Working out on an elliptical trainer is a low-impact alternative to running on a treadmill. Elliptical machines have become popular in gyms and in homes. There are many different brands of ellipticals, with varying designs and features. Most elliptical trainers offer pedal resistance as one way to ramp up the intensity of your workout.
Identification
Increasing the resistance on an elliptical trainer feels similar to changing gears on a bike. As you move up into higher gears, pedaling a bicycle becomes more difficult. The same principle applies to the elliptical trainer. As you increase the resistance, moving the pedals becomes more difficult, meaning you have to exert yourself more.
Significance
Pedal resistance is the main method of changing the difficulty level of your workout on an elliptical trainer. Treadmills offer speed and incline options. Elliptical machines offer pedal resistance, pedal speed and ramp incline options. However, the speed you pedal is limited and not all elliptical trainers have an incline ramp. This leaves pedal resistance as the main variable.
Levels
Having a range of pedal resistance options allows you to vary the intensity of your workout. Most elliptical machines offer between 12 and 32 levels of pedal resistance. However, some lower-priced machines only offer four to eight resistance levels. Some higher-end machines offer over 100 resistance levels.
Types
There are three main types of resistance mechanisms for elliptical machines, all magnetic in design. Two of the mechanisms feature a U-shaped magnet that sits within a few centimeters of the flywheel. The closer the magnet gets to the flywheel, the more resistance; the farther away, the less resistance. The most basic type, found on budget machines, is the manually adjustable magnetic resistance. You manually control the magnet using a knob or lever. A particle brake or electromagnetic resistance mechanism is generally found on mid-range elliptical machines. The magnet is moved by a motor. You can change the resistance by pressing a button on the console. This style of resistance tends to be slow and somewhat noisy. The most advanced resistance system is eddy-current resistance. The magnet does not move on this type of assembly; resistance is controlled by the current fed to the magnet from the console. Because there are no moving parts, this type of resistance mechanism is considered to be the most reliable and quiet.
Misconceptions
According to the elliptical guide and review website, ellipticaltrainers.com, some elliptical manufacturers use inaccurate language to confuse consumers as to the resistance technology found on its machines. One company calls its resistance system "ECB," leading consumers to believe it's an eddy-current brake system, when it is not. Beware of misnomers and misleading language regarding the resistance technology on an elliptical machine.
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