Introduction:
We have found that ellipticals are the most popular and fastest growing category of fitness equipment. An elliptical is one of the best ways to exercise your entire body in 20 to 30 minutes. Walk into the cardio room of any gym or health club and you’ll notice that more elliptical machines are used than treadmills, stair climbers or stationary bikes. Because? Because people who are really committed to a serious fitness regimen know that they get a superior workout on an elliptical. One elliptical we really like comes from industry giant, gym equipment maker ProForm. Here’s our review of the popular 500 ZLE model
General rating:
4.5 out of 5.0 stars
Key features:
The ProForm 500 ZLE is a rear folding elliptical trainer that has a 3-level adjustable stride length. This allows the user to easily focus their training on a specific muscle group, making for a versatile, effective and enjoyable workout. The design allows the machine to be stored in a small space, a great feature for those short on space. The console has an easy to read backlit LCD screen with stereo speakers. There’s also a fan to keep you cool and an integrated iFit SD reader that gives you virtually unlimited workout options.
Price:
Around £600.00
Product description:
This is a quality elliptical trainer that has 16 preset programs and a flywheel for maximum speed and smoothness. The adjustable stride length ensures you’ll get a safe and effective workout. If you’re interested in reaching your fitness goals in the shortest possible time, this machine is worth a serious look.
Product specifications:
Assembled size: 164 cm high x 64 cm wide x 195 cm long
Folded size: 164 cm high x 64 cm wide x 125 cm long
Weight: 80kg
User weight limit: 130 kg
Flywheel weight: 6 kg
Number of pre-programmed workouts: 16 (8 based on calorie goals and 8 based on weight loss goals)
Resistor Type: QuietTech® Digital Silent Magnetic Resistor
Stride setting: 13″, 15″ or 18″ user selectable
Product characteristics:
The backlit blue LCD console display shows resistance level, speed, time, distance, pulse rate and calories burned. The heart rate is measured by means of an EKG grip pulse and a heart rate monitor. A belt for the popular Polar® heart rate monitor is optional, but highly recommended. There’s an iPod-compatible dock, as well as the ability for an interactive workout using an iFit SD card. iFit technology allows personalized workouts to be uploaded directly to the elliptical, so you can have a virtual workout in a variety of locations. iFit controls speed and resistance to simulate the terrain of your chosen location. The 500 ZLE also has ergonomically designed hand levers to tone your upper body and improve coordination.
Conclusion:
We like the ProForm 500 ZLE’s compact size that doesn’t compromise on performance. It has all the features you’d expect from a low to mid-priced elliptical machine from a well-respected gym equipment manufacturer.