With elliptical trainers getting more and more popular, it's no wonder that most gyms are now filled with row after row of these machines. They certainly have a unique premise - combining the best of stair steppers and treadmills, and topping them both by adding arm bars that give you an upper body workout as well.

The big question when these trainers first hit the market was whether or not they worked as advertised. Could one machine really do the work of two, or was this going to be another in long line of passing workout fads?

Let's start by talking about the machines that an elliptical takes the place of. Stair climbers do a great job of strengthening your legs, and can give a decent cardio workout if done long enough. But you really aren't doing anything at all with your upper body.

Conversely, jogging on a treadmill probably gives you the best cardio workout that a machine can provide. However, there is no strength training component whatsoever. Another point to consider is this: if you are planning to buy these machines for use at home, both of them (and the treadmill in particular) take up a tremendous amount of space.

But many folks interested in improving their fitness don't care about any of the above items. They just want to know one thing: will an elliptical burn as many calories as the other two machines?

Well, beyond the obvious difference in the smaller amount of space it takes up, elliptical trainers are designed to maximize the lower body work of a stair-climber in combination with a full-fledged cardio workout. However, these machines up the ante by adding an upper body strength training component as well. Ellipticals include long, ski-like poles that can be used to improve arm strength as well.

These machines gets their uniqueness from the center wheel at the heart of the unit. This wheel moves in an elliptical motion rather then a circular one. This motion and movement is what gives the lower body such a great workout, and the poles work in conjunction to give you a good upper body workout as well.

They can also bet set up to run specific types of programs with varying lengths of time and speeds. These can be adjusted as your fitness level improves. To top it off, because using an elliptical demands that you are at least somewhat coordinated, it keeps the exercise from ever getting boring!

As it turns out, elliptical trainers deliver on their promise of two workouts for the price of one machine. This appears to be one new piece of fitness technology that is here to stay.


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