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If you’re shopping for home cardio equipment, consider your joints. If you’re trying to decide between buying a treadmill or an elliptical machine for your home, many people prefer ellipticals machines because they put less stress on their bodies compared to the impact of running on a treadmill. With an elliptical machine, your feet never leave the pedals, which minimizes the potentially damaging impact on joints.
Equally important, unlike treadmills, most elliptical machines have handles that provide both an upper and lower body workout. If your 2020 goals include better cardiovascular conditioning, you’ll be all set with an elliptical machine ready to use.
Today’s top deals on elliptical machines
- Jfit Under-Desk Elliptical – $139, was $150
- MaxKare Magnetic Elliptical – $262, was $300
- Schwinn Compact Elliptical Machine – $400, was $599
- ProForm – Carbon EL Elliptical – Black – $649, was $999
- Nautilus E618 Elliptical – Black – $1,299, was $2,000
The best deals for elliptical machines
Why can ellipticals give better workouts than treadmills?
Elliptical training works the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and anterior tibialis. Also, ellipticals work your quadriceps and hamstrings harder than treadmills. When you use the movable handles on most ellipticals, you also exercise your triceps, biceps, and shoulders, which doesn’t happen with most exercise bikes.
Using an elliptical allows you to follow the natural path of your feet and legs when they are in motion. The motion that your ankles, knees, and hip joints make during walking, jogging, or running is the same motion that an elliptical makes. Also, ellipticals provide a weight-bearing exercise, which is essential to prevent the onset of osteoporosis.
Since ellipticals exercise more muscles simultaneously than most other cardio exercises, you can burn more calories and fat in a short period. Studies show most people report that they didn’t think they worked as hard during workouts with an elliptical machine as when they were on a treadmill. This means that you are actually working out harder than it feels like you are.
Many elliptical machines today feature menus of challenging exercise programs that mimic hill climbing or interval training, which can make workouts more enjoyable and less repetitive. Many machines also have heart rate monitors and controls that allow you to optimize your workout based on heart rate control.
As you can see, there are many benefits to investing in an elliptical machine. There are hundreds of brands and elliptical machine models, but we have you covered. We’ve put together a list of some great deals on ellipticals for your home gym — some even double as an exercise bike. Also, be sure to check out our fitness equipment deals page for other items to round out your home gym.
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