There is a wide variety of home gym equipment you could buy. In fact, the choice can be overwhelming. But let’s imagine that you’ve narrowed it down to either a recumbent bike or an elliptical trainer. It seems like a hard decision until you discover the ProForm Hybrid Trainers made by ICON Fitness & Health. With one of these exercise machines, you’ll get the best of both worlds.
ProForm Hybrid Trainer
The ProForm Hybrid Trainer base model lets you choose between riding it as a recumbent bike or standing to use it as an elliptical trainer. Either way, you’ll have sixteen levels of resistance to help you increase your stamina from novice to athlete.
There are also sixteen workout programs divided into categories like weight loss and toning, and cardiovascular fitness. The latter you can track using the EKG heart rate sensors embedded in the handlebars.
The LCD in the console runs on four D-size batteries. The advantage to this is you won’t need electricity to operate the trainer. Instead, its magnetic flywheel operates silently without running up your power bill.
As you pedal or ride, you can raise or lower the resistance with buttons on the console. Or you can allow the workout programs to change it for you. The display will show you pertinent data like time elapsed, speed, and calories burned.
There are several features that add to your comfort while you exercise. For example, you can plug in an mp3 player or mobile device to play music through the onboard speaker. And you can keep your water close at hand in the holder.
For the recumbent bike mode, the cushioned seat bottom keeps you from getting sore during long workouts. There is also a mesh back that allows air to circulate and keep you cooler. Plus, the pedals and seat are adjustable to accommodate riders of different heights. The main complaint is that the motion of the pedals is more like alternate leg presses than a true circular motion like on a bicycle.
In the elliptical mode, the pedals have a 15-inch stride. And you can make use of either the fixed or moving handlebars according to your preference. Both sets are padded for comfort.
Finally, you can also adjust the height of the console and handlebars. All of these adjustments are explained in the instructions that will also help you assemble the trainer when it arrives.
More features of the ProForm Hybrid Trainer:
- Covered by a 5-year warranty on the frame and 90-Day parts and labor
- Weight capacity 350 pounds
ProForm Hybrid Trainer Pro Elliptical Machine
What are the differences between the ProForm Hybrid Trainer and the Hybrid Trainer Pro? First, the Hybrid Pro offers a larger 17-inch stride. And it also lets you adjust the incline between three and twenty degrees. These features increase the intensity and comfort of your workout as you can better target specific muscle groups.
Next, the console is iFit-enabled with Bluetooth connectivity. You can link a wireless chest strap and upload your exercise data, too.
Just like on the ProForm Hybrid Trainer, on the Pro you can adjust the seat distance, the handlebar height, and the pedals to suit your height. And the cushioned seat bottom and mesh back make long rides more pleasant.
Of course, you can plug in your mp3 player or iPod to play music through the integrated speakers in the console. And there’s also a tablet holder that doesn’t block your view of the readout on the screen.
With the screen, you can choose between ten recumbent bike programs and ten elliptical programs. Then you can view data as calories burned and the time remaining during the workout.
More features of the ProForm Hybrid Trainer Pro Elliptical Machine:
- Covered by a lifetime warranty on the commercial-grade steel frame and 1-year parts and labor
- Weight capacity 350 pounds
- Requires electricity to operate and comes with AC adapter
Recommendation
There are three main reasons to choose the ProForm Hybrid Trainer Pro over the base model. One, it has a larger stride plus the ability to raise the ramp. Two, it has more preset training programs. And three, it comes ready to use with iFit. It also has a longer warranty. While you might save money at the outset with the Hybrid Trainer, you’re likely to have long-term satisfaction with the Pro.
Click here to purchase ProForm Hybrid Trainer on Amazon.com!
Click here to purchase ProForm Hybrid Trainer Pro on Amazon.com!