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three months ago i started researching exercise machines to augment my diet, after surfing the web for a week or so i decided to go with an elliptical since they are low impact, burn calories faster, and work out your upper body as well.
the one i decided to buy was the Eclipse 1100HRA Elliptical. i am extremely happy with it and would recomend it to anyone looking to buy a home machine. however if i were to buy one again i would get the 1100HR model which is the same physical machine but with less bells and whistles in the ellectronics.
at the time is was looking to buy one i belive the Eclipse 1100HR was selling for $288 at walmart.com not including shipping.
good points:
very sturdy machine - this was the main reason i chose this model
higher then most max weight - think its rated for 275lbs
never sways - i was 205lbs when i started (175 now =D)
damn hard work out - i can only use 50% resist for a 40min workout
reflex step - gives you a little bounce each step(they call it OLS)
standard programed workouts - i only use 2 or 3 of em though
electronic resistance - quiet and consistant, adjusts on the fly
very compact - takes alot less space then most models(around 4'x2')
actually two machines in one - see the tips below for this one
bad points:
heart monitor is useless - the sensors ares on the stationary bars so you can't monitor yourself continuosly during a normal workout. do what i did and get a cheap watch/strap based heart monitor.
heart rate based programs are pretty useless - since workout intensity on an elliptical is based on both the resistance and your pace, these dont really work since the machicne can only adjust the resistance. additionaly the sensors are on the stationary handles so you can't workout you upper body with these programs.
large foot pads allow your feet to slide foward as you work out - this isn't dangerous in any way but foot placement is actually a third factor in workout intensity, if your like me and trying to get the most out of your workout it gets annoying always having to look at your feet and slide them back all the time. (see tips below for a simple fix for this)
no horizontal handle bar grip - this would be a nice feature but i can live without it, grabbing the bars atop the the end works ok.
cool tips:
1) for a simple fix to the foot slipage problem due to the large foot pads i came up with a simple solution. i cut two 4 1/2" pieces from a 2"x4" and then secured them to the sides of the footpads with velcro. works great, now my feet don't slide at all during my workout and i can remove them if i need to.
2) turn your elliptical into a ergometer. eventhough ellipticals work your arms you still end up doing 90% of the work with you legs, but with a common house hold step stool you now have yourself an ergnometer. simply put the step stool in front of the elliptical and now you can get an intense workout using just your arms, chest, and back. this is great if you want to tone your upper body. i usually do 30 mins normaly then the last 10 mins on the steep stool using just my arms. by doing the ergnometer style at the end its easy to keep your heart rate up and get buf at the same time.
3) buy a real heart rate monitor with a chest strap if your serious. none of the monitors on machines in the $300 range are gonna be any good. spend another $50 and buy a no frills one, it will allow you to effortlessly and continuously monitor your exertion and allow you to get the most out of your workout.
so in conclusion i'd definately recommend anyone interested in buying a home elliptical to consider the Eclipse 1100HR, again save yourself $50 by not getting the HRA since the extra heart rate based programs don't really work. i realize that $300 isn't exactly inexpensive but compared to buying something cheaper and then having to replace it a month latter because it broke or your found it doesn't meet your needs i think its a sound investment.
the one i decided to buy was the Eclipse 1100HRA Elliptical. i am extremely happy with it and would recomend it to anyone looking to buy a home machine. however if i were to buy one again i would get the 1100HR model which is the same physical machine but with less bells and whistles in the ellectronics.
at the time is was looking to buy one i belive the Eclipse 1100HR was selling for $288 at walmart.com not including shipping.
good points:
very sturdy machine - this was the main reason i chose this model
higher then most max weight - think its rated for 275lbs
never sways - i was 205lbs when i started (175 now =D)
damn hard work out - i can only use 50% resist for a 40min workout
reflex step - gives you a little bounce each step(they call it OLS)
standard programed workouts - i only use 2 or 3 of em though
electronic resistance - quiet and consistant, adjusts on the fly
very compact - takes alot less space then most models(around 4'x2')
actually two machines in one - see the tips below for this one
bad points:
heart monitor is useless - the sensors ares on the stationary bars so you can't monitor yourself continuosly during a normal workout. do what i did and get a cheap watch/strap based heart monitor.
heart rate based programs are pretty useless - since workout intensity on an elliptical is based on both the resistance and your pace, these dont really work since the machicne can only adjust the resistance. additionaly the sensors are on the stationary handles so you can't workout you upper body with these programs.
large foot pads allow your feet to slide foward as you work out - this isn't dangerous in any way but foot placement is actually a third factor in workout intensity, if your like me and trying to get the most out of your workout it gets annoying always having to look at your feet and slide them back all the time. (see tips below for a simple fix for this)
no horizontal handle bar grip - this would be a nice feature but i can live without it, grabbing the bars atop the the end works ok.
cool tips:
1) for a simple fix to the foot slipage problem due to the large foot pads i came up with a simple solution. i cut two 4 1/2" pieces from a 2"x4" and then secured them to the sides of the footpads with velcro. works great, now my feet don't slide at all during my workout and i can remove them if i need to.
2) turn your elliptical into a ergometer. eventhough ellipticals work your arms you still end up doing 90% of the work with you legs, but with a common house hold step stool you now have yourself an ergnometer. simply put the step stool in front of the elliptical and now you can get an intense workout using just your arms, chest, and back. this is great if you want to tone your upper body. i usually do 30 mins normaly then the last 10 mins on the steep stool using just my arms. by doing the ergnometer style at the end its easy to keep your heart rate up and get buf at the same time.
3) buy a real heart rate monitor with a chest strap if your serious. none of the monitors on machines in the $300 range are gonna be any good. spend another $50 and buy a no frills one, it will allow you to effortlessly and continuously monitor your exertion and allow you to get the most out of your workout.
so in conclusion i'd definately recommend anyone interested in buying a home elliptical to consider the Eclipse 1100HR, again save yourself $50 by not getting the HRA since the extra heart rate based programs don't really work. i realize that $300 isn't exactly inexpensive but compared to buying something cheaper and then having to replace it a month latter because it broke or your found it doesn't meet your needs i think its a sound investment.
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