20 Jul ElliptiGo here to stay in fitness world

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen gets set to take an ElliptiGo for a spin.

The ElliptiGo is a recent fitness phenomenon that looks guaranteed to last, unlike some other “here today, gone tomorrow” gimmicks.

It’s an outdoor bike with eight speeds that’s a cross between an elliptical trainer and a bicycle.
It takes the traditional elliptical motion outdoors to get a running experience like never before.

The ElliptiGo’s pedals move in a forward motion that’s very similar to a runner’s stride, but minus the hard impact from bouncing up and down on the road or track.

The reason it’s guaranteed lasting popularity is because the ElliptiGo provides an extremely thorough workout and, of course, it’s fun to do.

When riding the ElliptiGo you are constantly moving. It provides an excellent cardiovascular workout, but because you also have to push with your legs and pump the handles with your arms, you also get a good strength workout.

And it all comes without stressing the joints anywhere near what you would while running.
A stress-free workout for the joints is the reason the ElliptiGo bike was invented by former Ironman triathlete Bryan Pate, who wanted to help runners avoid beating up their bodies through repeated impact.

Pate, a former cyclist and triathlete, who suffered hip and knee injuries, said the ElliptiGo is a low-impact, high-output, cross-training bike that combines running and cycling. It weighs just 40 pounds.

Depending on your leg strength, you can cruise at about 15-25 mph on the ElliptiGo. Hand levers that connect to rim brakes on the front and rear wheels help you slow down or stop and give you the feel of riding a bike.

The ElliptiGo can take a short while to get used to, but is actually pretty simple to ride. Once you find the right stance to ride it and work on turning corners, you’ll find you can actually get some good speed going.

Even going up hills is pretty easy.

It can accommodate people of just about all sizes, with a weight limit up to 250 pounds.
Made of sturdy, but lightweight material, the ElliptiGo weights 40 pounds. The bike retails for around $2,000-2,400.
I highly recommend trying the ElliptiGo. It will be a great way to cross train – and you’ll likely become the hit of your block if you get one. For more on the ElliptiGO stop in at At Home Fitness in Arizona. or visit their website.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com