What is the difference between arc trainers and ellipticals many people ask. I had the opportunity to review both and made my review and was surprised with the results.
Personally I am an avid cyclist and spinner and found the arc trainer to be exceptional at providing me with a cardio vascular that was second to none.
I was really huffing it using the arc trainer where I found myself having difficulty getting my heart rate up to a cardio zone on the elliptical.
The arc trainer gave me a more extended workout to the elliptical not to mention the extra work my thighs and glutes (butt) received as a pleasant surprise.
In addition to the extra work on the thighs and butt I also noticed the caloric burn was much higher for the same twenty minute duration.
Reviewing the arc trainer a little closer you find that the motion of the feet varies slightly than on the elliptical because the movement of the arc trainer is supposed to reduce the stress on the knees and hips since the foot plate is actually at a different angle.
One of the top manufacturers of these machines is Cybex where you can go to find additional information on the “independent research” they conducted.
Regardless my review seemed to support their finding because I noticed the shifting more of the workload to the muscles around the hip joints.
Not that any one way is better than the other this is just personal preference which to me seemed a bit awkward but I was able to adjust accordingly.
So overall my suggestion would be for training I give a double thumbs up on the arc trainer especially if you are crunched for time since you are able to burn double the calories in the same amount of time.
If you are interested in saving money considering buying a used arc-trainer because the savings can be as much as fifty percent or more. If you are going to workout then choose a commercial quality arc trainer and find a reputable company that specializes in used commercial fitness equipment.
Below I have my personal recommendation for a company that specializes in used commercial gym equipment and would give them two thumbs up as well.