ProForm 850 Elliptical Trainer

Elliptical trainers are hot items now for in-home exercise. Fitness equipment sales in general show an uptick in the winter for two reasons. First, many people make New Years resolutions to exercise more. Second, if you live in a cold climate, exercising outside during the winter months is just not a good idea.

The sad truth that confounds exercise equipment manufacturers is that a good half of all home exercise equipment lies unused. Equipment manufacturers are always looking for ways to keep consumers exercising. The Proform 850 Elliptical Trainer with GameFit is a great example of just such an effort.

The 850 Elliptical is first a great, feature rich exercise machine. Instead of mechanical resistance, this elliptical machine uses magnetic resistance, eliminating extra mechanical parts that can wear prematurely. It has an eighteen inch stride, for smooth operation and good extension through the hips. The long stride pedals, coupled with the moving handles, creates great workouts for legs and arms. The combined motion also works the core of the body-abs, back, and oblique’s.

Another key differentiating component is the backlit LCD. The display panel itself is big, so it can be seen from different angles. Backlighting makes the panel easier to read in various lighting conditions. This elliptical machine comes with twelve pre-programmed workouts that can be selected based on your desired intensity and fitness level. The 850 also has two stationary hand grips that will measure your heart rate. Finally, the button controls light up when pressed.

Music while you exercise is not good enough? You like to play video games, and think you can only do that while sitting on the couch? Not true any longer. That excuse is gone. The Proform 850 Elliptical Trainer with Gamefit, as its name implies, includes games. Two video games will vary their difficulty based on how intensely you are exercising.

These are all features you would expect, and demand, in any modern-day elliptical machine. The Proform 850 provides these, and then adds features to keep you engaged in your workouts, and motivated to get back on the machine. Like many other elliptical trainers, the Proform 850 provides an interface for your iPod or other MP3 player. However, the Proform has a slightly different spin. The 850 can charge your iPod whilst you’re exercising and play your music through the in-built sound speakers.

This trainer comes with a one year warranty on parts and labor, excluding the magnetic resistance brake, which is warranted for ten years, and the frame, which carries a lifetime warranty. At around $500, it is hard to find a better value in home exercise equipment.