in the middle. This maximizes the use of space in your exercise room as well as improves the appearance of your home gym. If you look at most health clubs, this is how their commercial gym equipment is arranged.

Add Colors to the Walls of Your Workout Room

A boring, egg-shell white color for the walls of your home gym will make it feel like a room in a hospital. Paint the walls with an eye appealing color to make the room more inviting.

Hang Up Pictures in Your Home Gym

Adding pictures and posters in your home gym will not only make the room resemble some of the designs of a health club, but with the right picture, it can act as a motivation tool as well.

The easiest way to gather ideas for designing your home gym is just simply to visit your local health club. Most of the time they offer a free trial or a tour, and what you can do is make notes of how they designed their fitness facility. Bring a notebook with you, and jot down anything that looks appealing to you that you could use for your own home gym. Take note of the colors of the walls, the positioning of the equipment, and the flooring of the gym. Also, look for pictures that are displayed on the walls. Theses are often designed to motivate members to workout.

Overall, with a sound plan and careful consideration of what equipment is needed and where to place them, you can design a home gym room that not only looks attractive, but is functional as well. Designing a home gym to make it appear more attractive may actually make you want to exercise more often too!

Tags: Exercise Equipment, Gym, Gym Room, Home Gym

Vegetable of the Month Club

February 13th, 2009 by Winston Salem, under Health Tips. No Comments

We should eat more vegetables. But knowing doesn’t translate into doing.

So let’s keep it simple. How can we get more of those wonderful veggies into our wonderful bodies?

Adopt a vegetable of the week or month. Experts say it take us that long to form a habit.

Start with an easy vegetable, say the carrot.

Consider the carrot’s statistics: Carrots are crunchy like potato chips, but without the salt. And you definitely can’t “inhale” an entire bag of carrots like you can with chips because carrots fill you up much sooner! That’s a good thing, right?

Next time you’re at the grocery store, buy a bag of carrots. Try the bite-size baby ones. No prep time!

When you get home, divide the big bag into smaller, sandwich-size bags and put them in the refrigerator. Take one with you to work each day. Need a snack? Reach for a carrot bag.

Then progress to other veggies–cucumbers, spinach, cauliflower.

Sure, you’ll have to get creative with some of them. A little dip goes a long way toward making some vegetables more palatable.

Got a salad shooter? Haul it out, dust it off, and run broccoli, zucchini, and spinach through it. Any vegetable will do. A food processor works, too, just put the appliance in a spot where you can use it easily on a regular basis.

Once you’ve shredded or julienned your vegetables, add a couple spoonfuls of your favorite dressing and you’ve got a tasty salad. Throw in some mandarin oranges or a diced apple for a little sweetness and zip. Chopped nuts or sunflower seeds add extra flavor.

Be sure not to go overboard with the salad dressing. A couple spoonfuls should coat all of your vegetables.

Eat a vegetable salad every day for a month and see how good you feel!

Try some shredded veggies in a sandwich and decrease the amount of meat.

Do you need to consume the vegetables in their raw state? No, not at all. Cooking enhances the nutrition of many vegetables, including carrots, and often aids digestion.

So why not cook up a delicious, nutritious pot of vegetable soup. Great news for the culinary-challenged: Making delicious vegetable soup doesn’t require “Iron Chef” status. Just add the vegetables of your choice, some seasoning, and water, then let it simmer.

Traditional soup vegetables include onions, carrots, and potatoes, but experiment with different, more exotic varieties.

Put the soup in a crock pot or slow cooker in the morning and come home to a delicious supper.

Add a small amount of beef or chicken for flavor if you prefer, maybe an ounce or two.

Leftovers make a quick, nutritious lunch the day next. Pack in a thermos to take with you and skip the cholesterol burger and fat fries.

Start your own Veggie of the Month Club. It’ll be a healthy tradition!

Tags: Eat Vegetables, Good Health, Health

Looking For The Best Elliptical Machine And Save Your Money Too?

February 12th, 2009 by Winston Salem, under Fitness Tips. No Comments

Buying an elliptical machine online can be difficult if you haven’t spent any time comparing a few reviews and ratings. Picking out the best elliptical machine is more complex than just walking in a sporting goods store, trying one out and buying it on the spot without having done any comparisons. Higher-end machines, like the SportsArt Fitness, Quantum Fitness, Precor, Life Fitness, and brands found in sporting goods or specialty stores, can handle users up to 180 kg (400 lbs), and usually range in price from $1300 to $5400 (US).

But you can find low cost or cheap elliptical machines doing just a little bit of research online and save a lot of money. When shopping for a trainer you want to find the best elliptical machine possible of the best quality while saving yourself as much money as you can.

Traditionally Consumer Reports magazine is a very good place to compare features and costs of elliptical machines if they’ve done a review in the last two to three years. Even if the machines are now older models, there is lots of good information about features and what to look out for. If you don’t subscribe, call the reference librarian at your local public library and ask them to look up the information. Most librarians will fax you copies of the review.

When shopping online or at your local fitness, sporting goods or big box stores always ask for a discount no matter where you end up buying a trainer. There are business discounts, professional discounts, health professional discounts, nurse’s discounts, senior discounts, student discounts, college student discounts, disability discounts and many others for example. Whether or not they give you a discount you can also ask them to throw something in with your purchase. Just make sure to ask. Discounts are given all the time. They want to make the sale.

The elliptical machine is quickly gaining popularity both in the health clubs and at home. So when you go shopping for al trainer, do you want to buy something expensive or do you want a low cost or discounted unit? In any event it’s an excellent choice for home equipment, especially if you don’t want the traditional home treadmill or exercise bike.

The elliptical trainer uses all the muscles in the lower legs. While it gives you a no-impact workout, the resistance exercise helps to build bone density and fight off osteoporosis. Most machines will come standard with an on-board computer.

With this unit all exercises to maintain a healthy bone density can be performed. Most are smaller than a treadmill and can be more easily moved to clean or to store away when company is coming. The general estimates of calories burned are about 387 calories for a 150 pound woman who has done thirty minutes of elliptical exercise.

The basic features include the drive system, the resistance system and the length of the stride. They have also been proven to offer a lower ‘Perceived Rate of Exertion’ whenever you are working out. They are proven to provide workouts that are best for the cardiovascular system.

Elliptical trainers use both the arms and the legs making it a cross trainer, in a real smooth and natural motion. Many people want machines that store well because they want to use them when they need them and hide them in a closet when they’re not using them. Another great thing is that you can move at a comfortable speed while allowing for the occasional burst of high intensities.

If you’re cramped for space or have a small home gym or small workout area, it can be a great way to save space while getting an overall body workout. According to the machine manufacturers, a general estimate of calories burned by an elliptical can go up to 720 calories an hour.

Ellipticals give you a weight resistant workout. This is important because weight resistant workouts burn calories much faster and more efficiently. They can provide the same benefits people get exercising without using equipment. There are many benefits that can be enjoyed by using an elliptical machine and if you’ve shopped wisely you can save a lot of money too.

Tags: Elliptical Machine, Fitness, shopping online

Give Us Free Yoga

February 11th, 2009 by Winston Salem, under Fitness Tips. No Comments

Can you find good quality Yoga classes for free? Sometimes you can, and many introductory Yoga class packages are free, or priced, so low, that they might as well be. Some students of Yoga jump, from studio to studio, like grasshoppers. These Yoga students are in search of constant introductory packages and free Yoga classes.

In response, some Yoga studios have stopped giving “bargain basement” or free Yoga class packages. Why do they stop giving bargains? It is for the sake of financial survival that a Yoga studio, ashram, wellness center, or fitness center must charge something, to stay in business. Otherwise, there will be no Yoga classes for any of us.

Having had the experience of teaching free Yoga classes, in parks, and holding down a full time job, at the same time. It was my observation that many of those students really didn’t see a value in Free Yoga. It was just something to do, if they were around the park.

When the park asked me to pay a “permit fee,” for teaching free Yoga, I asked my students to give me a little help. Some of them let me know walking is free and left.

The first day I charged for Yoga, the remaining students stayed, because they saw a value in learning Yoga. Their attendance was much more consistent. Some of my first “paying” Yoga students have become successful Yoga teachers in their own right, since then.

If you are serious about something, you are willing to pay for it. Would you like a free vacation spent in a conference room, with someone trying to sell you a “land deal” or would you just like some time to relax away from home? Personally, I am not interested in a free trip to learn about buying a swamp and am willing to pay for a nice vacation.

Nothing in life is really free, when you think about it. You or the local taxpayers pay for all the water that you drink. Most people have to travel to inhale fresh quality air, at the beach, or in the mountains. Even, walking requires some fuel in the form of food and drink that is paid for by somebody.

So, what is the moral of this story? Any activity you choose to do with your discretionary income is your own business, but without the support of the local community, “mom and pop” businesses will fail.

This is true for any type of local business, from the hardware store to the men’s clothing store. Most of these businesses were swallowed up by large franchises.
Therefore, if you truly love Yoga, and want to learn more, support your local Yoga teacher, or your local studio.

Otherwise, you may find limited alternatives, and large fitness franchises, dictating what kind of Yoga you practice. Somehow, practicing Yoga at McDonalds isn’t very appealing.

Tags: Fitness, Give Us Free Yoga, Yoga

2007 Best Buy Elliptical Trainers

February 10th, 2009 by Winston Salem, under Strength Training. No Comments

Fred Waters is the former V.P. of marketing for Smooth Fitness, and author of the Elliptical Review site. Each year he provides his recommendations for “Best Buy” elliptical trainers.

The “Best Buy” awards are based on a number of factors. We physically test the machines to determine overall quality and product performance. In addition, we consider customer feedback, third party reviews, company reputation and product warranty. In particular, it is important to look at the company reputation and the product warranty.

When you purchase an elliptical trainer, you are not just buying a machine, but also the company that stands behind it. Whether you have a question about the elliptical operation, or you need service, you want to purchase from a company that stands behind their equipment.

When selecting an elliptical trainer, you also want to consider the extent of the warranty. An elliptical trainer warranty can be very revealing. Obviously, limited warranties suggest a machine that is not built to last, while extensive warranties imply a quality built machine designed for vigorous use.

2007 “Best Buy” Recommendations:

Under $1,000 – Spirit ZE110

Spirit Fitness ZE110 – I usually am reluctant to recommend any elliptical trainer under $1,000. At this price range, you are buying a budget machine, built with budget components. There are certain aspects of the ZE110 I can criticize, but for the price, it is a reasonable value. If you are looking for an inexpensive elliptical trainer for moderate usage, this model is worth considering.

$1,000 – $1,500

Smooth Fitness CE 3.2 – The one feature that immediately stands out on the Smooth CE 3.2 is the lifetime warranty. That generally is a clue about the quality of the machine. If the components cannot withstand rigorous use the company would go out of business replacing parts. The CE 3.2 is equipped with a heavy flywheel giving it a very smooth elliptical motion. Other features include an impressive console, a wide selection of challenging programs and wireless heart rate control. Smooth sells only direct and online, which results in a degree of savings to the consumer.

$1,500 – $2,000

Sole Fitness E55 – Sole’s marketing strategy is to build quality machines with quality components at reasonable prices, and the Sole E55 proves they are very successful with this value proposition. Besides the smooth and quiet elliptical motion, I really appreciated the 20″ stride. The motion does not feel as confined as so many other treadmills under $1,500. It comes with a 2-year service warranty. There is only one other manufacturer I am familiar with that offers similar coverage and their ellipticals start at over $3,000. This machine is comparable to higher end models.

$2,000 – $3,000

Life Fitness X3/X3i & Precor 5.17i – There are a number of excellent choices in this category, but the 2 companies that stand out are, Life Fitness and Precor. Since they both offer excellent products, we decided the “Best Buy” winner is a tie between the Life Fitness X3/X3i and the Precor EFX 5.17i. Both are quality machines that are very durable and extremely quiet. You can really tell the difference in their solid and stable performance. They are commercial quality at a residential price. It should be noted, the Precor EFX 5.17i offers only a lower body workout.

$3,000+

Precor EFX 5.23 – Most industry professionals agree the Precor EFX 5.23 is the top elliptical trainer in the market. Precor ellipticals are a favorite with top health clubs. The patented CrossRamp technology is their premium feature. It allows you to adjust the incline of the ramp as with a treadmill. By changing the incline, you can workout different muscles. It adds a whole new dimension to elliptical training. While testing a model at a fitness store, a woman walked by and said, “I own one and luv it.” If money is no object, and you can live without the upper body workout, then the EFX 5.23 is an excellent choice.

Tags: Elliptical Trainers, Fitness, Trainers