Cross Trainer Benefits & Buying Guide

Types of cross trainer

Magnetic Vs Electro Magnetic Cross trainers

Magnetic Cross Trainers

Users of a magnetic cross trainer will need to manually turn a knob or lever to change the resistance. Increasing the resistance allows you to work harder during your workout. Reducing resistance makes it easier to "pedal" your legs, similar to gears on a bike. Some retailers don't clearly identify their cross trainers as magnetic, so look out for a twist knob below the console.

Electro-Magnetic Cross Trainers

This type of cross trainer uses a varying magnetic field to control the resistance level. You will be able to easily change how hard you are working with the touch of a button on the computer console. This is ideal for changing quickly between resistance levels during interval training. Interval workouts are the most effective form of cross trainer workout for improving fitness.

Rear Drive Vs Front Drive Cross Trainers

REAR DRIVEN CROSS TRAINERS

Rear driven cross trainers have the flywheel at the back of the machine and allow your feet to move in an elliptical motion. This movement mimics natural running and walking styles. Rear driven cross trainers also often provide a smoother motion.

FRONT DRIVEN CROSS TRAINERS

A front drive cross trainer has a flywheel at the front of the machine and a more circular movement. The stride on a front-drive cross trainer feels like you are climbing steps. The motion is more circular than rear driven cross trainers. The JTX Pace-F6: Folding Cross Trainer features a front drive flywheel.

OTHER TYPES OF CROSS TRAINER:

WHAT IS AN INCLINE CROSS TRAINER?

An incline cross trainer allows the user to target different muscle groups. The level of incline can be changed to simulate walking uphill or training on the flat. Particularly good for targeting core muscles and upper thighs. The JTX Tri-Fit incline cross trainer offers 3 levels of incline.

WHAT IS A VARIABLE STRIDE LENGTH CROSS TRAINERS

A variable stride length cross trainer provides a range of stride length settings in one machine. It allows the user to choose between a walking (shorter stride) and a more intensive, running motion (longer stride). These are also a great option where different family members, with different natural stride lengths, are likely to use the cross trainer. Most adults need a stride length of at least 16 inches. The JTX Tri-Fit cross trainer offers a stride length of 16 - 20 inches.

WHAT IS A MAX TRAINER or HIIT TRAINER?

HIIT Trainer is the generic term for this type of cross trainer. The Bowflex Max Trainer is the market leader for this type of cross trainer. They are a hybrid between a cross trainer and a step machine. The pedals move up and down like a step machine (equivalent to walking up stairs) whilst the handles provide an upper body workout like a cross trainer. They are designed for high intensity interval training for intermediate to advanced levels of fitness. Beginners may need to spend several weeks building up their fitness to train on them for the recommended 14 minutes even without the high intensity intervals. The magnetic and fan resistance can also be used to make the climb more challenging too. Unlike Max Trainers, cross trainers have a broader range of workout intensity options for beginners to athletes. This is because the motion is more similar to walking at low intensity and running at high intensity. Hiit and Max trainers have a small footprint which is ideal for home use. However, they can be quite loud due to the resistance fan.

Commercial Vs Home Specification

Light or Semi-Commercial Cross Trainers

Brands have different definitions of semi-commercial gym equipment. This should indicate robust build quality and simple interfaces. They are normally larger than home cross trainers and are built for 5 -7 hours of use per day. A semi-commercial cross trainer label can be quite misleading because this definition can be so broad. It is better to take a detailed look at the stride length, machine weight and details of the commercial warranty to indicate the quality of a cross-trainer.

Commercial Cross Trainers

Commercial cross trainers are built for use in gyms for up to 17 hours per day. They often have very simple consoles with a range of programmes and heart rate training. They have been built to withstand intensive public gym conditions and will normally cost between £5-£12k. Life Fitness is the market leader in commercial gym cross trainers.

Cross Trainers To Avoid

BELT RESISTANCE CROSS TRAINERS

These cross training machines use a belt and flywheel to manage the resistance levels. These tend to be cheap cross trainers with a low build quality. If you are looking for a cross trainer that is robust and reliable, we would recommend that you avoid this style of cross trainer.

Key Questions: Cross Trainer Stride Length, Space & Flywheels

Choosing where to put your cross trainer

We recommend that you don’t keep electronic fitness equipment in cold rooms or garages. In the winter months particularly, the temperature can fluctuate widely. This can cause condensation inside the computer and circuit boards. If you do want to keep your machine in a room like this we certainly recommend keeping it under a heavy sheet or rug to help minimise the risk of damage.

It is also worth avoiding rooms which get extremely warm. This is not so much about maintenance, but more because it will make it more difficult and uncomfortable when you come to work out.

If you can, we recommend you put your cross trainer in a room with a TV or stereo. Getting motivating tunes or your favourite TV series on will help you get in the zone and smash through your training.

Make sure you have enough space

Cross trainers can be surprisingly large. Add 10 – 15cm to the width and length of a cross trainer for easy access and enough space to comfortably work out.

Check the maximum user weight

Most cross trainer manufacturers provide a maximum user weight of around 20 stone (130kg). This often increases with the quality of the machine. If you weigh near or over 13 stone, we recommend you look for a machine with a footprint larger than 140cm long and 75cm wide to ensure a stable and enjoyable workout.

Choosing The Right Cross Trainer Stride Length

This is the maximum distance between the rear of your front foot and the front of your rear foot as you work out. It is important to consider stride length when you buy a cross trainer. The stride length affects the range of movement on a cross trainer. Using a walking motion on a cross trainer only requires a short stride length. Increasing the speed and intensity of the workout extends the length of the stride. If you use a cross trainer with a stride length that is too short your workout will be restricted and the movement can feel awkward.

Comparing Flywheel Weights

The flywheel's job is to create a smooth feeling pedalling action without pauses or gaps between each stride. This is achieved by creating momentum. Momentum can be generated by weight OR speed. Heavier flywheels use their weight to create more momentum and a smooth action. However, some flywheels have been designed to generate momentum by spinning a lot faster. For these flywheels to spin faster they need to be lightweight. So it can be a red herring to use flywheel weight to indicate the quality of a cross trainer. It's also worth noting that some manufacturers cut costs by using lightweight flywheels too. So we highly recommend disregarding the flywheel weight and reading independent customer reviews about how the cross trainers feel to use instead.

Understanding Cross Trainer Resistance Levels

You can increase the intensity of your cross trainer workout by increasing your pace, resistance level, or both. By increasing the resistance the cross trainer increases the force for you to pedal against. In general, having a larger number of resistance levels on a machine is better than only a few. However, cross trainer ‘A’ with 20 resistance levels might not offer more resistance than cross trainer ‘B’ with 10 levels. The difference between each resistance level on cross trainer ‘B’ may just be larger. So, we would not recommend using the number of resistance levels on a machine as an indicator of quality.

Check Customer Reviews

Reviews are a great way to understand if a company is as good as they say they are. We collate our reviews in association with TrustPilot, which means you can be absolutely sure they are independent, authentic reviews from genuine customers. Read JTX cross trainer reviews.

Try Before You Buy

If possible, we would recommend testing a cross trainer before making a purchase. This will allow you to get a feel for the machine to see if it is the right one for you. You can try out our full range of cross trainers at our gym equipment showroom in Shoreham, West Sussex.

Read The Small Print

There are a number of important considerations to look for in the terms and conditions:

• Money-back guarantees: If you are buying fitness equipment over the internet make sure you have the right to change your mind once you have assembled the machine and tried it out. Most reputable companies have a 28 day money back guarantee as long as you return it in the original packaging and pay for delivery costs. Some companies restrict returns periods to 7 days and, worse still, state that the machine must be unopened and unused. We feel if you can’t open and test your machine the returns policy is worthless. All we ask if you aren’t sure that you want to keep your machine is that you keep your packaging and re-box it so we can pick it up. See our ‘no quibbles’ returns policy.
• Cost for servicing or replacements during your warranty period: Make sure the warranty covers in-home repairs to include parts and labour. Otherwise you might be left with a cross trainer machine that can cost as much as the original machine to service.
• Retailer or manufacturer warranty: Often warranties are from the original manufacturer rather than the company you bought the machine from. Make sure it is clear who your warranty is with. It is also worth understanding whether your warranty is automatic or needs activating, and, if so how you activate it. If the warranty is with the manufacturer rather than the retailer check they are in the UK and contactable. One of the great things about buying from JTX Fitness is that we are the manufacturer and retailer so you know exactly who to call. You also have the confidence that you are covered as our warranties activate automatically on purchase. Read more on our warranty details.
• Second-hand warranties: If you are buying a fitness machine second-hand we recommend that you contact the original retailer to ensure the warranty is transferable - most are not!
• After the warranty period: If the machine has a short warranty period it’s worth enquiring how much it will cost to fix the machine and the cost of parts.
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Cross Trainer Terminology

Elliptical trainer

Another name for a cross trainer, typically used in America. Browse our Elliptical Cross Trainers

Cross Trainer Stride Length

This is the maximum distance between the rear of your front foot and the front of your rear foot as you work out. Cross trainer machines offer a variety of stride lengths and it’s important to select the right one for you.

Extended Motion Technology

This refers to the mechanism in a machine which effectively creates a long stride in a small machine. Also known as Variable Stride Length or Adjustable Stride Length. 

Flywheel

A Flywheel is used to create a smooth workout with no jarring or pausing between strides. The size of the flywheel is one way to identify a good quality cross trainer. However the flywheel weight can be misleading. Lightweight flywheels can also generate the momentum needed to create a smooth action by spinning faster. So we recommend you read customer reviews to get a good understanding of how it feels to use the cross trainer. Compare JTX Cross Trainer flywheel sizes here.

Maximum User Weight

This is provided as a guide by manufacturers. You can expect machines with larger maximum user weights to be more robust. However, this is also open to interpretation by retailers so use this alongside other specification details to identify a good quality cross trainer.

Heart monitor

There are two types of heart rate monitors; hand sensor monitors and wearable monitors. Hand sensors come with most fitness machines and take your pulse through the hand grips, they are good as a guide but rarely very accurate. Wearable monitors such as chest straps and watches are generally much more accurate than hand sensors.

Target heart rate training can be used to assist goals ranging from fat burning and weight loss to maximum aerobic capacity development. A target heart rate zone is selected before working out based on the users individual goal. A strap or watch will then monitor your heart rate, giving you real time feedback so you can maintain the right level of effort to stay in your selected target zone. Many fitness machines link to chest straps or watches and auto adjust resistance levels to help keep you in your target zone so it is worth checking product detail pages if you are interested in this type of training.

Programs

Most cross trainers will provide a range of workouts. These are designed to help you stay motivated by varying your workouts. They typically include things such as hill climb simulations and heart rate training options. For more workout inspiration, see our cross trainer workouts.

Tension or resistance control

Changing resistance affects how hard you work when moving the footplates and handles backwards and forwards. Increased resistance or tension will make it feel like you are moving uphill or against a strong force which increases how hard your muscles are working. Increasing speed is the only other way to increase your effort on a cross trainer.