The NordicTrack A.C.T. Center Drive Elliptical Trainer Review

I recently was at the NordicTrack corporate headquarters in Logan, Utah. My mission was to review their new equipment. One model I was particularly interested in was the NordicTrack A.C.T. elliptical trainer. This is a center drive model in comparison to a front drive or rear drive elliptical.

Why are there different drives on elliptical trainers? Part of the reason is existing patents. Some of the first ellipticals were rear drives, and in order to get around the patent, other manufacturers developed the front design.

So which is better? That is a matter of preference. Some people swear by a rear drive, while others prefer a front drive. As it was explained to me, the preference is usually based on the type of machine a person uses regularly.

In the ongoing battle of the drive wars, a new combatant came on the scene, which is the center drive. In addition to NordicTrack there are several other brands offering this design, which include Keys, Nautilus and True.

One of the major advantages of a center drive elliptical trainer like the NordicTrack A.C.T. is that it is compact. A typical elliptical trainer can be between 70"-85" long. They occupy considerable space. Yes, there are compact front and rear drive ellipticals, but they tend to be budget models and are lightweight and not very stable. Having the drive located in the center of the machine can reduce the length of the elliptical by a couple of feet.

Another advantage to center drive ellipticals is the obvious - your body is centered over the mechanics and you feel more balanced. I personally own a front drive elliptical and I find my body has to lean to use the handlebars. In the case of the NordicTrack A.C.T., I found the motion to be more natural, and it felt that the handlebars were closer to my body. That closeness makes me work my arms harder, and in the process, I have a tendency to more evenly divide up the workout and the resistance.

So often people who workout on an elliptical focus most of the resistance on the lower body and end up going through the motions with the upper body.

A further advantage of the center drive elliptical is the fact you do not have a drive between the pedals, therefore the pedals can be positioned closer to each other. Because of their physique, woman often find the pedal distance of most ellipticals to be discomforting, and the whole concept behind elliptical trainers is to reduce stress and strain while you exercise.

Adjustable Stride

An additional advantage of the NordicTrack A.C.T. is the adjustable stride. You can adjust the stride from 18"-22". This has a couple of benefits. First, the adjustable stride can handle users who are of different heights. By adjusting the stride a user can find their comfort zone. Furthermore, by adjusting the stride you can focus your workout on different parts of your lower body.

The other feature worth noting is the speaker system. It´s certainly not comparable to a blaupunkt stereo, but it is convenient having the system built into the console. You can plug in your MP3 and rock out as you burn those calories.

If you are in the market for an elliptical trainer due to the low-impact, dual workout, you need to consider a center drive model. In particular, check out the NordicTrack A.C.T. The design and the features make this one of the better values for an elliptical machine.

Fred Waters is the author of the Fitness Equipment Source web site, where you can learn more about the NordicTrack A.C.T. Elliptical Trainer and over 50 other popular elliptical machines.