Larry Miller, an engineer for Precor, is credited with designing the original elliptical machine. Attempting to help his daughter recover from a heel injury, he filmed her as she ran alongside a car. His goal was to capture the motion of her legs and put it onto a machine that would result in less stress to the body than running. Thus, the elliptical machine was born.
Identification
An elliptical machine, also called an elliptical trainer, is a cross between a treadmill and a skier. Rather than a back and forth sliding movement, your feet move in an oval, or elliptical, pattern. Many brands make elliptical trainers including NordicTrack, Precor, ProForm, Smooth, Reebok and Kettler. Elliptical trainers vary greatly in price, from $200 to $8,000 as of 2010.
Benefits
The greatest benefit of an elliptical machine compared to a treadmill is the low-impact nature of the workout. A study conducted at the University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse, and published in the Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise Journal, found that heart-rate and oxygen uptake values for those exercising on an elliptical were almost identical to those running on a treadmill, but the impact forces were more comparable to walking. Therefore, working out on the elliptical machine is easier on the knee and hip joints than running on a treadmill.
Console Features
Most elliptical machines have a digital console that provides workout feedback including heart rate, time elapsed, distance and approximate calories burned. Many elliptical trainers have preset workouts; simply select the desired program and it adjusts the speed and resistance for you. The number of preset programs varies from four to 24. To check your heart rate on some machines, you hold your hands on top of the pulse sensors built into the handles. Other elliptical machines are compatible with heart rate monitor watches such as Polar and Timex models.
Design
Elliptical machines may have only the lower-body pedal action, while others include upper body lever arms. Most models have between 10 and 20 levels of pedal resistance, to increase the intensity of the workout. Some elliptical trainers also have incline ramps. This not only changes the intensity of your workout, but switches the emphasis to different muscles.
Comfort
Different models, even those made by the same company, can vary greatly in comfort. The model your best friend loves may feel awkward to you. Elliptical machine review sites, such as Allellipticals.com, state that stride length is the most important comfort factor. Short stride lengths, those less than 18 inches, can be uncomfortable, especially for taller users. Longer stride lengths, over 18 inches, usually feel more natural for most exercisers. Some elliptical models offer adjustable stride lengths.
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