An elliptical trainer is probably the best piece of fitness equipment you can buy. If you want exercise equipment that works both your upper and lower body at the same time, you’ll find that an elliptical trainer is the only one that can get the job done. You can burn more calories on an elliptical trainer using much less apparent effort than on a treadmill or stationary bike. All of which means that you should seriously consider purchasing a good quality elliptical trainer for your home or office fitness needs.
The key to a quality elliptical trainer is its stability, durability, and ease of use. Before purchasing any elliptical trainer, it is highly recommended that you take the time to take the model you are considering for an intense test drive. The trainer should not rock from side to side or cat-walk around the room. He should also be relatively quiet with no bumps or clanks. The rubbing sound is also a red flag warning. The location of the pedals and the length of your stride should be comfortable, allowing you to change the position of each. The electronics should allow you to change resistance on the fly and give you the ability to control pulse rate, calorie burn, speed and ride time functions.
An associate recently gave us a Weslow Momentum 610 elliptical trainer for evaluation. We were told that the elliptical was purchased for $180.00 about 6 months ago, but was only used once. We asked our 4 fitness testers to test the machine. Our testers use elliptical cross trainers as part of their regular exercise program. Almost immediately there were problems when our largest tester had the machine fall over with him on it. It was obviously a form of light for any user who was over 6 feet tall and weighed over 200 pounds. The other three testers also found the Weslow elliptical to be very unstable during intense training. In addition, the stride was very short and uncomfortable. Noise was also a factor. After only 5 test rides, the evaluation ended in the name of safety.
We recommend that you do not purchase the Weslow Momentum 610 elliptical trainer. We felt it was of very poor quality. In our experience, we have found that a quality trainer typically costs at least $1000. He should save his money and buy a quality elliptical that is durable and stable during intense training.