7 Best Cross Trainer Machines With Reviews

Nowadays we live in an era of fitness freaks. From a school going student to a working professional everyone takes out time from their schedules for fitness activities like gym, aerobics, yoga, Zumba, etc. different types of activities yield different results. One of the fitness activity which is becoming popular these days is cross-training.

Cross training refers to an exercise routine that uses several modes of training for the development of a specific component of fitness. This mode of training is gaining popularity because of the numerous benefits it provides compared to others. The best part about cross-training warm-up exercises is that they can be easily done at home as well using the cross trainer machines and equipment. They have less risk of injury and help in weight loss and total fitness. Thus, it would not be wrong to call cross training a physical and mental challenge you should take up for yourself as a mode of refreshment and recreation which ultimately yields fitness.

What are Cross Trainer Machines?

Cross trainers are stationary exercise machines that cause elliptical motion movements in the joints without causing much stress on the joints. They reduce the risk of impact injuries. The elliptical cross trainer machines are the most popular form of training equipment because of the minimal risk and maximum benefit formula. It is believed that even the injured people can also use elliptical trainers to keep themselves fit. They work mostly on upper and lower body fitness. You can find this equipment very commonly in the cardio section of gyms.

Benefits of Using Cross Trainer Machines:

Help in Weight Loss: This is the most common benefit of cross trainers which is leading to its popularity. With a 9-5 schedule, people are bound to gain fat because of the requirements of their work. The best way they can work out is to use an elliptical cross trainer which helps burn calories and fat fast. A medium-intensity workout is sufficient to lose some fat from your body.

Helps in Toning of Muscles: Cross trainers use different exercises and equipment combinations for the maintenance of strengths of different body parts. This allows the user to work out for both the upper body and lower body muscles simultaneously. It is recommended that users follow a workout schedule which includes training of different muscles, especially targeting the weaker ones.

Improves Breathing Capacity: Elliptical cross training activities help improve the breathlessness. With regular workout, muscles become more efficient. This means that the muscles consume less oxygen and produce less carbon dioxide. This means that now you can exercise more efficiently without feeling breathlessness. People with asthma or other chronic breathing disorders should definitely consult their doctors before indulging in any workout activities.

Helps Improve Heart Health: The elliptical trainer can be used for a cardio workout to strengthen your heart and improve the cardiovascular capacity. It helps lower blood pressure, thereby reducing the risk of strokes. If your heart is well trained, you can call yourself cardio-respiratory fit. Nowadays when the stress levels are rising, leading to so many stroke-related deaths, having a healthy heart is very important.

Helps in Reducing Stress: Exercise and physical activities lead to the release of endorphins and serotonin. These are the happy hormones that help improve your mood and relieve stress. Indeed, these hormones provide a feeling of well-being, which is very important. Sports are undoubtedly the best medicine because of the magical effect it has on the mind and body. From being a good antidepressant to helping in curing diseases, sports activities are a solution to many fitness problems of mind and body.

A regular cross trainer workout relives you of all medical problems and also helps improve life expectancy. In today’s fast running world, it is important for everyone to take out some time to run on these training schedules. They will actually help the mind and body in every possible way.

Types of Cross Trainers Machines:

There are different kinds of cross trainer machines suited for different kinds of workout activities. It is important to choose the right equipment first in order to get the desired results.

Incline Cross Trainer Machines: This is one of the most commonly used cross trainer machines as it can help target different categories of muscles. It is particularly good for helping in the training of core muscles and upper thighs. The users can change the level of incline from completely flat to rising high based on their needs.

Belt Resistance Cross Trainers: For all those looking for inexpensive but reliable training equipment, these are the best suited. These machines use a belt and flywheel to manage resistance. They are however not suitable for those who want active daily workout equipment. The quality of the product is low and hence are the prices.

Variable Stride Length Cross Trainer Machines: These machines provide a range of stride lengths in one equipment. The user can choose the length based on the type of workout ranging from one simple walking to fast motion running. This is the best category to choose for home-use since different family members can choose different categories of workout, all in one machine.

Ergometer Cross Trainer: These trainer machines are usually used only by the professional athletes for whom pinpoint accuracy is important. The ergometer cross trainer measure resistance in watts but this feature often comes with a big price tag! Thus, they are not preferred commonly by all people.

Buying Guide for Best Cross Trainer Machines:

Choosing the suitable cross trainer equipment is not an easy task. There are several factors which should affect your decision. Below is a list of considerations to keep in mind.

• A place to keep: The place where the machine has to be kept should be finalized first. There should be proper electronic fitting and the temperature should also be regulated. Keeping the electronics in places where temperature fluctuations are common, can cause damage.
• Area available: The size of the machine will depend on the area you have available to keep the machine. Cross trainers can be surprisingly huge, and its thus important to make a suitable space before jumping on the decision to buy.
• User weight: Different cross trainers have different capacity. It is important to measure the user weight and purchase the machine accordingly. Most cross trainers provide a maximum user weight of 130 kg.
• Resistance levels: Generally, Higher the resistance levels in a machine, better it is! But in the case of cross trainers, this might not be taken as an indicator of quality for sure. Resistance levels should be taken into consideration but they need not be the entire decision-making criteria.
• Read for added information: It is important to check out the additional offers like a money-back guarantee, warranty information, service and replacement costs, etc, as they are very important in the long run.
• Choose the right stride length: the stride length affects the quality of your workout. It affects the range of movement. For walking the stride length required is lower as compared to running or other motion activities. It is better to choose variable stride length machines for better usage.

Top 7 Cross Trainer Products:

Below is a list of top 7 products which we have found to be the most suitable in all respects. If you are looking forward to buying a cross trainer for yourself, then you should definitely check out these products.

1) DeskCycle Under Desk Exercise Bike and Pedal Exerciser:

If you are among those who don’t get time to exercise because of long working hours, then this Desk Cycle is definitely for you. The best part about this exercise is that it burns the calories even at a speed as low as 1 revolution per second. To ensure that the exercise doesn’t affect work adversely, this Desk Cycle comes with excellent magnetic resistance and a flywheel to make pedalling a hassle-free job. The fact that it comes with a desk stand helps one easily view the details. The pedals are wide enough to ensure easy placement of any feet size over them. This machine is in high demand because of the fact that it saves time.

Pros:

• Comes with a Kensington Slot which helps in securing the desk cycle easily with the desk.
• Large and comfortable straps make it user-friendly for all shoe size.
• The pedal motion is smooth enough to ensure no distraction of work.
• The online web app allows to keep a track of all the progress and one can view it on daily basis.

Cons:

• Keeping the Desk Cycle at a higher resistance level may distract the people from work.
• In case you don’t find this product suitable, there are no returns available for it.

2) HARVIL FOLDABLE MAGNETIC EXERCISE BIKE:

Many people aren’t willing to spend their money on exercise bikes because they require a lot of space to be kept. Harvil Foldable Magnetic Exercise Bike helps to solve this problem since it can be folded easily by a single knob, simultaneously ensuring no compromise in exercise. It comes with a compact digital monitor which helps to keep a track of miles, speed, time, calories and heart rate. The comfortable backrest allows exercising comfortably. Adjustable seat and super comfortable pedals allow you to exercise for quite a lot of time without causing much fatigue.

Pros:

• Two front wheels allow to easily take the exercise bike from one place to another.
• The resistance system allows exercising smoothly.
• The seats are very cushiony, comfortable and adjustable as well.
• The heart rate can be tracked with the help of pulse rate sensors which are placed on the handles.
• This exercise bike comes with a 90-day guarantee.

Cons:

• Even after folding it requires enough space to be placed.
• It has a limit to user weight which restricts its usage by some extent.

3) MARCY REGENERATING MAGNETIC ELLIPTICAL:

This is for all those who don’t hesitate to take out time for full body workout on daily basis. The stabilizers placed at the front of the machine help to easily carry it from one place to another, making it comfortable to be used at home. The handles are very smooth which helps one to workout with ease. The pulse detectors are located on the handles which help to capture the pulse rates. Unlike other exercise devices, this machine is known to display a lot more information like time, distance, RPM, speed, calories, body fat, watts, pulse recovery, and pulse. Apart from that, the machine also provides specialized programs like heart rate program.

Pros:

• Large pedals help to develop a very firm grip for the feet.
• The transport wheels are smooth enough to carry the machine easily from one place to other.
• Almost everything in this machine is adjustable which makes it very comfortable for every person.
• The large computer screen makes the details easily visible.

Cons:

• Exercise done through this machine is known to cause a lot of fatigue.
• Some people don’t find it comfortable to sit on short seats.

4) TEETER FREE STEP RECUMBENT CROSS TRAINER AND ELLIPTICAL

What could be better than the fact that this machine allows a stress-free and comparatively less tiring workout schedule? With amazing calorie burning results, the machine doesn’t put much load on the back and joints. This machine is suitable for all those people who belong to the mid-age category since it allows the knee to follow a certain path thus ensuring a comfortable workout session. It also offers the feature of dual power motion which allows even distribution of the exertion throughout the body.

Pros:

• Safe workout for knees, hips, and back.
• Very affordable and can be chosen by the age group of people as well.
• Doesn’t cause much fatigue to the body because of dual power motion.
• Transfers the pain from one body part to another so that one can exercise for a longer duration.
• Burns more calories as compared to other exercise machines.

Cons:

• The display on the machine is visible in a shorter area which makes it difficult to read at times.

5. MIAGEEK ELLIPTICAL TRAINER:

If you are looking for elliptical trainer equipment which provides smooth operation and is also quiet, then this is the perfect fit for you. This cross trainer is capable of giving you gym-like experience at home. The machine has 8 levels magnetic resistance which you can adjust as per your requirements. The 13- stride length helps to make the work out effective for upper and lower body parts. Another striking feature of this model which sets it ahead and apart from the crowd is the pulse pad which is located on the handle. This helps in monitoring the heart rate. The machine also has a huge LCD display which tells you your speed, time, calories burnt, which will help you monitor your progress.

Pros::

• Comfortable big non -slip a pedal
• Elbow mounting device.
• Pulse rate monitoring handbar
• Variable tension control
• Portable and easy to move because of wheels attached

Cons:

• Assembling it yourself can be a cumbersome process.

6. ANCHEER Elliptical Machine Trainer:

This elliptical trainer gives the users gym like quiet operation fun. There are 8 levels of magnetic resistance which you can adjust or choose from based on your own fitness goals. With this incredible machine at home, you can enjoy exercising indoors in the comfort of your home. Now you dont need to change cloths and go to the gym. Buy this ancheer elliptical machine trainer for yourself and you can exercise at home for as much time you want and whenever you want at your home. There is a 13 inch stride length which provides a smooth no impact workout for your lower and upper body. This machine can handle a maximum of 150 kg load which is higher than the usual. This is one of the best products you will find in the market. There is an effective flywheel which ensures smooth workout. For an easy everyday experience, you should definitely try this workout machine.

Pros:

• Transportation wheels make it portable.
• Digital monitor for progress monitoring
• Heart rate sensor which monitors pulse frequency.
• Stable and comfortable handle bar
• Variable tension control formula

Cons:

1. Tightening of all the bolts by yourself can be a difficult task.

7. Fast 88 Portable Elliptical Machine:

An ideal workout machine for all those who have confined space to place it. Be it an apartment or a room, the machine can be easily placed anywhere. Moreover, the smooth wheels allow to easily transport it from one place to another. The best part of the machine is the comfort and the grip it offers to place the feet. Apart from this, features like digital monitoring and pulse rate tracking make it easier to keep a track of the workout schedule. The height of the machine ensures proper workout of each body part, thus serving as a substitute for running.
Pros:

• Proper height helps to ensure smooth workout for the entire body.
• The machine doesn’t make disturbing noises which makes it easier to workout at any time of the day.
• Made up of high-quality metal, this machine is very comfortable to operate by people of any age group.
• Adjustable magnetic resistance.

Cons:

• Since the machine has LED display, it might require repair after some time.

Conclusion

Fitness is and should be an important part of anyone’s life. The proverb of “health is wealth” needs to be kept in mind so that you or your loved ones don’t face any severe health problems. Buying a cross trainer equipment for yourself can be a good health investment which you make. Free yourself from the clutches of all the medical issues by just adding a 1-hour everyday workout in your schedule. You will feel the difference yourself. The happy hormones will give you a feeling comparable to euphoria.
Its high time you start thinking about your health instead of just focusing on the money factor. In your busy office schedules, take some time for yourself. Exercise daily. Maintain the fitness levels of your mind and body.