Likes:
- Puts less strain on the body than the treadmill.
- Works the hips and large muscles of the lower body.
- Comes with different Workout and Level options for increased intensity.
Dislikes:
- The arm positioning can be awkward and strain on the lower back.
Although the treadmill is my favorite machine for cardio exercise, it can sometimes put too much strain on joints and muscles, especially when healing from an injury. It’s also nice to spice things up now and then with an alternate cardio machine. In the past, whenever I stepped away from a treadmill, it was onto an elliptical machine. As long as I alternated the intensity level I could get a good workout. But then I tried a machine made by Cybex called the Arc Trainer and it won me over completely.
The Arc Trainer and Elliptical are known as Gait Simulators in that they mimic the motion of walking and jogging by keeping you suspended on two moving foot plates. These machines are designed to provide cardio training with limited stress on the body since the foot never leaves the platform. The difference with the Arc Trainer is that it positions the feet at a slightly different angle, thus utilizing more large muscles. The Arc Trainer is able to work the muscles of the hip for a greater workout. I was so impressed by the intensity of my workout that I did some research. A study by Florida Atlantic University found the Arc Trainer to be “biomechanically more efficient than the leading elliptical trainer.” It went on to say, “Where the Arc Trainer was effective at involving the knee and hip muscles, the elliptical’s movement pattern concentrated the muscular effort at the knee and could not effectively engage the large muscles of the hip.” Overall, “This difference in muscular activation has a significant effect on the metabolic demands of the two devices.” The motion of the Arc Trainer lifted my leg similarly to sprinting or high knee stepping. Although I’d previously been doing an hour of Elliptical training, I was worn out after only 30 minutes on the Arc Trainer.
Arc Trainers come in two varieties, ones with stationary arms and ones with arms that move. I only use the machines with the moving arms, as I feel it provides more of a workout. The Arc Trainer’s arms aren’t straight up and down like on an Elliptical, they have a handle, similar to a bike. The only problem I’ve found with the Arc Trainer is that when I hold the arms at the handle, it’s too much of a reach for me and puts me in an awkward position. The first time I did this I ended up a slight strain in my lower back. Ever since I’ve just held the arms at the top of the straight part, just before it curves to the handle. I had no strain in any part of my body, just a high-intensity workout.
The Arc Trainer has six different exercise choices to increase the intensity as well as break up the monotony of your workout. You can choose from Manual, Weight Loss, Cardio, Hill, Interval, and Strength. You can also adjust the Incline Level from 1-10, and the Resistance Level, which goes from 1-100. I love that I can get a super cardio workout with less wear and tear on my body. And it’s ideal for anyone who is looking for something other than the treadmill. For the time being the treadmill is still my number one but the Cybex Arc Trainer is a close second.
