Elliptical trainers, sometimes referred to as cross trainers, are a new form of exercise equipment rapidly becoming the most popular piece of fitness equipment in gyms and homes around the world. Elliptical trainers are a good choice for anyone desiring a safe, total body work out. Ellipticals are one of the best weight bearing total body fitness exercise machines on the market today and no other fitness equipement offers as many benefits.

My Personal Experience On The Elliptical
I have to admit when I was first introduced to an elliptical trainer I was a bit skeptical about its ability to furnish a whole body workout. Boy was I (pleasantly) surprised however by the results. The elliptical is now a personal favorite for my husband and I, who use it religiously. Both of us have knee problems that do not affect us when working out on the elliptical. It's quite easy to get your heart rate up when using an elliptical machine, but you don't feel like you are 'pounding pavement' and killing your joints.

Elliptical Trainers: How Do They Work?
Elliptical trainers work much like a stair climber only they reduce the impact to your knees and joints. They provide you with footpads to stand on while you exercise. You hold onto handles that move in a manner much like you would if cross country skiing. Elliptical trainers allow you to engage in weight bearing exercise, which helps build muscle and strengthen your bones. Unlike jogging or running, elliptical trainers provide a total body workout without severely impacting your joints including your knees.

Most elliptical machines have a crank arm attached to a bar at one end of the machine and an axis at the other end of the machine. The axis then rotates when the bar moves and the end moves in a flat back and forth direction. Resistance for elliptical machines is created either through a band that attaches to the fly wheel or by magnetic resistance (most higher end models feature magnetic resistance). The motion of an elliptical machine is smooth like a bicycle ride. You can also switch your movement into reverse and rotate the areas of your legs you are working.

An elliptical machine provides continuous movements that are smooth and non-jarring. That is why so many people prefer them to the abrupt and impactful movements of a treadmill or other exercise machine. An exercise bike may provide the same smooth motion. You can't however work your upper body the same way using a bicycle that you can when using an elliptical machine. Likewise, swimming also provides excellent smooth exercise for all body parts, but it doesn't provide weight bearing exercise. Study after study suggests that it is important for people, especially women, to engage in weight bearing exercises to help boost bone density and muscle strength.

Benefits Of 'Elipticizing'
Using an elliptical trainer provides many benefits including:

1. They are easy to use.
2. They are good for patients with knee problems or those looking for a low impact but effective form of cardiovascular exercise.
3. You can adjust elliptical trainers to meet your fitness level.
4. Most come with built in heart monitors so you can check your fitness progress.
5. Elliptical trainers provide a total body workout, exercising the arms and legs at the same time.
6. If you own an elliptical trainer, you probably won't need another form of exercise equipment.

Even better, you can select from various types of elliptical workout machines to suite your personal needs. Some for example are built for home use while other higher end models are exclusively built for gyms (though many home owners prefer these because of their exceptional quality).

History of The Elliptical Trainer
The elliptical trainer first started gaining popularity during the 1990s. During this time studies began showing that elliptical trainers provided superior benefits over other forms of exercise like bicycling or running. Elliptical machines offer total body routines without high impact exercise. Traditional versions initially only worked the lower body with stable, unmoving handlebars. Fortunately the elliptical trainers of today feature movable handles that offer a more complex and sophisticated workout. Users can now workout multiple areas of the body in one session, rather than jump from machine to machine to get total body benefits.