Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer

The Horizon EX-57 elliptical trainer gives you club-quality performance – from the smooth stride motion to the easy programmability – and recreates the feeling of running or walking without leaving home.

8 motorized resistance levels let you adjust the intensity of your workout, and the clear LCD screen displays heart rate and other key workout feedback.

Horizon’s Ergoflow elliptical geometry is built around your body, not the machine’s components. The distance between the pedals have also been narrowed to create a more natural walking motion, and the pivoting footpad imitates how your foot’s position changes as you move forward. And a more natural, ergonomic movement means less stress on your knees, hips, and lowers back, so you enjoy longer workouts and faster results.

Customer Review – I love this machine so far, especially for the price. I’ve actually become quite addicted to using it!

First off, the box is BIG and HEAVY, so plan on two people carrying it and taking out the largest piece. Assembly wasn’t difficult, it just took some time. All parts were clearly labeled and the instructions were well-written.

The ride is smooth, and it’s not too loud at all. I was actually quite pleased at how quiet it was.

The computer works well, although the contrast seems to be a bit off as it could be easier to read than it is. Also, I’m not sure if the heart rate monitor is working all that well, as others have reported. It seemed to work great the first day, but now I suspect that it is reading too low.

This machine allows you to freestyle, selecting your own resistance as you go along or you can set up goals like TIME, CALORIES, or DISTANCE. You select how much time you want to spend on the machine, how many calories you want to burn, or how far you want to “travel” then you select whether you’d like to manually set the resistance as you go along or you can select the “hills” option which will automatically change the resistance every minute. You can also adjust the terrain higher or lower as you’re using the “hills” option if you want to slow things down or pick up the pace. There is also a “reverse train” option, which allows you to pedal in reverse and the computer will still track stats like distance correctly. The reverse train option automatically switches between forward and reverse and at different terrain levels so the workout is constantly changing.

The manual also gives helpful tips on maximizing workouts depending on your goals, whether it be weight loss, improved body shape and tone, increased energy, or improved sports performance or cardiovascular endurance.

The machine has wheels on the front of it, so you can lift it from the rear and transport it more easily. But it’s still difficult to maneuver around because the wheels only go straight, so you have to do a lot of pushing forward and backing up if you’re moving it out of a straight line.

All-in-all, I’m very happy with this machine. I especially like the 1 year electronics and parts and the 1 year labor warranty. This machine is a great deal.

Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer

Price:$899.00

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HCI Fitness Sprint Outrigger Scull Rowing Machine

The Sprint Outrigger Scull Rowing Machine gives you the ultimate experience in Piston Rowing.

Designed with German engineering influences, the Sprint Rower is the most affordable and highest quality Outrigger on the market today. It features two hydraulic cylinders with the ability to set force resistance on a scale of 1 to 12, and a comfortable ergonomic seat with smooth running rollers mounted on rails. Strap your feet into the large footplates, they will pivot slightly to support your natural motion as you row.

The Display shows you time, stroke count, total strokes, and calories. Also, it includes built-in workout programs based on both calories and strokes. When in use, the unit is 55 in L x 68 in W x 15 in H and supports up to 275 lbs.

Customer Review – I bought this rower without being able to read any reviews on Amazon. I initially wanted to buy the Kettler Kadett rower because I enjoy the sculling action of an outrigger type rowing machine. But after comparing features and pricing I decided on the Sprint Rower. All I can say is that I am not disappointed with my decision. For the price this is a fantastic rower. It really simulates the natural motion of rowing while providing a rigorous and enjoyable workout. Another great plus is that it folds up to be very compact. When not using is I slide it under my bed.

I consider myself average to below average when assembling things but I had the Sprint Rower together in under 15 minutes. The rower basically comes completely assembled and all that I needed to do was attach the display panel. The display is nice because it gives you all of the basic features and the numbers are fairly large. I like to row without my glasses so this helps.

This is the first piece of exercise equipment that I have bought thru Amazon and I was very satisfied with the process. It was easy to do and the product arrived without any glitches.

I love my new rower and would recommend this product to anyone.

HCI Fitness Sprint Outrigger Scull Rowing Machine

Price:$599.00

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Stamina 1215 Orbital Rowing Machine with Free Motion Arms

Enjoy one of the best all-around activities for cardiovascular fitness and strength with the Stamina 1215 Orbital Rowing Machine.

The 1215 Rower has full range-of-motion rowing for a truer rowing motion that mimics rowing on the water with a padded seat that glides on a ball bearing roller system, rowing arms with adjustable resistance, and foam grips that keep hands stable and comfortable.

The Stamina 1215 exercise monitor. See larger image for more features.

Compact and portable with a footprint of just 32.5 x 48 inches and a weight of 47 pounds, the 1215 Rower is a great way to get a workout in smaller spaces. The multifunctional fitness monitor keeps you motivated and on track to reach your fitness goals showing speed, distance, time, stroke count, and calories burned during your workout.

Rowing is widely acknowledged to be one of the best all around fitness activities. All major muscle groups including legs, arms, back, abdominal and buttocks are used extensively while rowing.

Customer Review – This machine is everything My wife and I wanted. Nicely made and smooth running. We are fulltime rver’s and wanted something compact and this is it. Plenty of room to increase the level of difficulty I am still on the lowest level and I am not that bad of shape.

Stamina 1215 Orbital Rowing Machine

Price:$400.00

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Spirit Esprit EL-455 20-Inch Stride Elliptical

Experience the smoothest, front drive elliptical available today! The Spirit Esprit EL-455 dual action, 20″ stride elliptical is the most feature-rich elliptical available.

With a flywheel weight of 30lbs with sealed health club quality bearings and bushing this unit offer unmatched quality, durability and consistent feel. The concave wheels glide over the dual chrome rails to help you throughout your workout. Unique features include the 3-position adjustable pedal angle which is great for multiple users and fights foot fatigue.

An extra large, blue backlit LCD display is easy to use and includes built in speakers for your MP3 player. Reach your fitness goals with a variety of 6 pre-set, 2 user and 2 heart rate programs and 20 resistant levels.

Product Features

  • 20″ Stride on Dual Chrome Rails for smooth motion
  • 30lb heavy duty flywheel, health club commercial bearings and premium bushings for fluid motion
  • Extra large, easy to read Blue Backlit Display
  • Speakers and audio jack for your MP3 player
  • 350lb user capacity

Customer Review – We were looking for something under a thousand dollars that worked well. Of all the ellipticals that we looked at, we liked Spirit the best. Schwinn was our second choice but we saw Spirit and Schwinn side-by-side in a shop and Schwinn looked a bit cheap and flimsy in front of the Spirit. Reasons why we picked Spirit:

1) It has the heaviest flywheel of all comparable models (30 lbs). That makes it very smooth. Light flywheels can make an elliptical choppy and not fun to exercise on.
2) Dual concave wheels on the rails. Cheaper machines have a single wheel on each rail. This machine has two on each and those wheels are pretty solid. This results in a smoother motion and durability.
3) The elliptical motion does not put too much stress on the lower back. Many of the ellipticals that we tried put too much stress on the lower back as well as at the end of the cycle I would feel a little jerk on the knee. This Spirit does not have any of those issues. Its the smoothest machine of all that we tried.
4) 20 inch stride – It is very important that you buy an elliptical with a stride that feels natural to you. For me 20 inch was more natural and closer to my actual stride.
5) Absolutely no noise of any kind while exercising. The ball bearings are very high quality and rubust. A tube of grease is included with the machine and I highly recommend that you apply some grease to each joint during installation so you don’t have to worry about it for at least an year.
6) The display and its controls are easy to read and easy to operate.

The machine is very heavy and if you have to take it through stairs, you need two people. Opening the box and getting the machine out is a chore in itself but well worth it in the end. This is the kind of machine that will motivate you to exercise more. Installation is a breeze and took me an hour not including the time to take the individual parts out of the box and carry them upstairs to my exercise room.

Spirit Esprit EL-455 20-Inch Stride Elliptical 

Price:$1,599.99

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LifeSpan Fitness RW1000 Rowing Machine

RW 1000 rowing machine Features: -The best rowing machine provides a cardiovascular workout to tone and strengthen arms, legs, shoulders and back.

Whether you want to exercise to lose weight or manage a disease such as heart disease or diabetes, the LifeSpan rowing machine can help you achieve your goal -Easy-to-Use Console – The LifeSpan RW1000 Rower has simple to use features and a variety of intuitive readouts: -Distance, Time and Calories -Stroke Count and Strokes Per Minute -

Easy to move and store using the fold up feature and integrated transport wheels – Quiet and Comfortable – The Eddy Current Drive System gives you a quiet, smooth workout with no friction. Padded hand grips and swivel foot pedals with straps on the LifeSpan rower add to your comfort.

Customer Review – Shipped quickly from amazon, good price. My 10 yr old son set it up in a few minutes and I love it ! Use it everyday for strength training (arms/legs) and cardio (takes a little work to work up a sweat but easy on the joints). Doesn’t take up too much room, easy to read monitor. Low impact – easy on my feet, knees, back. Would recommend highly.

LifeSpan Fitness RW1000 Rowing Machine

Price:$699.99

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Lifecore LC-985VG Elliptical Trainer

Enjoy a total body workout with Lifecore’s LC985VG Elliptical trainer.

With 12 preset programs you can vary your workout to fit your specific needs. The 4 User ID profiles and 4 heart rate control programs makes the 985VG perfect for families with different user types. Dual action arm handles provide great upper body workout. User weight capacity is 300 lbs.

To keep you motivated during your workout, the LC-985VG boasts a large multicolor console that tracks your time, speed, distance, calories, and more. Best of all for people with creaky knees, the machine’s true elliptical motion improves your overall balance and puts less stress on weight-bearing joints. As a result, the LC-985VG is a terrific choice for people with chronic knee or ankle problems or folks who are recovering from injury.

Other details include a smooth 17.5-inch stride, four user ID profiles, dual contact heart rate sensors, a toggle wheel for easy scrolling and resistance adjustments, and oversized transportation wheels for added mobility.

Customer Review – For years I’ve either walked outside or on a treadmill attempting to improve my flexibility and cardio. I never felt comfortable on a treadmill (too narrow) and walking outside always has it’s limitations. I’ve always questioned myself as to whether any of this was working for me.

Finally I decided to buy an elliptical. I had heard so many positive reports about these things I felt I had to give it a try. When I first started to look I soon realized there are scores of manufacturers and hundreds of models from which to choose. I needed some way to quickly narrow the field. I decided to check out Consumer Reports. I’ve gone this route before and have rarely been disappointed. After reading their findings, I decided on this model. They rated it a best buy.

I thought about going to several stores to check out all the different models but ultimately decided to shop online. While you can spend several thousand dollars on one of these machines, I decided that I would limit my budget to $1000. It was easy to assemble. The only thing I had trouble with was figuring out the computer. I think the manual could have been written more clearly. Once I mastered the computer, I found the exercise to be fun and challenging. And, when I step off the machine, my knees feel great.

I feel energized and my knees don’t hurt as with regular walking or the treadmill. The settings on the machine are such that you can tailor your workouts to the level of your skill or fitness. This may take a few sessions before you can get into a routine. Once there, it’s fun to keep pushing yourself to do more. And for me, the more I do the better I feel. I’m very pleased with this product. I think it makes exercise fun again.

Lifecore LC-985VG Elliptical Trainer

Price:$1,199.00

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