You can burn more calories per hour on an elliptical machine than any other machine in the gym, up to 720 per hour.

You know what an elliptical machine is, you know what it looks like, but how will it help you with your exercise goals? The number one benefit of an elliptical training machine is that it allows you to burn calories very fast, which means you can get a quick effective workout and reach your fitness goals at a more rapid rate. Individuals who are short on time will appreciate this feature if they want to lose weight or stay in shape without being forced to go to the gym.

Elliptical exercise is very low impact, unlike weights and other exercise equipment, this means you have a low risk of injury or damage to your joints. Low impact exercises are very important as you age or if you are overweight. By purchasing an elliptical trainer for your home your whole family can use it to stay in shape. Elliptical trainers are shown to strengthen the heart with prolonged use so it may reduce your chances of having heart problems in the future such as heart attacks, heart disease or a stroke in addition to raising your metabolism.

If you increase your metabolism you will burn calories faster, even while at rest, which prevents weight gain and will help you to lose weight and tone your body, especially your back, legs, arms and stomach. Using elliptical machines does not require any special skill or fitness level, which makes elliptical machine workouts universal.
   
Elliptical machine workouts seem to have a lower perceived exertion level felt after a workout. Even though these workouts really do seem easier, you are working just as hard as if you were doing any other exercise and probably harder. Elliptical machine workouts accomplish this because they copy the natural movements of your body. Doing this makes elliptical machine workouts seem easier which makes it easier to provide a hard workout. For this reason you need to be careful to not over strain your body by using the machine for too long until you are sure of your fitness levels. If you purchase an elliptical machine with arm attachments you can turn your workout into a full body exercise.

Elliptical machine workouts provide the highest amount of calorie burn in the shortest amount of time for any piece of gym equipment and they are great for interval training. You can even use variable resistance amounts and elevation levels on some machines.

Precor Elliptical Trainers EFX Series Information

There are 5 different types of elliptical trainers in the EFX series by Precor, which is a good brand of elliptical trainer and they come with a great warranty. The Precor EFX series has a smooth natural motion and electric readouts. The more expensive models have more features in the electronics, but they all have the basic needs like calories burned, heart rate, strides per minute and time. The EFX series by Precor offers as many as 20 resistance levels, but the 5.19 does not have the cross training feature, but it does offer hill climb which no other machine in this series has except for the 5.33.

The EFX 5.23 can target muscles, this feature is not on any of the other Precor elliptical trainers in the EFX series.

Three Best Buys in Elliptical Trainers
    
If you have made the decision to buy an elliptical, here are the best three elliptical trainers based on price and value.
    
The Nordic Track CX 990 is a good entry level elliptical. It is usually hard to get an elliptical trainer that is under $1000 and has a smooth motion and good features, but the Nordic Track CX 990 is a good quality machine with one of the best prices. The Nordic Track CX 990 has a good incline feature that varies up to 30%, which makes it easy to add intensity in addition to 10 levels of resistance. The CX 990 also comes with a one year warranty which is great if you use it regularly.

The Smooth CE 3.2 is a very great value as well considering all of its features compared to other elliptical trainers. It has a heavy duty flywheel and electromagnetic brake system, along with a wireless heart rate control and a hand grip HRC. The Hand Grip HRC by Smooth is patented technology that no other elliptical trainer has. The CE 3.2 also comes with 9 programs. The Smooth CE 3.2 allows your body to move in full alignment with the machine which makes for a much more comfortable workout. This machine usually retails for less than $1500 which is a great buy for this brand.

The Precor EFX 5.33 is considered the best elliptical trainer on the market and is the top value for the money. This is the machine commonly found at health clubs and offers a full body workout. It has movable handlebars for an upper body workout, a 20 degree elevated ramp and forward and reverse elliptical strides. This machine has the best quality parts and comes with an incredible 10 year warranty on the individual parts of the machine. No other elliptical trainers compare to the quality, craftsmanship and performance of the Precor EFX 5.33 but the price is around $3500, this machine can actually save you money in the long run if you use it regularly as you will not break it.

All of these elliptical trainers have different positives and negatives along with unique features so it is best to find the one that is right for you and your exercise goals.