Get in
Shape with an Elliptical Trainer
Since
bursting on the fitness scene five years ago,
millions of elliptical trainers have been
installed in health clubs and homes. Elliptical
cross-trainers are the only real breakthrough
aerobic product of the past few years," says
Gregory Florez, spokesman for the American
Council on Exercise (ACE). "They are
absolutely not a gimmick."
According to
the American Sports Data, Inc., "the
elliptical motion trainer, continued to grow in
popularity, with 6.2 million users in 2000, up
from 2.4 million when first measured in 1997."
  Elliptical
trainers combine the natural stride treadmill and
the simplicity of a stair climber. On an
Elliptical trainer, you stand comfortably in an
upright position while holding onto the machine's
handrails and striding in either a forward or
reverse motion.
What makes a
trainer unique is the ability to offer a weight
bearing workout that puts minimal stress on the
joints. Your feet never leave the pedals of an
elliptical trainer, thereby eliminating any
impact in your workout. Whether you go forward or
reverse, and regardless of the level of
resistance, there is a reduced risk of injury
from overusing any one-muscle group.
Weight
bearing exercises like running, hiking and
aerobics benefits the body in ways that non-weight
bearing exercises like rowing and cycling cannot.
Weight resistant workouts builds bone density and
burns calories more efficiently.
For
individuals trying to burn calories and trim
down, the weight-bearing arm/leg exercise
optimizes energy expenditure during self-selected
exercise of moderate intensity in overweight
subjects. In recent studies it was concluded that
energy expenditure among overweight subjects was
higher on the elliptical machine than a
treadmill, or leg cycles with and without upper
body motion. For overweight individuals who are
initiating a regular exercise program to decrease
excess body fat, they will find that elliptical
treadmills optimize energy expenditure.
Elliptical
Motion
The low
impact, intensive cardiovascular workout of an
elliptical trainer is achieved through smooth and
natural motion. The fluid, non-jarring motion
makes the elliptical trainer ideal for anyone
with back, knee, hips and joint problems. The
dual action machines utilize both the legs and
arm in providing a full upper and lower body
workout.
Motion
studies over the last decade show that the human
foot moves through an elliptical pattern as we
walk, run or jog. Fitness products that imitate
and support this motion are the fastest growing
new category of cardiovascular equipment.
With scarce
time, a major factor in people's daily lives,
total body exercise can be truly beneficial. A
total body exercise machine meets three goals
that are most desired - weight loss, time
efficiency, and motivation.
Total Body
Exercise involves more muscle mass in an aerobic
exercise activity. For the average person, the
larger the muscle mass involved in exercise, the
more effective that exercise is for improving fat
mobilization, burning calories and building
muscle endurance in an efficient period of time,
and at a reduced perceived rate of exertion. The
upper and lower body workout of a trainer
utilizes the quadriceps. hamstrings, glutes,
chest, back, triceps and biceps.
Elliptical
Technology
Within the
fitness industry, "Elliptical Technology"
has become the generic name for devices that
incorporate the various linkages/mechanisms in an
effort to create a preferred pattern of movement
for a pair of foot pedals. The shape of this
preferred movement is intended to mimic the
natural path of the ankle, knee and hip joints
experience during locomotion - walking, striding,
jogging and/or running.
In its most
rudimentary form, Elliptical Technology consists
of a crank arm (similar to the crank of a bicycle)
that revolves around an axis at one end and that
is attached to a bar at the other. The opposite
end of the bar moves in a reciprocating, linear
pattern when the crank rotates. Since one end of
the bar rotates in a circular pattern while the
other moves linearly, points between the two ends
of the bar move in elliptical patterns. The
points of the bar closest to the crank move in
wider, more circular ellipses (closest to a
circle) and the points closest to the other end
move in thinner, flatter ellipses (closer to a
straight line).
The most
obvious advantage of Elliptical Technology is the
lack of impact to the lower limbs and back.
Unlike a treadmill in which the foot of the user
is continuously lifted off of the running
surface, striking that surface upon the return,
the foot and foot pedal of an elliptical machine
are in constant contact. Effectively eliminating
impact.
Impact force
is also felt on stairstepper devices. Although
the foot often remains in contact with the foot
pedal when such devices are used, the foot pedal
undergoes a virtually instantaneous direction
reversal. Essentially, the foot pedal is moving
in one direction, must stop and then is pushed in
the opposite direction. The force required to
reverse the movement of the mechanism results in
"impact" to the joints of the lower
body.
The mechanism
incorporated in an elliptical machine moves in a
smooth, continuous motion and does not suffer the
effects of direction reversal. The exercise
experienced on elliptical machines is weight
bearing (versus exercise bikes) which has
ramification in the inhibition of the onset of
osteoporosis.
In addition,
although cycling is a well-recognized and safe
tool to improve cardiovascular conditioning, the
elliptical modality is a more functional pattern
of movement. Since ellipticals simulate a natural
walking pattern, they easily lend themselves to
an upper body component of exercise. Many other
devices, either due to their mechanical structure
(treadmills) or the pattern (cycling) do not
readily adapt to a total body configuration.
The various
manufacturers of elliptical machines have
developed many iterations of this basic
technology. As a result, the field is full of
machines that have a different "feel" -
the articulation of the ankle, knee and hip is
different. The true nature of Elliptical
Technology has been somewhat obscured by the
preponderance of these questionable devices. Many
lack the design and mechanism to duplicate a
fluid, natural motion. As with all forms of
exercise equipment, there are cheap versions that
offer negligible physical benefits.
Due to the
natural motion, combined with an upper and lower
body workout, quality elliptical trainers will
continue to grow in popularity and their sales
will substantially increase. They appeal to a
population that is increasingly overweight and
looking for an optimum workout for burning fat
and calories. Elliptical trainers also appeal to
an aging population that seeks a total body
workout, minus the impact.
Purchase
Factory Direct German Built Elliptical Trainers
at
Smooth
Fitness the #1 Online Exercise Equipment Store
James
E. Bohne, Jr., REALTOR®
Mobile: (801) 791-9579
Office: (801) 476-9500
Fax: (801) 476-9581
E-mail: j.e.bohne@att.net |
Crest
Realty Inc.
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© 2003-2005, James E. Bohne, Jr., All Rights
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