!8: Life Fitness Elliptical Cross Trainer Best Quality: December 2011

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

The Nordic Track 990 Elliptical Trainer Tested

!±8± The Nordic Track 990 Elliptical Trainer Tested

The Nordic Track 990 elliptical trainer is new for 2007. However it appears that this cross trainer is an upgrade of the older 928. Nordic Track is a subsidiary of Icon which happens to be the largest manufacture of fitness equipment in the world. Icon also manufactures Reebok and Schwinn elliptical trainers. The Nordic Track 990 elliptical trainer does have a great feature that the 928 does not. It has the ability to incline which has the effect of changing the shape of the elliptical stride as well as the strides length. We found a Nordic Track 990 that was purchased for home use to test.

We used several people of different size in conducting our test. The max rating for the 990 elliptical trainer is about 325 lbs. One of our testers is a power lifter weighing at 280 lbs. We also have a couple of testers that use elliptical trainers 5 or more days a week. The first thing that everyone did not care for was the non-articulating foot peddles. We also wish the console had been upgrade with a larger display. That being said we really like the power incline feature. There are 5 incline setting that change the shape and stride length. Shortly after making a change in incline you feel the change in your muscles response. However when we tried to conduct an intense workout the machine became very noisy and shaky.

The biggest complaint to come from the purchaser was about the Ifit technology was a "rip off" to get money for what should have been program into the elliptical trainer. The Ifit service is free for the first month but a subscription of .00 per month is required to continue the service. Ifit for those who are unaware of its features is a service that sells you a monthly subscription to get a custom 8 weeks of aerobic, strength training and nutrition program base on your individual needs. It is a great market program that makes Icon lots of money.

The people who were so kind to let use their Nordic Track 990 elliptical trainer purchased it online. They hired someone to assemble the elliptical trainer for them. During this assembly there were problems with missing parts but after contacting customer service this issue was resolve albeit slowly. They have been using the elliptical trainer for about 45 days without any major problems. They did the wise thing and purchased an extended warranty to cover any expected problems down the road, The Nordic Track 990 elliptical trainer does have a one year parts and labor warranty but considering the track record of Icon fitness equipment it is very prudent to purchase the extra warranty. Any time you consider purchasing an elliptical trainer for less than 00.00 you can expect cost cutting in the components and construction.

We do recommend this unit for in home use when it is not used at high intensity levels for extended periods. If this elliptical trainer is used for approximately 30 minutes 3 days a week it should hold up well. If you want to see what long term problems to expect you can check the reviews of the older Nordic Track 928 elliptical trainer.

The Nordic Track 990 Elliptical Trainer Tested

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Saturday, December 17, 2011

Elliptical vs Treadmill: Which Burns added Calories?

!±8± Elliptical vs Treadmill: Which Burns added Calories?

There is considerable controversy these days on whether a treadmill or an elliptical trainer burns more calories. Treadmills and ellipticals are the #1 and #2 most popular selling fitness equipment.

Many dedicated treadmill users are switching to elliptical trainers. The appeal is the low impact, upper and lower body workout. Although treadmills still outsell elliptical trainers. The reason being, the most common form of exercising is walking and jogging.

In my research, I came across a number of reports and studies, and in general, it appears that both machines give comparable results in burning calories. In fact, using a calorie burn calculator on http://www.healthstatus.com, I found that a workout on an elliptical gives you the same results as running on a treadmill, but you burn fewer calories if you walk or jog on a treadmill.

Calories burned in 60 minutes by a 150 lbs. user:

Walking, 2 mph - 189

Walking, 3 mph - 297

Jogging - 477

Running, 7 mph - 783

Elliptical Trainer - 774

There was a basic flaw to the results, since it allowed you to compare calories burned at different levels of exertion on the treadmill, but not on the elliptical trainer. Often I see people working out on an elliptical at health clubs, and they are basically going through the motions. The calories they burn are no more than what you would achieve from a casual walk.

So which machine is better at burning calories?

It depends on which machine will motivate you the most and push you to the highest level of exertion.

If you are a devoted walker or runner then the treadmill is an obvious choice. The treadmill offers you a more forgiving surface in comparison to asphalt or concrete. It provides you with various programs that can add variety to your exercise. But to get results you need to crank up the speed and/or incline. Without pushing yourself, you will limit the number of calories you burn.

As mentioned, the elliptical trainer is growing in popularity due to the low impact, and combined upper and lower body workout. Since the machine moves in an elliptical motion and your feet never leave the pedals, it minimizes the impact and strain to your ankles, knees and back. This is an appeal feature to the aging baby boomer generation.

In addition, an elliptical trainer workouts both the upper and lower body simultaneously. The upper and lower body exercise utilizes the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, chest, back, triceps and biceps. Studies suggest that exercising numerous muscle groups increases fat burning efficiency. The larger the muscle mass involved in an exercise, the more effective that exercise is for improving fat mobilization, burning calories and building muscle endurance in an efficient period of time.

This would suggest that an elliptical trainer would burn more calories, but there is no denying that running also efficiently burns calories.

So which machine should you purchase?

If your joints are suffering from strain or just old age, and if you would like to exercise your upper body, the elliptical trainer is a good choice. For walkers, joggers or runners you can't go wrong with a treadmill.

In either case, to burn calories you need to exert yourself. Both machines offer a variety of challenging program. Most now come equipped with an "Interval Training" program. You alternate between high-level exertion and cool down periods. This type of training burns calories more efficiently in less time. With proper supervision from your doctor, try to push yourself to new limits.

I'm sorry I did not offer a definitive answer. It really is up to you to find the machine that best suites your needs, and will help you achieve your personal best.