I have just managed to get rid of my Cross trainer. Well, when I say get rid of, I mean sell. Yes I did actually manage to sell it and get some money back on it. OK, so it may have been to my sister who`s other half is into fitness and has a whole room as an indoor gym, but so what! It is out of my house.
I bought the Cross Trainer afew years ago when I had a child at home. The idea was to exercise while watching him, a lot of mothers know how difficult it is to get much exercise with toddlers at home.
What is a Cross Trainer? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Healthrider E330 Cross Trainer is an exercise machine that burns calories very quickly. It is quick at burning calories in comparison to exercise bikes or even steppers (which are better than exercise bikes). Basically you hold on to two handles in front of you. You move these backwards and forwards. At the same time your feet (which are on pedals) move forewards and around. It is a different sensation to cycling and a slightly different movement (you sit on a seat ). It mimics walking or running as your arms and legs kind of go in the same way. You can also reverse Cross Train (go backwards) which uses different muscles.
There is adjustment on the Healthrider E330 Cross Trainer, you can make it easier or harder. There is also a clock, a timer. The small LCD screen shows the time, the RPM (revolutions per minute), resistance, calories burned and your pulse. The pulse at the time was measured by a clip that you clipped on to your ear, some are sensors on the handle bar so you do not feel it.
Cross trainers or epiltical trainers work the cardio vascular system. They burn lots of calories. They strenghten the muscles without causing strain and without jarring. They have the action of walking or running, the arms and feet work oposites (cross trainer). They do not build muscles but tone.
Ease of Use. * * * * * * * * * *
The Cross Trainer was easy to use. It came flat packed and was fairly straightforward to assemble.
I bought it from the internet for around £200, delivery was not a problem at all. Shop around on line, there are lots of different prices as some machines are more sophisticated than others.
Once assembled, I could not wait to have a try. It was simple to use. The clock was easy to set and away I went! You can see how many calories you are burning as you go along which is great encouragement.
If you get tired you can make it easier by altering the resistance. I also found that when tired, if I was going forwards, I would switch to reverse and use different muscles. Yes, a change is almost as good as a rest! You can rest your arms completely if you want as there are little handles in front of you which are still.
The weight limit was about 17 stone.
Did I use? * * * * * * * *
Oh yes, whenever I could, which was not as easy as I thought it would be.
You have to plan your time so that you can have a shower afterwards so you do really have to allow an hour at least. Not always easy with children (one in my case) and other comittments.
The idea was for me to use it at home, when watching the television, yes, it was in my lounge! Watching the television would take my mind off the exercise. The thing is, when it was easier in the evening when child was in bed, my husband would moan non stop that he could not hear the telly! This kind of put paid to the evening useage of it.
When I used it during the day, as soon as I was on, my little boy would want a go, and boy, did he go! Where did he get the energy from. Often by the time he had finished, my enthusiasm had diminished, I could no longer be bothered.
All joking aside, I did make quite good use of it. I eventually go fed up with either, fighting to use it, or being moaned at constantly.
Advantages. * * * * * * * * *
Can be used at home if you have the space.
Burns lots of calories.
Has heart rate monitor.
Shows time, calories burned.
Tones muscles.
Cardiovascular exercise without straining cuscles.
Useful if you can`t get to the gym.
Disadvantages. * * * * * * * * * * * *
Noisy (Not very, but too much for my husband).
Can be hard work to be effective (easy to lack motivation at home).
Heavy, not that easy to move once assembled (though not as difficult to get it into the back of a van as I thought it would be).
Takes up space.
Too noisy to go in an upstairs room.
Not as good as the ones in the gym. (which are probably much more expensive).
Would I recommend? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I would recommend that anyone buying a Cross Trainer is sensible when using it, don`t do too much at first, get yourself used to it gradually if you are not fit already. Cross trainers are an excellent way of exercising to tone muscles and burn calories. They really can give you an excellent workout.
For those with a spare room downstairs (I would not really recommend it upstairs) it would be OK if not in the way. The issue of space is a big one, it does not look good in the front room. Think or where you are going to use it. It is no good if it is going to distirb other members of your household.
Cross Trainers can be quite boring, I have been on one for an hour in the gym, but somehow it is different at home. It is much more difficult to motivate yourself.
Home ones are not as good as the ones at the gym so if you use one in the gym you may not find it as good (unless you spend loads).
Whilst in some ways I recommend them, they can be a five minute wonder and an expensive ornament. Cross Trainers are a very useful piece of equipment if used regularly. To do this though, they need to be used.
Before going out to buy one, you need to ascertain whether you have the space. You also need to question your level of commitment because it is much easier to buy one that it is to sell it again when bored with it.
And no, I don`t have any photos!
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