STOP wasting your time on useless cardio machines.

[@russcoash6710]

Elliptical cardio machines or “cross trainers” can provide an intense workout at least as much as a cycling machine. While it may be true that many people do not push themselves on an elliptical - you certainly can do so. You can alter the work you are doing on an elliptical in several ways very quickly. 1) You go faster at a given resistance. 2) You turn up the resistance. 3) You change the incline / angles at which your muscles are working. 4) You can alter the balance of effort you are putting out between your upper and lower body. 5) You can go in reverse. You can make all of these adjustments very quickly during your workout - lending the elliptical to being a great tool for interval training or variable intensity training. The elliptical is a very safe way of doing very high intensity. As opposed to say sprinting on a treadmill - your chances of being injured is very low. For long continuous endurance sessions an elliptical is great - as opposed to for example a rower you can more easily do things like watch a youtube video or read a book. An elliptical as opposed to a cycle - gets you up off your ischial tuberosities - which much of us spend too much time on already. Standing on an elliptical rather than sitting on a the saddle of a bike will engage more sets of muscles. A good elliptical is very easy on the joints - you are not causing the impact you will have with a treadmill. Please consider revising your list moving elliptical up to the top tier.

[@aarondaviescoaching]

Whilst I respect your arguments I still don’t think it offer the same level of stimulus as some of the other bits of kit. But this is a purely opinionated tier list; it’s hardly a hard science. I am happy that people use any kit. But you give me the time or the budget to use/buy only one and I’d follow this tier list. The fan bike simply provides a level of stimulus the cross trainer can’t hope to match. But I take your points.

[@bangbangfan2184]

I think you have undersold the elliptical. I think if you put the resistance up a decent amount you can get a decent zone 2 workout over a long period with very little impact. It's also good for a 15-20 minute warmup/warm down after or before a weights session. IT is full body workout, uses practically every muscle in the body and it is easy to modify the workout by going backwards/focussing on pushing/pulling or just using the legs. I think it is a solid B tier. The other piece of equipment that should have been on here is the stairmill. That is a machine that can generate a very high heartrate and can leave the user drowning in sweat after only 20-30 minutes.

[@aarondaviescoaching]

You definitely can get a good workout. But I think for most above a certain training age it’s not going to give you the same level of stimulus as some of the other machines. As a warm up - great, as easier cardio - great, as something easier on joints - great. But I don’t think it offer the same level of stimulus at higher intensity like fan bike/treadmill/rower does. But this is a completely biased opinion video so I don’t think I’m right 🤣. Any other machines you would rate differently ?

[@russcoash6710]

Agree with you on the elliptical. I really don't like stairmills for several reasons perhaps most important is safety. Elliptical cardio machines or “cross trainers” can provide an intense workout at least as much as a cycling machine. While it may be true that many people do not push themselves on an elliptical - you certainly can do so. You can alter the work you are doing on an elliptical in several ways very quickly. 1) You go faster at a given resistance. 2) You turn up the resistance. 3) You change the incline / angles at which your muscles are working. 4) You can alter the balance of effort you are putting out between your upper and lower body. 5) You can go in reverse. You can make all of these adjustments very quickly during your workout - lending the elliptical to being a great tool for interval training or variable intensity training. The elliptical is a very safe way of doing very high intensity. As opposed to say sprinting on a treadmill - your chances of being injured is very low. For long continuous endurance sessions an elliptical is great - as opposed to for example a rower you can more easily do things like watch a youtube video or read a book. An elliptical as opposed to a cycle - gets you up off your ischial tuberosities - which much of us spend too much time on already. Standing on an elliptical rather than sitting on a the saddle of a bike will engage more sets of muscles. A good elliptical is very easy on the joints - you are not causing the impact you will have with a treadmill. Please consider revising your list moving elliptical up to the top tier.

[@russcoash6710]

Elliptical cardio machines or “cross trainers” can provide an intense workout at least as much as a cycling machine. While it may be true that many people do not push themselves on an elliptical - you certainly can do so. You can alter the work you are doing on an elliptical in several ways very quickly. 1) You go faster at a given resistance. 2) You turn up the resistance. 3) You change the incline / angles at which your muscles are working. 4) You can alter the balance of effort you are putting out between your upper and lower body. 5) You can go in reverse. You can make all of these adjustments very quickly during your workout - lending the elliptical to being a great tool for interval training or variable intensity training. The elliptical is a very safe way of doing very high intensity. As opposed to say sprinting on a treadmill - your chances of being injured is very low. For long continuous endurance sessions an elliptical is great - as opposed to for example a rower you can more easily do things like watch a youtube video or read a book. An elliptical as opposed to a cycle - gets you up off your ischial tuberosities - which much of us spend too much time on already. Standing on an elliptical rather than sitting on a the saddle of a bike will engage more sets of muscles. A good elliptical is very easy on the joints - you are not causing the impact you will have with a treadmill. Please consider revising your list moving elliptical up to the top tier. @@aarondaviescoaching

[@bangbangfan2184]

@@aarondaviescoaching the rest of the list is fine. I hate the ergo thing so I never use it. I would have put treadmill on S Tier. So versatile . My gym does not have any assault bikes and I never tried it. Stairmill should be on the list in A or B tier.

[@simontaylor2525]

Curved runner is great if you just want to tack on some intervals onto the end of a weights session. Feels like a very different stimulus to treadmill. Agree that running on it for anything over, say, 2 minutes straight is not the best.

[@aarondaviescoaching]

Complete agreement. I like the machine, just not up there with best is all

[@zh4k]

what you think of climbers?

[@aarondaviescoaching]

Like a Jacobs Ladder? Or am I getting confused

[@zh4k]

@@aarondaviescoaching like a maxiclimber or versaclimber

[@Rayman9000]

​@aarondaviescoaching or a stairclimber. I really like it, aswell as walking incline on the threadmill, both to practice for hiking.