Glider exercise machines--sometimes known as air gliders, air walkers and sometimes mistakenly dubbed low-end elliptical trainers--allow you to swing your feet back and forth in a pendulum-like motion. This works the large muscles of your thighs and hips, although it places relatively little emphasis on your calves.
One of the biggest advantages of air gliders is their relatively low cost; as of September 2010 the highest-end air gliders typically retail for about $400, which is where the low end of elliptical trainer pricing starts. But that's not the only benefit you'll get from using them.
Calorie Burn and Weight Loss
According to Fatburn.com, if you weigh 200 lbs, you can burn 716 calories in an hour of moderate exercise on the Gazelle, one of the best-known glider exercise machines. Working out at a higher intensity helps you burn even more calories, and if you weigh more than 200 lbs. you'll burn more calories, too; the heavier you are, the more calories you burn just to move.
In order to lose a full pound of weight you need to burn 3,500 more calories than you take in. Using the example of weighing 200 lbs. and a moderate workout intensity, you'd need about five one-hour workouts on a glider to lose one pound.
Aerobic Benefits
Working out on an aerobic glider offers all the benefits of aerobic exercise, as long as you do it regularly. These benefits include a strong immune system, more stamina, a stronger heart, clear arteries, reduced risk of developing diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, better mood and a longer life, as published on MayoClinic.com.
Low-Impact, Weight-Bearing Activity
Gliders provide low-impact exercise because there's no impact; your feet never leave the pedals. If you have weak bones or damaged joints, low-impact exercise is safer than high-impact exercise, which might damage your bones or joints with the repetitive pounding.
Although using a glider offers low-impact exercise, it's weight-bearing too. The joints and bones of your hips, knees, feet and ankles have to support you against gravity as you work out. If you have osteoporosis, this sort of exercise may help increase your bone density.
Small and Portable
Gliders are relatively light and easy to move. Odds are good that you can lift the glider and shift it around the house on your own. Most gliders also fold flat for storage; this makes it easy to tuck the glider under the bed, behind the couch or in the closet when not in use, then pull it out when you're ready to work out.
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