In this review, I am giving you a complete rundown on the Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer to help you decide the best fitness equipment for your home use. When I first started doing a little research about exercise machines, I had to first imagine what the ideal exercise program is for me. I knew I had to list down all my options based on my likes and dislikes with workouts. As an example, I dislike being seen by others sweating around too much (which is what happens inside a workout studio) so I knew that if I ever plan on going on a fitness program it has got to be something that I can do by myself at home. Checking out a number of high tech, popular exercise equipment brought me to try out the Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer and see if it makes a difference.

Maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle to achieve my ideal body weight has been a bane my whole life. First of all, I am not a fan of highly intensive workout videos that require so many apparatuses - I find these all completely unnecessary as it would be easier to just enroll at the nearest gym. Still I don’t consider going to the gym a pleasure either, as I don’t feel all too comfortable using all those technical fitness equipment. Besides I’m so conscious of myself whenever I work out with other people around me. This is why I have resolved to find myself a nice and reliable gym equipment that I can use at home, and I realized based on my experience that the Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer is one of the cheapest yet extremely dependable tool to your home work out routines.

Things You Need to Know Before Getting an Elliptical Trainer

It’s really hard to rely on product brochures especially if you are not that all too familiar with the technical jargon most professional fitness instructors understand. You’ll probably end scratching your head in confusion just like me. In my case I ended up asking a lot of questions from the sports outlet sales people. The truth is, nothing beats knowing the basics based on what you need for your fitness regimen. It’s pretty simple, actually! All you need to know are:

• How the elliptical trainer exactly works
• How long does it last on average with regular use
• Are there any recommended fitness programs that you can follow while using the machine
• How much it will cost
• Is there any warranty from either the manufacturer or the store

See how simple these questions are? Do not get easily intimidated by data or figures you find while researching for the right exercise machine for you. These five basic questions are just what you need to understand, and I’m pretty sure you’ll come with a firm decision on your choice of fitness equipment pretty soon. It’s totally important to know exactly how you as a consumer can use the equipment for your workouts, plus estimated lifespan of the product upon daily or regular usage (perhaps you might decide to do quick 25 minute workouts on a daily basis before rushing off to work). Of course it matters if there are any existing manuals with instructions on how to use the equipment along with fitness programs you can sync with your regimen so you can best see for yourself if the programs are aligned with your fitness goals. Finally, and most important of all is the price and value for money, like if there are any add-ons, what happens when it breaks down, can you use the warranty, etc. Knowing how affordable it is for you, staying within budget is of course a critical aspect of deciding what equipment to buy.

So, how does the Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer work?

Horizon has long been in the sports equipment business and you can be sure that the people behind the brand know what they’re doing when it comes to designing and developing product specifically for home use. As for the Horizon Fitness EX-57, this slim and sexy sports machine lets you glide naturally on its foot pedals while you hold on to the handles. You can feel your grip tighten as you walk smoothly on the elliptical trainer, and it helps arch your back all the way which definitely helps you loosen up stiff muscles on your upper and lower back. Using the Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer means being able to exercise your entire body, and thus is awesome for cardiovascular health. The Horizon Fitness EX-57 has a front motor drive similar to popular elliptical trainers found at homes, along with a stride length of 18 inches that’s standard for similar models.

Will the Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer last long?

Many people think twice about getting quite affordable exercise equipment precisely because they are afraid it will bog down anytime soon. There’s nothing to worry about, however, with the Horizon Fitness EX-57 since not only is it sturdy enough to carry a maximum weight of 275 pounds on regular use, you can also be assured of its durability since it’s pretty hard to lug around as it weighs around 163 pounds when completely set up. Consumers are attracted to the Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer not just because of its remarkably accessible price tag, but also because of the materials used to make it sturdy and incredibly long-lasting.

Does it come with its own workout programs I can follow?

But of course! No experience on every elliptical trainer is complete without having the capability to provide customizable workout programs that users can follow to fulfill their regular fitness regimen. Home workouts are more enticing and challenging with the 9 various programs you can check out on the Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer. Not only that, to my surprise I found out that I can also try up to 8 different resistance levels as I maneuver my way on the elliptical trainer. I realized I can enter the pertinent information in my workouts such as duration of the exercise compared with the length or distance covered, plus the standard calorie count that I wish to hopefully lose after every workout session. The program comes with a user’s guide or manual that I found fairly easy to follow, and I can assure you that knowing I can configure my fitness programs to my desired target made my workouts more enjoyable every day.

How much does the Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer cost?

As I checked out the price range of the elliptical trainers I tested, I saw fitness equipment stores selling the Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer for somewhere around $800-900, which was not bad for a wonderful piece of exercise machinery of course! What I think has the best deal in town however, is Amazon.com where I just recently discovered that they were selling the Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer for nearly half the price! At $499 and with free shipping, I definitely thought this was a steal. Imagine acquiring a magnificent and steady exercise equipment for just under $500. With the following specifications, now that’s a real bargain:

• Product dimensions are 55 x 29 x 67 inches (L x W x H)
• Utilizes sturdy and reliable front flywheels for ultra-smooth movements plus reduced noise
• Clear LCD screen (2.4 x 4.8 inches) for configuring programs on the machine
• Wide foot pedals that’s spaced just right (about 2.8 inches) for your size whether you’re small or tall

Does it come with a manufacturer’s warranty?

I’m happy to say that the Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer comes with a lifetime warranty for the frame, 20 years warranty for the brake pedals and a year for both machine parts and labor so you sure don’t have to worry about any problems you might encounter (if any) as you enjoy your home workouts on the machine.

Are customers happy about the Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer?

Indeed they are! When I was reviewing this product I found out that customers gave this exercise equipment an average score of 4.5 out of a total of 5 stars! They’re not only raving about how great it is to use or how reliable and durable it is; customers also rarely encountered problems with using the equipment. You can say that majority of these customers are extremely happy since they bought the product. What makes it truly amazing is that these are all knowledgeable consumers who did their homework, being well-researched about fitness equipment before deciding to buy the Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer for their home use. Here’s a summary of what these people are saying:

• "Good for a tough workout in your own house."
• "Gym Quality Work out on a Solid Machine!"
• "Smooth operating elliptical. It makes working out at home FUN."
• "Great product and super service!"
• "Best deal, easiest assembly"

Is there anything you can recommend for them to improve on the product?

Certainly, a common complaint of most consumers is the difficulty in setting it up: sometimes it’s easy for other people, oftentimes buyers need help in connecting the frame with the parts altogether. This is a known issue for most customers who buy fitness equipment, especially heavy duty ones like elliptical trainers so the Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer is not alone in this area. There are others mentioned although just a single instance: for example, one customer narrated how he experienced some problem with the machine, called up support and asked for help, then realizing that there was something with the power cord that need to be replaced. All in all though, the Horizon Fitness EX-57 deserved the respect and accolade it is getting from the many customers it has satisfied.

Where to buy the Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer

You know you can rush off to the nearest fitness equipment outlets, but I know you’re itching to get your hands on the Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer with the best bargain price! And that of course is with Amazon, where your savings can easily reach up to $400 on a single purchase since you can have it delivered for free tool. Checking it out via Amazon is easy! Just click here and find out more details on how you can pay for it for a lesser price.

Read more reviews...

...by visiting the Amazon product page on the Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer. All you need to do is just click on the link mentioned above and you can read more customer reviews.

Technorati Tags: Elliptical Trainer, EX-57, Horizon, Review