Cross Trainers and Home Cardio Equipment

FITNESS · GLOBAL

Cross Trainers and Home Cardio Equipment

Flywheel and stride, footprint, what gets used, and training on one

Home cardio equipment is bought with good intentions and used for a few weeks in a substantial proportion of households. The specifications that determine whether it gets used are about comfort rather than performance.

Stride length

This is the specification that decides whether a cross trainer feels natural. Too short and the motion is cramped; too long and you are reaching. Around 45 to 50 centimetres suits most adults of average height.

Fixed-stride machines are cheaper; adjustable ones suit households where people differ considerably in height.

Flywheel weight and drive

A heavier flywheel gives a smoother, less jerky motion, which is the difference between a machine that feels solid and one that feels cheap. Rear-drive designs generally give a flatter, more natural path than front-drive.

Magnetic resistance is quiet and requires no contact, so there is nothing to wear out.

Footprint and weight

Measure the space including ceiling height, since the pedals raise you thirty centimetres or more and tall users hit low ceilings. Allow clearance behind and to the sides.

Check the machine's weight and whether it has transport wheels, and check the maximum user weight.

Why cross trainers suit some people

The motion is low impact and the feet stay in contact with the pedals, which suits joint problems and anyone for whom running is uncomfortable. It also works the upper body if you use the handles properly.

Making it get used

Put it somewhere you will see it and can watch or listen to something. Machines in spare rooms and garages are used far less than ones in living spaces.

Short frequent sessions beat long occasional ones for both fitness and habit.

Assembly and space

These arrive heavy and boxed and usually need two people and a few hours. Check the delivery is into the room rather than kerbside, and measure the route as well as the room.

Put a mat underneath, which protects the floor and reduces noise for anyone below.

Maintenance

Retighten bolts after the first few weeks and periodically afterwards, since a creak is almost always a loose fixing. Wipe sweat off after every session, which corrodes frames over time.

Alternatives

A rowing machine works more muscle groups and folds smaller. A treadmill suits runners and is heavy, loud and expensive to run. Simply walking outdoors costs nothing and is consistently the most sustained form of exercise.

Buy second-hand for a first machine, since the market is full of barely used equipment.

Before starting

Anyone with a heart condition, joint problems or who has been inactive for a long period should speak to a doctor first.

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