Cross trainers for home use

Which cross trainer for home suits you?

The position of the flywheel and the length of your stride decide how a machine feels. That is where the choice starts, not at the display.

You want a natural, long stride: choose a version with the flywheel at the rear. There the pedals follow a longer, flatter path, which feels most familiar for long legs and for runners. You will find those with the rear drive ellipticals.

You are short of space or have a low ceiling: then a version with the flywheel at the front is worth a look. That machine is shorter overall, the step on is lower and it keeps you a little more upright. For those, see the front drive ellipticals.

You want to train to a programme or to your heart rate: go for computer controlled resistance. The console then changes the load itself according to a programme or an app, so that intervals and climbs run on without you turning a knob.

Several people in the house will use the machine: look for an adjustable stride length. The same cross trainer then suits someone of 1.60 m and someone of 1.95 m, without the smallest user having to stretch for every step.

You are rehabilitating or have joint complaints: choose a low step on height, firm fixed handles next to the moving poles and fine resistance steps at the bottom of the range. The movement is joint friendly in itself; a low step on height is what makes daily use realistic.

You want as much machine as your budget allows: then also work through the used ellipticals. These include refurbished machines from a higher segment, with a heavier flywheel and a sturdier frame than you would get new for the same money.

Cross trainer, stepper or stair climber?

All three are joint friendly, but they load you differently. A cross trainer has you make a long oval movement in which the arms join in, and that gives the broadest workout per minute. A stepper keeps you on the spot and works mainly on the thighs and glutes, in a far smaller machine. A stair climber has you climb real steps and is the hardest of the three on your legs and your heart rate.

If you are looking for an all rounder for the whole body, the cross trainer is the logical choice. If you have hardly any space or want to target your legs specifically, then look at the steppers or at the stair climbers.

What should you look out for?

Position of the flywheel

This decides the shape of the movement and the size of the machine. A flywheel at the rear gives a longer, flatter stride and a calmer feel at higher speed, but the machine is longer. A flywheel at the front makes the machine shorter and the step on lower, with a slightly steeper movement. Neither is better in itself; it depends on your height and your space.

Stride length

The stride length is the distance your foot covers per revolution. Too short feels like shuffling, too long forces you into a splayed stance. Fixed stride lengths are set for an average height; an adjustable stride length lets you set it per user. With several users of different heights, that is the most important point on this entire list.

Resistance system

Manual resistance is set before the session and is simple and trouble free. Computer controlled resistance lets the console do the work, so that programmes, heart rate control and apps can determine the load. If you are building up or rehabilitating, check how fine the steps are at the bottom of the range, because that is where you will be training.

Flywheel mass and ride feel

A heavier flywheel gives a smoother, less jerky feel, especially when you pick up the pace or lose your rhythm. Also look at the pedal spacing: if your feet are too far apart, you pull your knees outwards and you notice that after half an hour.

Height and floor space

On a cross trainer you stand higher than you would think: the pedals already start above the floor and rise further during the movement. So measure your ceiling height and count your own height plus about thirty centimetres. Allow free space behind the machine as well, and a mat underneath it for the floor and the vibration.

Heart rate, display and apps

Hand sensors in the fixed grips give an indication, while a wireless chest strap measures more accurately and keeps measuring when you use the moving poles. On the display, time, resistance, heart rate and distance are the values that matter. Many machines can be connected to training apps for routes, videos or plans. Those apps are optional and usually ask a paid subscription for the full functions, although some offer a limited free version or a trial period. Mats and heart rate straps are with the elliptical accessories.

Our advice: stand on the machine and take ten strides before you look at the display. If the stride length feels right and your feet are straight under your hips, you are on the right machine; those two things decide whether you will still be using it in a year. If you are between two sizes, choose the version with an adjustable stride length.

Who is a cross trainer for home suitable for?

• Anyone who wants to train in a joint friendly way. Your feet do not leave the machine, so there is no landing impact as there is with running.
• Anyone who wants to lose weight. Arms and legs work together, so you burn more per minute than on a machine that only uses your legs.
• Beginners who want to build up gently. The movement is simple, you set the resistance yourself and you can stop at any moment.
• Anyone recovering from a knee, hip or back complaint. A predictable, round movement without peaks, in consultation with your physiotherapist.
• Families with users of different heights. With an adjustable stride length the same machine suits everyone.
• Anyone who wants a full workout in little time. Twenty minutes on a cross trainer reaches more muscle groups than twenty minutes of cycling.

A cross trainer is less suitable if you have a low ceiling or if you specifically want to mimic the movement of running or cycling. In the first case a stepper or an exercise bike is handier, in the second a treadmill or an indoor cycle. If you are unsure about the type, start by looking at the full range of cross trainers.

Need help choosing?

Would you like to buy a cross trainer for home use but are you not quite sure which one suits your wishes and needs best? Then we are happy to help you further. You can reach our cross trainer specialists by phone on +31 85 773 00 57, send an e-mail or visit our fitness store in Volkel, the Netherlands.

Frequently asked questions about cross trainers for home use

How much space do you need for a cross trainer?

Count on the length of the machine plus half a metre of free space behind you, and on your own height plus about thirty centimetres of ceiling height, because you stand higher during the movement than you do on the floor. A version with the flywheel at the front is shorter than a version with the flywheel at the rear. Many models have transport wheels so you can move the machine aside after your session.

Is a cross trainer better for your knees than a treadmill?

For many people it is. Your feet stay on the pedals, so there is no landing impact and the movement is round rather than broken off. That often makes a cross trainer the most comfortable choice with knee, hip and back complaints or with excess weight. If you want to prepare your body for running, a treadmill is more specific, because there you do train the landing.

What is the difference between a front and a rear flywheel?

With the flywheel at the rear the pedals follow a longer and flatter path, which gives a natural, running like stride and stays calm at a higher pace. With the flywheel at the front the movement is slightly steeper and you stand more upright, while the machine is shorter and the step on is lower. Tall users more often choose the rear, those who have to save space more often the front.

Which muscles do you train on a cross trainer?

Thighs, glutes and calves do most of the work, and because you push and pull against the moving poles, shoulders, arms, back and abdomen join in. Let the poles go and use only the fixed grips and the work shifts to your legs and your trunk. That is also a way of varying within the same session.

How long should you train on a cross trainer?

For fitness and weight control, three to five times a week for twenty to forty minutes in an easy to moderate zone works best. Start shorter than you think you can manage, because the combination of arms and legs feels harder than cycling. Use your heart rate as a brake and build up by a few minutes each week.

Does a cross trainer make much noise?

A cross trainer with a magnetic system is quiet in itself; what you hear is mainly vibration through the floor. A mat underneath solves most of that and protects your floor at the same time. Set the machine level, because a cross trainer that wobbles slightly starts to tick. A heavier flywheel runs more calmly and therefore more quietly too.