Proform HIIT vs Elliptical Trainer Comparison

Which Is Best For You?

Trying to decide between the Proform HIIT Trainer vs an elliptical?

The Proform Smart HIIT Trainer is a special hybrid type of elliptical trainer with a vertical elliptical stride.

It was made specifically for HIIT workouts (or High Intensity Interval Training).

Studies have shown that this is one of the best ways that you can burn maximum calories per workout.

There are also a few more benefits that the HIIT trainer gives you vs an elliptical.

But is it really better?

And is it the best choice for you?

Let’s take a closer look at the differences between the Proform HIIT vs elliptical to see which one is really better for you:

Proform HIIT vs Elliptical – Price

There are currently 2 different HIIT Trainer models – the H14 and the H7. They start around $1400 and up which puts them around the same price as a mid-range elliptical.

With elliptical trainers you get a more choice obviously since you can find starter ellipticals from $800 all the way up to commercial machines at $2500 and above.

Proform HIIT vs Elliptical – Lower Body Motion

This is where you’ll see a huge difference between these two machines. A standard elliptical trainer is designed to mimic your natural running motion (on a horizontal surface).

So it gives you more of an elongated, horizontal running path. You can pedal both forward and backwards on a regular elliptical trainer as well.

The Proform HIIT trainer however is more like a vertical elliptical.

A lot of sites say that it’s basically a stair-stepper. But that’s not actually the case.

With a stair-stepper you just go straight up and down. With the Proform HIIT trainer you do have a 10 inch vertical climb – but you also have a 5 inch horizontal climb.

So it’s more like a vertical climbing motion as you can see below:

I think it’s better described as a vertical elliptical trainer or a climber – not a stair stepper. The benefit of this is that you can also pedal backwards on a HIIT trainer – which you can’t do on a stair stepper.

But as far as comparing it to an elliptical trainer, obviously, the lower body motions are very different on the Proform HIIT vs the elliptical trainer. The Proform HIIT trainer is a climbing motion whereas the elliptical is a running motion.

Proform HIIT or Elliptical – Calories Burned

While Proform has not made any specific calorie claims on the HIIT trainer vs elliptical trainer (yet), it’s safe to say that you can probably burn more calories with a HIIT trainer for 2 reasons.

#1 HIIT Trainer Recruits More Muscles

Firstly, the climbing motion on the HIIT trainer naturally recruits more lower body muscles than a running motion. And more muscles used means more calories are burned.

#2  Get HIIT Workouts To Burn More Calories

Second, you get several HIIT training workouts with these machines. HIIT training workouts  – where you go really hard for a short interval and then relax and go slower for a longer interval (and then repeat the process) – have been shown to help you burn more calories than a regular workout.

You can even end up burning more calories for hours after your workout after a HIIT workout.

So if you want to burn more calories in less time – the HIIT Trainer can definitely help.

Space Considerations

The Proform HIIT trainer is also more compact than a regular elliptical. It doesn’t have the wheel and track design stretching out behind the foot pedals like a standard crosstrainer.

While it depends on the elliptical trainer you’re comparing it against, overall the Proform HIIT trainer is about half the space of a standard trainer. This makes it ideal for condos, apartments or smaller workout rooms.

Proform HIIT vs Elliptical – iFit

iFit Coach is a very cool technology that you’ll find on both Proform HIIT trainers. It connects your machine to the Internet and from there you can use it to track your workouts over time, set new goals and see how far you’ve come.

You can also download new HIIT workouts and even run in places all over the world – from the Swiss Alps to the streets of Paris. So iFit Coach adds a bit of virtual reality fun to your workouts.

While iFit Coach is an online subscription service, you can get a Full Family subscription to iFit included for a short time when you buy this trainer direct from the Manufacturer. So you can try it out first and see if you like it.

You can also just use the free version of iFit which includes several built-in workouts.

While you can get iFit Coach on other Proform elliptical trainers, you won’t find it many other brands of elliptical trainers.

Click to Get iFit With Any Proform HIIT Trainer

Any Benefits of an Elliptical over the Proform HIIT?

There are a few benefits you may get with an elliptical that you don’t get wit the Proform HIIT trainer.

First of all, you get a bit more range as far as movements. You can get options like incline on an elliptical. incline changes the clope of your running path and this can add more crosstraining options to your workout.

Also, you can find elliptical trainers that fold up like the Nordictrack SE9i Spacesaver elliptical – if space is an issue for you.

Finally if you prefer running on a flat surface then obviously an elliptical motion would be the better choice for you.

Bottom Line?

So which is better in the Proform HIIT vs elliptical debate?

Well, the Proform HIIT trainer is a great way to burn more calories and get an overall total body workout with faster results than an elliptical trainer.

It also takes up less space and you can also add in iFit Coach to run trails all over the world for some virtual reality fun.

However an elliptical trainer gives you a bit more of a range of motions and can be on the more affordable side (depending on what you buy).

So at the end of the day it depends on what you want – and which machine gets you the most excited about using it!

Want to learn more?

Click Here to Compare All HIIT Trainer Models

Click Here to Shop All Proform Elliptical Trainers

Related:

Proform H14 HIIT Trainer Review – A Good Buy for You?

Proform HIIT Trainer H7 Review – How Does It Rate?

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