What is an elliptical machine?
These types of machines can also be referred to as elliptical or cross trainers, but basically when they were produced they were made to replace the Stairmaster. An elliptical machine is a stationary exercise machine that is used to simulate walking or running without causing any stress or discomfort, including excessive pressure, to your joints. And because they are reducing the stress on your joints you are also reducing your risk of impact injuries that you could sustain from walking or running.

What do elliptical machines offer?
These types of exercise machines offer you a non-impact cardiovascular workout that can vary. The workouts can actually vary from light to high intensity based on the resistance preference. Most of these machines work both the upper and lower body of the user, but be aware that some of the models, especially your older models, will not offer any kind of upper body workout. You also want to keep in mind that if you are using this type of exercise machine that they are not geared to help you build muscles, but instead they are only designed to provide you with a cardiovascular workout.

What should I think about when buying an elliptical machine?
According to numerous experts if you are going to be purchasing one of these machines in the future or even in the present there are some things that you need to keep in mind to ensure that you purchase the right machine for your needs. Here are three major criteria that you should consider when purchasing one of these machines:

• How well does the elliptical machine fit your body size and the sizes of all users in your family?
  
• How does the elliptical feel? Remember that the feel is a subjective matter and you should either try the unit or buy one that has at least a 30-day money back guarantee.
  
• Does the elliptical machine exhibit quality construction? Evaluate the design and components to determine whether the smoothness and durability will be there down the road.

Is there more than one type of elliptical machine on the market?
The one thing about these machines like other machines there are a variety of different types of machines on the market and then the major types are also broken down into sub-categories. In fact the three main types of these machines are front drive, rear drive and center drive elliptical. But the thing about these different machines is that one drive is not always better than the other type of drive, basically there is no better drive in terms of feel, although many people tend to have this misconception. What it all boils down to is your own personal preference and which kind of drive you feel the most comfortable with. But of course each type of drive is going to have certain advantages and disadvantages. Here is a look at both rear drives and front drives:

• Rear drives - these were first on the market so they have had ample time to build a solid reputation for both home and club use, in fact it is the rear drive machine that is dominant in the club side of the business. A good thing about rear drive machines is the silky smooth feel you get by having the flywheel behind you; in fact there is more inertia in rear drive than in front drive. So even if you have a lot of resistance you are never going to have that jerky feeling like front drive machines. Most of your rear drive machines will not require any kind of maintenance, but if you have a machine that has an incline ramp that uses rollerblade wheels sliding up and down an aluminum ramp you will need to clean and oil the wheels on a weekly basis to maintain that smooth ride. With these machines your heel will rise up higher than your toe, which causes the elliptical path to be taller and more natural-feeling.
  
• Front drives - these are becoming more popular, but are mostly showing up in home use because they are not as durable or as easy to maintain as the rear drive machines. But they have also started showing up in the market more because they are a generic design and it allows the treadmill manufacturers to enter into this market. The worst thing about this type of machine is that it requires a high amount of maintenance mainly due to the fact that aluminum, plastic or steel tracks in the base with rubber wheels traveling back and forth across the track which results in a lot of cleaning and oiling to allow your machine to work. You also need to know that using a front drive machine is going to affect your workout because the motion is usually much flatter than that of a rear drive machine. So if you want a good workout you are going to need a longer stride on the machine. Most experts agree that a 20" stride on a front drive machine is about the equivalent of an 18" stride on a rear drive machine. These machines are great for older people or people who are not in the best shape.

What type of resistance system is best to buy?
There are many types of resistance systems on the market, in fact in each brand line there are a variety of resistance systems that you can choose from. But most experts agree that the best type of resistance system that you can buy is the eddy-current resistance system. This system works by having a belt-driven chrome plated flywheel which turns at a very fast rpm speed. But in addition to this there is a magnetic U-shaped braking device a few centimeters away from the flywheel. So what happens is that as you change resistance the magnet moves closer to the rotating flywheel, which causes you to work harder to move the machine.

 Where should I buy my elliptical machine?
The good news about these machines is that because they are so popular you can pretty much find them anywhere that fitness equipment is sold, including online and in stores. And because they are available in numerous locations many people wonder if there is one location that is better to buy than others. Here is some information that you should keep in mind when it comes to purchasing your elliptical machine.

• Mass merchants - this includes retail stores like Wal-Mart and Sears. The great thing about these kinds of stores is because of the huge number of products that they sell they can actually sell these machines at bargain prices. But something that you need to be aware of is that most of the time you will find that their inventory is made up budget products from the low-end brands, not to mention that their inventory is usually limited to only carrying those types of products. You will also discover that the sales people are not going to be very knowledgeable about the product you are looking at and you can also have a hard time getting customer service.
  
• Fitness specialty stores - these stores are harder to find because of the fact that the huge mass merchants have moved into their area but in some places you can still find these small stores. If you can find these stores they are going to be your best option to buying an elliptical machine. The best thing about these types of stores is that you can actually try out the product before you buy it to see if it is going to be the right fit for you. But when trying out the product you are going to want to try it out for more than just a few minutes in the store, what you are going to want to try to get is a free 30 day trail in your home. These stores are also great because many times the sales people are actually knowledgeable about the products they are selling, but you want to watch out for them because most work on a commission basis and will try to push you into buying the most expensive unit out there. But keep in mind that these products are going to be a bit more expensive than mass merchant stores because many times they are higher in quality and you have to pay the extra cost for the middleman.
  
• Online stores - these are another option because not only can you research the product you are looking for but you can also look around easily to make sure that you are getting the best price out there. But the one drawback is that you cannot try the machine out before you purchase it so you will want to make sure you are purchasing a machine that offers a free 30 day in home trial. You can also research the best elliptical machines out there, not to mention you can find out everything that you need to know about using an elliptical machine at the various websites that focus on this type of exercise machine.

What stride length should I get?
When it comes to elliptical machines they come in a variety of different stride lengths, generally ranging from 18" to 21". In order to choose the machine that is going to be your best choice you are going to need to choose an elliptical machine that has the right stride length. How you can determine the correct stride length is going to depend on how tall you are, if you are going to be purchasing the machine for multiple users the good news is that in most cases the stride length can be used by people in a general height range. In order to find the perfect stride length for your elliptical machine you should visit this website and use their tool to determine your stride length http://www.smoothfitness.com/ellipticals/strideselector.htm