In the world of indoor fitness, one of the relatively newer pieces of equipment to take off in popularity is the elliptical trainer. This machine can offer a cardiovascular workout with minimal impact to joints. Its focus is low-impact cardiovascular, not muscle-building, and provides a great overall workout than can be varied in many ways to prevent workout boredom or plateaus.
History
The first elliptical trainer came onto the scene in the 1990s. It was patented in 2004 by Larry Miller for Precor after he carefully observed the motions and dynamics of his daughter's gait while running. He wanted to create a piece of equipment to simulate that same motion without the relatively high level of impact involved with running, a desire that stemmed from his daughter having a heel injury that limited her ability to continue running. Precor has a handle on the elliptical trainer market because it owns 170 patents on the machine, including the specific elliptical motion.
Popularity
Elliptical trainers are very popular in home gyms. They offer a more full-body workout than many pieces of equipment, especially if they have the added movement of the upper-body-moving handles, and they provide a good cardiovascular workout without major impact as with aerobics or running. Commercial gyms, while not completely replacing treadmills with elliptical trainers, have certainly begun installing nearly as many ellipticals.
Options and Features
There are many basic alternatives of the original elliptical trainer design. Various manufacturers' models offer a large variety of training parameters that can be adjusted. A common variable is the option to shift which muscle group the power is derived from. Incline, stride length and difficulty level also can be adjusted. Reebok first adapted the elliptical trainer to allow upper-body movement, thus making it truly a cross-training aerobic machine.
Advanced Options
Some more advanced options come with a higher price tag on the upper-end models. They include an incorporated heart rate monitor, advanced programmability, advanced feedback screens and control panels. Many models allow the direction of the foot's motion to be reversed, adding even more variety to the workout.
Warning
Before starting any form of new exercise, it is important to see your doctor to ensure that you are in good enough health and will not cause more harm to yourself than good.
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