What kind of motion to look for in an elliptical trainer

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My wife and I are looking into getting an elliptical trainer. We've tried a few at a sporting store in one of our local malls, and really enjoy them. The only real trick is I quickly feel the burn in my quadriceps. I'm not sure if this is because the ellipticals work my quads more than my usual exercises, or if this is a clue that the ellipticals I've tried don't have the right kind of motion for my body.

The thing I'm wondering about is what kind of motion to look for with the stride. Obviously, you want a nice, smooth motion. But I have yet to find an elliptical trainer that has a stride closely resembling a walking motion. From the less expensive to the most expensive, most of the strides seem a little short. So, the question is what is the motion of an ellipical supposed to be like? Is it supposed to be like a walking stride, or is it kind of a cross between walking and stair-stepping?

Any insights are welcome.
 
I dislike ellipticals because of what you are describing. I feel that I cannot complete a full range of motion with my legs and also my push-off is often awkward which limits the recruitment of my leg muscles. Other elliptical versions sometimes offer different programs that focus more on the glutes/hamstrings or quads/calves and it accomplishes this by changing the incline of the elliptical.

I would look for an elliptical that gives you the most range of motion and push off (meaning the back foot kicking off the pad and propelling you forward in a sense).

And to just hop on my soapbox briefly: Oftentimes people use ellipticals because it places less stress on the knee joints. While this is true, you are not going to walk on non-impact surfaces in your daily life and if the joints are not stressed and you rely on the elliptical or other non-impact type of exercises, the joints will not be able to adapt and become stronger.
 
i've used a lot of different ellipticals from gym to gym and the strides are always different (and often awkward) but you get used to them in a couple minutes. LiftFitness machines have been my favorite, but i would balance the cost as you are still getting a good workout ... however, the only reason i spend any time on them is because i've torn my PCL in my right knee, otherwise, running a track is 100x better.
 
Your soapbox, jasondragon, while well-meaning is a bit misplaced, IMO. It's not like people *never* walk around or anything other than use an elliptical in their daily life. Bicyclists don't pound the pavement and their joints still seem capable of getting them around off of the bike. I don't think 30-45 minutes on an elliptical 3 times a week or more is going to reduce anyone into a jointless jellyfish.

My wife walk quite a bit when out and about on the weekends. We typically walk between centers where most folks come out of a store, get in the car, and drive a way down to the next. I currently do a modified version of the martial arts I know to do a cardio kickboxing routine, and recently upped the burn by adding wrist and ankle weights to make the punches and kicks more difficult. I definitely would prefer to go back to jogging, as it's pleasant to get out (I would have to disagree with the 100x better theory AllCdnBoy and the teenage version of me would have asserted if it were not for the ability to get outdoors), but even as a teenager, I was never able to maintain a solid 30-minute trot. A fitness instructor in college once said it was unsurprising, as had more the build of a weightlifter.. more red muscle.. than someone who can really do distance with more white muscle. Bad knees since birth and a knee injury don't help my outlook on returning to regular jogging, either.

We've been looking at an elliptical as a primary means of getting a solid, constant burn, though. And it's a great start into fitness for my wife, who doesn't work out regularly at present. Where we live, stepping outside to take a walk or jog can be hazardous to your health. We'd opt for swimming, but the local YMCA wants about $90 a month. O.O After trying various machines, we found the ellipticals to be not only effective, but much more fun, and thus more likely to stick with.

Alas, in my research, longer strides come at a price.. with 21" strides typically being on machines in the range of several thousand dollars. The model we're looking at has magnetic resistance and a 13" stride. It's a little short, but for our space and budget requirements, it's great. The elliptical motion is apparently considered to be more of a cross between the up-and-down motion of biking and the front-to-back motion of cross-country skiing, rather than really a walking motion. One page described it quite well as "like pedaling a bike standing up." The motion of the model is really smooth. One thing a lot of ellipticals have is that little "jar" on the upswing ad the back of a stride... the footpad starts to shift forward and feels like it jams the back of your foot. The model we're looking at getting has none of that kind of jarring motion.
 
The point I was attempting to make on my soapbox is that I often see people rely on only the elliptical as a means of cardiovascular training which in the long run may not be as beneficial.

Also I did not state, nor mean to imply that if you use an elliptical machine for training that automatically equates to having jellyfish joints. My bottom line is: don't rely on one piece of equipment for cardiovascular activity for long periods of time, particularly those that involve minimal impact.
 
i agree that you shouldn't use an elliptical as your only cardio ... i find that even at the highest setting it's not all that challenging after a time. Besides, the best way to optimize cardio is to change it up: ie. run 15min, elliptical 15min, stairs 15min & bike 15min
 
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