Schwinn 420 Elliptical Trainer Review
Our Schwinn 420 Elliptical Trainer Review
Cardio is the cornerstone of all things exercise. But has running and jogging gotten boring? That’s why they invented the elliptical machine, a machine that works off a more circular track and helps strengthen both upper and lower body at the same time. But what should you look for when shopping for an elliptical machine of your own?
What to Look for
Elliptical machines come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and the information can be somewhat overwhelming. The biggest thing you should look for when buying an elliptical is how the machine fits you. The one that feels the best to run on is probably the one for you.
Elliptical machines also come with a few different mechanical differences. The large majority of them now are front drive, meaning the circular action is in the front of the machine. This type provides a very smooth workout. There are also rear and center drive ellipticals.
They also sometimes differ when it comes to upper body training. Most ellipticals you will see have hand grips to train the upper body, but some do not come with this feature. I recommend the type with upper body training, even if you don’t plan on training the upper body.
What Else Should I Look For?
The elliptical machine is a tricky machine to shop for. There are a wide array of different features on each machine, but you can’t ever be sure that you actually need them. Today, I’m going to look at some of the features of the Schwinn 420 and tell you what is and is not important about them.
16 Resistance Levels
Seems a bit flashy when it’s the first feature listed on the product description, but there’s a good reason for that. Having a wider variety of resistance can be a very good thing come training time. Letting your body get used to a certain resistance can make you plateau, or reach a point when you don’t gain any more strength or lose any more weight. It’s important to mix things up with the body; confusion is a very good thing when it comes to exercise, so the Schwinn 420′s 16 level resistance is a thumbs up feature.
12 Workout Programs and Ergonomic Handles
Most ellipticals, treadmills, stairclimbers and really anything else you can possible thing of comes with so-called “programs.” But on the Schwinn 420, just how useful are these programs? As said before, confusing your body and not allowing it to plateau is one of the best things you can do in your exercise routine. The 12 different workout plans the Schwinn 420 comes with is perfect for this if you choose to use them.
The ergonomic handles provide an interesting feature on the Schwinn 420. These handles actually have multiple positions so you can change what kind of workout you’re getting. This once again causes some muscle confusion, which allows you to surpass or avoid the plateau. The ergonomic handles certainly are an interesting feature, and I honestly think it makes the machine.
The Bad
Like all things, the Schwinn 420 comes with some bad. It doesn’t necessarily overthrow all the good I’ve just laid out, but it’s important enough for me to share it with you here.
18 Inch Stride
While an 18” stride is going to be just fine for the majority of people, tall people are going to have an incredibly difficult time running on this machine. The elliptical, being a fixed track machine, doesn’t take into consideration different running strides. If you’re tall, it’s going to be somewhat awkward running on this machine. However, if you’re of average height, you really have nothing to worry about here.
300 Pound Weight Limit:
Well, the Schwinn 420 has once again discriminated against the large. Not only will tall people have an issue running on this machine, but now heavy people are advised against using it! Whether this machine really is as fragile as that, or if it’s just a manufacturer precaution, you’ll have to decide for yourself. It looks like it can support more than 300 pounds to me, but then again, I’m not an expert. Use at your own risk, large people.
Does it Come With a Warranty?
For those of you that just read about the weight limit, yes! It does come with a warranty. It comes with a 5 year frame warranty and a 1 year parts and electronics warranty. The only thing you should really focus on, however, is the parts and electronics warranty. You can try to break this thing’s frame, and it’s not going to work. However, if you use this machine a lot, keep in mind that there are moving parts, and moving parts wear. Take good care of your machine, and you’ll have it for a while.
Was That All the Features?!?!
Calm down, of course that wasn’t everything. I just pointed out what I believe to be the most important features to know about the Schwinn 420. Here is the full list of features:
- Ergonomic handles for multiple workout positions; fixed and moving handlebars
- Biomechanically designed linkages means a comfortable and natural elliptical path
- Perimeter weighted flywheel with high inertia for smooth, consistent workouts
- Oversized stabilizers and levelers that are built-in for a solid workout platform
- 12 workout programs, including 6 course profiles, fitness test and custom workout
- Integrated grip heart rate system for easy fitness monitoring
- Water bottle holder
- Magazine rack
- Transport wheels
- 16 resistance levels
- Eddy Current Brake (ECB) resistance system
- 18-inch stride length
- Switchable from miles to kilometers (KM)
- Maximum user weight: 300 pounds
In Closing
Overall, the Schwinn 420 is a great machine. I highly recommend it simply because it has a great list of features. It does come with some pretty serious cons for the larger person, but for the average person it’s great. Don’t be afraid to shop around, and if you ever get the chance, jump on a Schwinn 420 and try it out! Nobody is laughing at you.
Schwinn 420 Elliptical Trainer
 |  List Price: $799.00 Sale Price: $579.00 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Eligible For Free Shipping  |
Product Description
The Schwinn® 420A elliptical is engineered with biomechanically designed linkages for a comfortable and natural elliptical path. BioDyne™ performance features a perimeter-weighted flywheel with high inertia for smooth, consistent workouts.
Details
- Provides smooth upper- and lower-body cardiovascular workout with 16 resistance levels
- 12 workout programs, including 6 course profiles, fitness test and custom workout
- Integrated grip heart rate system for easy fitness monitoring
- Ergonomic handles for multiple workout positions; natural-feeling 18-inch stride
- 300-pound maximum user weight; 5-year warranty on frame, 1 year on parts and electronics
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Tagged with: 420 • elliptical • schwinn • trainer
Filed under: Schwinn
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