Owning an elliptical can offer an array of benefits, from improving cardio to burning calories.

As a Canadian specialty fitness store that offers a large inventory of gym equipment, Akfit sells quality ellipticals that will help you achieve top results on your fitness journey. We also help furnish commercial and home gyms with top-quality fitness products designed for better health and improved well-being.

Over the last three decades, we’ve made it our mission to take care of our clientele by informing them on our product selection and making personalized equipment recommendations. 

With this, we want to make sure our customers are also aware of the potential problems and hazards they may run into when investing in fitness equipment, and how to properly handle these issues.

Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast who wants safe and reliable equipment for your home gym, or a business owner who runs a growing gym, it’s important to know how to address the sometimes unpredictable problems with fitness technology.

The purpose of this blog post is to cover common problems that people face when using their elliptical and offer helpful suggestions for solving these problems

In this article:

1. What is an Elliptical and How Do I Use It?
2. Benefits of Using an Elliptical
3. 5 Common Problems with Ellipticals & Solutions
4. Purchasing Your Elliptical

What is an Elliptical and How Do I Use It?

An elliptical is a stationary exercise machine that’s used for walking, running, or stair climbing.

When using an elliptical you move in an elongated circle with your feet placed on a platform. With this, you have the  ability to go in a forwards or backwards motion working different muscle groups. Further, an elliptical machine offers the opportunity to work out your upper-body by using the arm handles. Some ellipticals will also feature adjustments in incline and resistance levels to create personalized intensity.

The elliptical is extremely useful in colder climates where being outdoors isn’t ideal. Cardio enthusiasts sometimes depend on their ellipticals when temperatures outside drop to unpleasant lows or the ground is covered in deep snow.

Using an elliptical is also a great option when rain, excessive heat, high winds, poor air quality, and other environmental factors present, providing the opportunity to exercise safely and comfortably inside.

Benefits of Using an Elliptical

There are a variety of health and fitness benefits of using an elliptical:

•         Reducing belly fat
•         Getting into shape
•         Maintaining your ideal weight
•         Improving your balance and posture
•         Working out your quadriceps
•         Getting a great cardio workout while protecting your knees, ankles, and other joints
•         Achieving better mobility and flexibility
•         Strengthening muscles in your legs and arms
•         Working your core
•         Boosting your aerobic capacity
•         Strengthening your musculoskeletal systems
•         A full-body workout
•         Increasing cardio endurance
•         A safer cardio option while recovering from injury

5 Common Problems with Ellipticals

While ellipticals offer several benefits, it is important to remember that ellipticals are also a complex piece of machinery, subject to certain problems. 

The best way to combat potential problems with your elliptical machine is to first be aware of them and second, understand how to avoid or fix said problems. 

The Console Stopped Working

If you enjoy keeping track of your progress during each of your workouts, a defective console can be quite the drag. 

Elliptical consoles generally allow you track your heart rate, time elapsed, distance, strides, and also allows you to see your incline and resistance levels.

When the console stops working, you may think that you will need to replace the entire machine. However, this isn’t always the case! 

Oftentimes, you can easily replace the console yourself depending on the elliptical you own. With this being said, a compound to this problem that you may face though is being able to find a compatible console.

With any fitness equipment, it is important to always refer to the owner’s manual to make sure you can safely address the problem at hand.

On high-end ellipticals the console may not be easily replaceable. However, if your console is a basic LCD model, you may be able to simply handle the task at hand on your own.

Before replacing your console, you’ll want to make sure that your console is receiving power. Check and replace any batteries before purchasing a replacement console.

If you are going to replace the console on your own, make sure to follow these steps:

1. Remove all the screws at the bottom of the console
2. Disconnect any wires between the console and elliptical
3. Insert batteries into your new console
4. Connect any wires to the new console
5. Reinstall the new console by insert the screws