Treadmill
Elliptical Trainer
Safety
Falling from a treadmill could be quite serious, as the running surface (the belt) usually continues to move.
Almost all treadmills sold today have some sort of a safety device. Some are equipped with safety switches which kill the motor when you press them, others have a sort of a safety key that stops the treadmill automatically when you fall.
Most treadmills are equipped with handlebars that you can use to stabilise yourself if you need.
No safety measure can guard you against a situation where you have a power outage while you are on the machine. The motor will stop immediately while you keep on running. This is an extremely dangerous (if rare) situation.
The way the cross trainer works, it stops immediately when you stop, which reduces the risk of falling off it.
There is hardly a risk of falling from an elliptical machine. There's a remote chance of that happening when you use it in reverse, by walking backwards, as the motion feels strange the first few times you do it.
The models that have the handlebars are even a bit safer, as you have more points of contact with the elliptical - thus making it less likely you'll fall off it.
While there is always a concern with exercise machines and young children in the house, it is not a big issue with the ellipticals, as young kids would probably not be strong enough to operate it. The machines usually have a low center of gravity and are therefore not likely to tip over.
Minimal Space and Power Needs
In terms of space, treadmills usually require more space than other exercise equipment. Even the foldable ones are limited in this aspect, as the running surface must be wide and long enough to accommodate large gaits, and can not be folded in half.
Most of the models for home use do not require electricity at all, or only very little power to enable the exercise monitor.
The elliptical trainers also have small footprint and take up less floor space than other fitness equipment. This makes them a very good option for small houses.
Workout Effectiveness
While treadmills provide excellent cardiovascular workout, they only work your lower body. Treadmills do not work your back muscles or any large muscle group other than your legs. However, they are still effective as a fat burning and fitness equipment.
The downside of the workout on treadmills is that this is a high-impact exercise, as your joints, knees, shins, ankles and back absorb shocks every time you put your foot down.
The surface you run on while you exercise on a treadmill is usually cushioned and equipped with shock absorbers. This way it provides less impact than concrete, but still - your body will experience an impact up to 2.5 times your body weight every time your foot lands on the treadmill's belt.
There is an injury risk inherent to such high-impact workouts.
The exercise variety that a treadmill provides is focused around changing the incline and speed of the belt. These do not provide a lot of options, but are usually enough.
Most elliptical trainers have dual action handlebars, and together with the foot pedals they give you a total body workout, exercising both your legs and your torso.
Since your feet never leave the pedals, an elliptical cross trainer workout is low-impact. Some studies show that this lack of impact on the joints allows a very effective workout in terms of fat burning vs. perceived effort levels, meaning you will feel that you can go on for longer.
Most elliptical trainers let you change the incline, intensity and sometimes the gait length. This adds variety to the workout. Additionally, the elliptical trainers are unique in that they let you go both forward and backward. The backward motion adds lower body workout of different muscles.
The elliptical trainer is first amongst all exercise equipment in that it simultaneously works the largest number of muscle groups. That is the reason an elliptical machine is also called a cross-trainer. The workout on the elliptical uses your quadriceps, hamstrings, gluts, chest, back, triceps and biceps.
The more muscles are exercised - the more of your body gets toned, the fat burning process is accelerated, and your fitness level increases faster.
In terms of fat burning, elliptical trainers and jogging burn a similar number of calories. However, because of the impact, jogging carries a risk of injury to the back, knees, hips, or ankles. On a cross trainer your feet are always on the foot pedals. The exercise on an elliptical trainer can be compared to running in midair.
Being a low-impact workout, elliptical machines are very good for older people or for exercising when recovering from a joint injury. People who suffer from repeating shin splints also find that the cross trainer lets them get a good cardiovascular workout without over-straining their shins.
Exercising correctly on the elliptical trainer, when using the handlebars, burns lots of fat quickly. This usually shows quick results in weight loss, toned muscles - both lower and upper body, and increased level of fitness.
While a workout on the elliptical trainer can be very effective, it tends to allow momentum from bodyweight alone. This means that if you set the resistance level too low, you will not produce force and move your bodyweight yourself. Rather - the machine will use the momentum built up in the first minute or so of the workout. The risk here is that you will not actually use your muscles to move, and therefore not burn many calories. This happens more often than not.
Price
Fat Burning Efficiency
It is also worth noting that because treadmill is a high-impact workout, you are usually able to exercise for shorter durations (compared to other fitness equipment) at whichever level of fitness you are at. This means that you will not have the opportunity to burn as much fat as with other machines.
Having said that, the treadmill lets you easily perform short sprints, which contribute to burning fat in the post-workout recovery time.
This is not so simple though, because in order for this to be true, the machine has to be used correctly, that is - with no momentum. If you can achieve that, an elliptical cross trainer is probably the best fitness machine to burn fat with.
Because there's no impact, you can exercise harder on an elliptical trainer compared to high-impact exercise equipment. This is because your perceived effort is lower. This also means that you will be able to exercise for more time, and therefore, overall, burn more fat.
Some researches show that the type of energy exertion on the elliptical trainer is very effective for overweight individuals, as it burns fat more effectively.
Note that it is easy, using the elliptical cross trainer to gain bodyweight momentum. This lets the machine do most of the work for you (like with bicycle) so it loses points for easiness of self deluding.
Maintenance Considerations
All these moving parts may burn out, and are constantly in danger of wear and tear through use. Compared to other exercise equipment, treadmills are high-maintenance, especially the models that have motors.
The elliptical trainer works by means of a very low-impact motion, and does not have many moving parts. It is therefore not very likely that your cross trainer will require frequent service.
The lesser impact also means less wear and tear of the elliptical machine, which contributes to lowering maintenance needs.
Most ellipticals do not have a motor and work by using a magnetic resistance wheel. The wheel and foot rests need infrequent oiling, but as there is no motor - no serious maintenance work is usually required.
Risk Free
This impact affects the joints in your lower body (especially the knees) and the lower back. This has a direct correlation to the length and frequency of workouts, especially in the beginning, as your body will not be able to walk/run for long periods of times, and will need longer rests between workouts.
On the up side, walking is a simple form of exercise that does not require coordination, and hence a treadmill is a good choice if you have no experience at all, and need to start exercising immediately.
The cross trainers are regularly used for rehabilitation, as the elliptical workout does not involve impact at all. Your feet never leave the foot rests and so the elliptical provides exercise without abusing the joints in your lower body.
Treadmill
Elliptical Trainer
Treadmill
based on 206 customer reviews
Feel factor: 7
So far so good...
(Score 5/5)
For those of you that don't want to read a 9,000 page review of a bloody treadmill, here is my short analysis.
- Easy to assemble, took me about an hour and a half. The most difficult part is moving it where you want it and guiding the electric wires through the left pole.
- Its exactly as advertised, it feels sturdy, it stores well. Being able to put the deck up keeps it out of the way to you dont have to give up too much space for the thing.
Overall it works well and you will get exactly what you expect from this treadmill, no need to reiterate what the product says about itself or go into a pretentious in depth review of a piece of work out equipment. Want a treadmill that works for this price, is sturdy and has these features, get this.
Review over.
Posted on: 2010-07-27
By Rockman
Great running surface ... terrible display
(Score 4/5)
I purchased this treadmill about four weeks ago. I received the treadmill within a week and it was easy to put together. I've been running on it for about 3 weeks now, approximately 4-8 miles a day.
The good:
It has a great running surface, I have put thousands of miles on commercial quality treadmills and this treadmill is easily comparable. Based on that I would give it 5 stars. The running surface is spacious (width and length) which is good for me because I like to drift around a bit. Also, one thing that I have noticed on other treadmills is a tendency for the belt to "stick" when your foot strikes down. I have not noticed this at all on this treadmill. This is a solid treadmill to run on.
The heart rate monitor seems to work well as long as you stay near the display area (if you drift a bit towards the back of the treadmill the connection will be lost). I have a few different brands of heart rate monitors and they all seem to work well. Also, programming it isn't too complicated and I've made use of a few of the programs so far.
The not so good:
The display for this treadmill is one of the worst I've seen. They've combined a lot of the display items and buttons which makes for a compact viewing area but the lack of any logical programming in the display is a definite annoyance. The display likes to show me what I don't want to see (heart rate when not wearing a heart rate monitor and the static information like pace and calories burned per hour) and seems to not show me what I want to see (distance/time run). I am constantly having to flip through the display to keep it where I want it.
In addition, the enter button is also the cool down button, so you have to be very careful while using the numbers to adjust your speed or you may end up cutting your run short (pressing start to resume as the display states actually seems to end the run). The fan does not provide much cooling at all, even at high speed.
Overall I'd actually give it 3.5/5 stars but I'm not sure I would buy the same treadmill again. I'd probably go with the Nordic Track Commercial 1500 (same price) or the Nordic Track A2750 for about $400 less.
Posted on: 2010-05-27
By Anthony E. Nocchi
Helpful index: 100%
NIGHTMARE !!!
(Score 1/5)
DO NOT PURCHASE ANY BOFLEX EQUIPMENT. CUSTOMER SERVICE IS A NIGHTMARE, IF YOU LIVE IN A CERTAIN AREA, YOU CAN NOT GET ANYONE OUT TO WORK ON IT. MINE QUIT WORKING AFTER ONE YEAR, AND SEVEN MONTHS. DO NOT BUY!!!!!!!!
Posted on: 2010-04-28
By kelly carlton
Helpful index: 50%
bowflex series 7
(Score 4/5)
the machine seems to be working great so far. When we recieved it however the fan was completely broke off. We had to take the back off and remove it and are still waiting for a replacement that they say they will replace.
Posted on: 2010-04-09
By chris holland
Fine, until it broke suddenly
(Score 1/5)
We got the treadmill in February. The delivery company arrived at the time I scheduled, and quickly moved the box into place. Set up was not very hard or time consuming, but it's best to have 2 people for this task.
Pros: Good incline options, good wireless chest strap for heart rate monitoring, long treadmill for bigger strides, and seems wide enough. It seems good quality for a person of average weight to use. It does not feel cheap.
Cons: Sometimes, it needs to be turned off in order to start a new program - it's like the memory needs to clear. Not a big deal, because the power button is on the front console. The power switch is on the front of the unit, near the floor. I turn it off here after using it.
I don't have a treadmill mat - it's on carpet in the basement and that seems fine. I am not giving it 5 stars at this point because I haven't had it very long. We will see!
UPDATE: Afer 3 months of light use, the treadmill does not work. It gives an error code of LS and will not operate. The call center technician was helpful,but after over an hour on the phone and trying different things to troubleshoot the issue, the treadmill still does not work. The parts needed to repair it are on backorder, and I will be without the treadmill for at least 1 month, but likely 6 weeks.
Posted on: 2010-04-02
By Steve H.
Helpful index: 100%
Elliptical Trainer
based on 472 customer reviews
Feel factor: 11
Great trainer
(Score 5/5)
This is a great trainer!!, had a bit of a problem with the delivery but once that was staightened out the machine was relativly easy to put together, about 2 hours. Works great is stable and very strong. The best part was after it was delivered in damaged condition amazon.com stood behind it and made it right!!!!!
Posted on: 2010-07-30
By Dawn
Some assembly required
(Score 4/5)
Nice machine, ellipse is a different shape than I am used to.
Putting it together was ridiculous! To my utter amazement one of the plastic bushings that the arms pivot on was too small for the axle to go through. Had to mill it to size, lucky I had a milling machine handy. One of the threads was damaged, had to retap it. So took almost an hour to assemble, without a home workshop assembly would have been a lot more difficult.
Posted on: 2010-07-20
By M. TAYLOR
Better than most health club units
(Score 5/5)
I have owned 6 machines of this nature over the years. Some machines didn't make it past the first month. Some of my machines cost thousands of dollars and others around $300.
Dollar for dollar, this is the best machine I have ever owned. If I wanted to be super critical, it does have a little squeak I am trying to find and the footprint is a few inches bigger than my limited space would otherwise want; but otherwise it is a wonderful machine.
In ten minutes I am covered in perspiration; unlike my treadmill. It is simple to use, quiet, operates smoothly, well made, and a bargain compared to other similar units.
Would I buy another one; yes!
Posted on: 2010-07-16
By Alex C. Cullison
Helpful index: 100%
exellent cardio machine with small footprint
(Score 5/5)
Bought it since it was ( and still is ) on sale on amazon for 599. So far it has been about 2 month ago, and love it! I live in a single apartment on third floor, so I was looking for a rather small machine with minimun noise and footprint. This one just fits the bill perfectly! I can squeeze this machine right in a corner of my living room and it does not stand out at all. The quality of the machine is great. Actually I like it more than the ellipticals in the gym I used to go to. This machine is very sturdy and seems to be able to last a long time. I use it for 4~5 times between 30 - 50 mins every week, with resistance betwen 6 to 10.
Did have a small issue with front horizontal axis right below the dispay where the two push-handle connect though. When I assmbled it, no matter how much I tightened the screw, there always seemed to be a little bit extra space ( about 1/16 inch ) between the horizonal axis and push-handle. So when I swing the handle with higher resistance, I feel and hear the metal of the push-bar clinking and bumping the horizonal metal bar. Kind of annoying but no big deal. Then last weekend I decided to deal with it by un-assemble it and stuck a small shredded cotton ball between one of the push-handle and the horizontal bar. Retightned the screen and problem solved! Now this machine is absolutely noise free and feels super smooth. :)
Also got the iron gym pull-up bar from amazon and it hangs from my door for upper body workout. Now I got everything covered basically since elliptical is great for lower-body and cardio workout. Not more high gym membership fees and I am getting into shape faster. :) It is great to be able to flip the TV channels and watch true blood on HBO while peddling this elliptical at home!
Posted on: 2010-07-16
By Tan Wu
Too many problems for a new machine
(Score 1/5)
We got this elliptical less than 4 months ago and in that time it has only worked correctly for about 2 weeks. First the box did not include the needed cables. Wait a few weeks for those to arrive, after they want the serial number which is so conveniently placed on the bottom of this 150 pound machine. Have to wait for the hubs to have time to help me get that. Cables finally arrive, we install them, use the elliptical for a few weeks. Then we started seeing the E-2 error. Wait a few weeks because we just didn't have time to deal with it. Play back and forth games with customer service telling us to go get all the cables and adapters tested at Radio Shack to make sure they are OK before they'll send us any parts. Why is this my problem? We work, have kids and a life and are busy. Send me the parts already. I'll be happy to return the ones I don't need, at Nautilus'(owner of Schwinn) expense. In the meantime I have a $600 piece of useless junk.
I strongly suggest taking your exercise-buying dollars to another company.
Posted on: 2010-07-15
By seattle98
