As an ACE-certified personal trainer with a specialization in orthopedic exercise, many, if not at all, of my clients experience some form of pain due to injury or degenerative condition. My recommendation? A form of cardio that’s low-impact, possesses intensity options that can easily be modified to suit the client’s current fitness level, and the capability to get in a full-body workout thanks to core, lower body, and upper body engagement. The best ellipticals help you achieve all that and more, and we have the 10 best options for you to consider for your home gym. However, if you’re looking to take your workout down a notch, research from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research2 suggests the elliptical requires only 60 percent of effort as a treadmill, which can be great for those suffering from chronic conditions or looking for an active recovery day at the gym. Either way, you’ll still get an incredible workout: One study from the journal Gait Posture3 found that of all common low-impact cardiorespiratory activities—including stationary cycling, treadmill walking, and overground walking—elliptical training recruits the quadriceps to a much larger degree. Under the guidance of a professional, strengthening the quads is a great way for clients with knee pain or instability to find relief, and quads are integral in everyday movement patterns, such as getting up and down from a chair or taking the stairs.
Trial Period: 30 days Warranty: The frame and drive motor are warranted for a lifetime. Parts and labor are warranted for five and two years respectively. Customer rating: 4.9 Top review: “Great beautiful machine! I have really enjoyed my workouts on my new NordicTrack elliptical. The machine feels durable, and I like using it. It’s amazing and I love the workouts too. It’s such a fun machine.” Trial Period: 30 days Warranty: Lifetime warranty Customer rating: 4.8 Top review: “This product is very obviously well made and sleek! It is extremely helpful to keep my legs moving while working a job that requires a lot of continuous sitting.” Trial Period: 30 days Warranty: The frame and drive motor are warranted for a lifetime. Parts and labor are warranted for five and two years respectively. Customer rating: 4.7 Top review: “I don’t do the iFit stuff, just use the machine and….OMG I am really starting to see the results in just 30 minutes a day 5 days a week. This may not work for everyone, but for me, WOW. I cannot see my life without this elliptical now.” Trial Period: Six weeks Warranty: The frame is warranted for 10 years, mechanical for two years, electrical for one year, and labor for 90 days. Customer rating: 4.6 Top review: “Easy to set up and keep track of the workouts for multiple household users. Assembly was rather simple as all the instructions were so easy to follow. I found some of the nuts and bolts were already in place so it was quite easy to assemble, taking less than two hours to complete. The display itself is terrific. It took some getting used to but after that it was easy to follow the workout. My hats are off to your engineering and marketing departments. This elliptical far exceeded our expectations.” Trial Period: 30 days Warranty: The frame and drive motor are warranted for a lifetime. Parts and labor are warranted for five and two years respectively. Customer rating: 4.8 Top review: “Excellent machine, quality materials and finish, and an efficient use of space.” Trial Period: Six weeks Warranty: Three years frame, three years parts, 90 days labor Customer rating: 4.6 Top review: “I used to be a runner, but knee problems have limited my running. The Bowflex Max 9 is a perfect cardio replacement for running for me, and it takes up much less space than a treadmill or elliptical. Great gym-like equipment quality, and easy assembly thanks to the excellent Bowflex assembly equipment. I’m very happy with this system and will get many years of use from it.” Trial Period: 30 days three years on parts, one year on labor. Warranty: Lifetime warranty on frame, Customer rating: 4.5 Top review: “I would definitely buy this machine again. I love how sturdy it is, how well it glides, the fact that you can use the arm poles or not, change incline and resistance on the fly, and it is simple to use. Highly recommend if you are looking for a smooth, sturdy machine.” Trial Period: 30 days Warranty: One year warranty Customer rating: 4.8 Top review: “Overall I’m very impressed with this under the desk elliptical! Getting the Bluetooth linked device is fantastic for monitoring my increased activity. Pedaling for a few hours a day makes a big difference in my activity level without too much stress.” Trial Period: 30 days Warranty: Lifetime frame and motor, five years parts, five years electrical, two years labor. Customer rating: 4.4 Top review: “After doing a bit of research on quality elliptical machines, I settled on Sole and chose this model roughly 2 years ago. After weekly use on a carpeted area and now about two weeks into a new location, the machine runs like it’s out-of-the-box new. It has quiet and fluid motion, all features function as intended, and all the exterior parts have held up perfectly.” Trial Period: 30 days Warranty: Two years Customer rating: 4.6 Top review: “Thank you Teeter for stepping outside the box and doing what no one else has done for people like me: provide a quality exercise device that is useful to those of us who can’t exercise with anything but a device like this and doing it with such quality and such a low affordable price.” Look for an integrated water bottle holder to stay hydrated and a media compartment to safely store your phone or tablet. If a cooling fan is essential to your comfort and performance, look for that. If you prefer to get lost in your favorite playlist, be sure to look for enhanced sound controls or Bluetooth capabilities. For those with balance issues, a seated or recumbent option is a safe bet. Start slow with low resistance, and incrementally adjust your speed and intensity as you get stronger week by week. Be sure to grip firmly onto the handlebars so as to maintain balance. When setting up your elliptical, be sure to place it around 20 inches away from any furniture, walls or objects to account for the moving footpads. Keep a towel nearby to prevent any slippage due to sweat. When creating a balanced workout program, you also want to incorporate all of the five major movement patterns, including both push and pull movements. Pushing and pulling are common everyday tasks involved in the likes of pushing open a door or picking up heavy groceries. The elliptical can help you get acquainted with both of these crucial movement patterns.
