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As a cross-country skier, you need to indulge in an off-season training program so that when the ski season arrives, your muscles and joints do not act clueless. Being in good shape is a pre-requisite for enjoying winter on your skis. It is not just about keeping your knees and shoulders active in the off-season, but you need to work out to increase your stamina so when the winter arrives, you spend long hours on the slopes – exactly what you were hoping for all year long.
3 Best Indoor Nordic Ski Machines
We have done the work for you! Here are the top three ski machines that can make your off-season fun and exciting, while they prepare your body for a great snow season to come.
NordicTrack Classic Pro Skier Ski Machine
The Nordic Track Classic Pro Skier Ski Machine has the perfect balance of great quality and affordability. You can use it as your off-season ski machine or as a means of great cardio exercise to get in shape. The ski machine is easy to assemble – will take around an hour or even less to assemble it. It offers multiple resistance levels so the whole family can benefit from this home trainer.
Features
- It has 7 adjustable resistance levels. You can also control the resistance for lower as well as upper body exercises.
- The LED feedback window shows you the distance covered, your pulse rate, calories burned as well as the total time of your workout.
- It provides smooth and natural movement.
- The ski machine has a dimension of 75 inches (length) x 23.5 inches (width) x 76.7 inches (height). It can handle a weight of 250 pounds.
- It offers adjustable arm and stride resistance as well as adjustable elevation.
- The Nordic Track Classic Pro Skier Ski Machine comes with a year warranty that includes any defect in parts or components.
Our Thoughts
The Nordic Track Classic Pro Ski Machine is made of a high-quality steel frame and oak wood. With the help of a pin locking system, you can adjust and set the resistance level. It has a good price and is equally effective for young skiers as well as for older citizens.
By Comparison
As compared to many good cross country ski machines out there in the market, the Nordic Track Classic Pro Skier Ski Machine is affordable, effective, and caters to different age brackets and body types. Its low impact workout is ideal for old citizens as well as obese individuals who find cross-trainers hard. It can be easily folded leaving you a good amount of space. The upper and lower body workouts help you carry out directed exercises, tone target muscles, and burn more calories.
On the contrary side, the number of resistance levels could have been increased. The primary focus of this skier machine is to provide a low impact workout so if you are a ski professional who is looking for a high impact ski machine, this may not be the one for you.
- Adjustable Elevation
- Adjustable Arm & Stride Resistance
- LED Feedback Window
- 75” L x 23.5” W x 76.7” H Footprint
- 250 Lb. User Weight Capacity
NordicTrack Sequoia Ski Machine
The original ski machine from the Nordic Track, the Sequoia Ski Machine was followed by many advanced versions, but the original is still a hot favorite among the skiing and fitness world. It is durable and one of a kind. The Nordic Track Sequoia Ski Machine is manufactured using premium quality material such as black steel and pine wood and has a stylish redwood stain finishing.
You can set the resistance level to target the upper or the lower body region. If different members of your family plan to use the Nordic Track Sequoia Ski Machine, they can tilt the hip pad according to their comfort and liking. And if that’s not enough, this ski machine is foldable and portable – everything we are looking for in an ideal home trainer machine.
Features
- The ski machine is constructed using high quality material featuring hard pine wood and black steel.
- It is a compact, light in weight, and foldable ski machine. It can be easily stored in a closet of one square foot.
- It comes in a package dimension of 54 inches x 16 inches x 14 inches.
- The vinyl hip pads are comfortable and adjustable.
- The Sequoia Ski Machine offers a complete upper as well as lower body workout.
- The ski machine comes with a one-year warranty.
Our Thoughts
Setting up the NordicTrack Sequoia Skier is easy and it does not take much time as it comes pre-assembled. Its smooth gliding motion mimics the natural cross country ski motion, which is a big plus. Since it can be easily folded to take a compact size, this ski machine is portable and can be easily stored when not in use.
By Comparison
Although it can be compactly stored, the actual ski machine when in use takes a lot of space which many of the other ski machines do not. Having said that, it is a great quality piece of equipment that will train your body for the upcoming ski season. Also, as compared to other ski machines, the high-quality pine wood and steel along with vinyl hip pads offer great quality and durability, promising your many off-season workouts to come.
- The Simple Machine with the Natural Look.
- Lightweight Pine & Metal Construction
- Folds down Compact
- Stores Vertically in a closet - 1 sq. foot
- Upper & Lower Body Workout !
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E902 Air Walk Trainer Elliptical Machine Glider
The Sunny Health and Fitness SF-E902 Air Walk Trainer Elliptical Machine Glider is great for all levels of fitness buffs – from a newbie to a skiing professional. It offers good value for money for being an efficient and versatile exercise machine. Offering a great body workout, the Air Walk Trainer engages your lower as well as upper body, and the striding motion works on twisting the midsection of the body. As a result, you get to burn calories and tone your muscles.
Features
- The Air Walk Trainer weighs 37 pounds and has a maximum weight-bearing capacity of 220 pounds. It has a stride length of 45 inches.
- It provides continuous motion without any interruption. The pedals are non-slip and are ideal for a slow walk as well as for fast motion.
- The LCD monitor shows important workout details such as the total distance covered, time, and calories.
- It offers a complete body workout targeting your upper, lower, and mid-section. It is excellent for your cardiovascular as well as respiratory systems. It also tones the arm and leg muscles. In an upright posture on the machine, your abdominal muscles function as stabilizing muscles and increase your endurance.
- It has a dimension of 28 inches x 12.5 inches x 57 inches. When in use, the machine requires almost 12 inches of additional space.
- You can save space by folding the machine when not in use. When folded, the Sunny Health & Fitness Air Walk Trainer takes half its length.
- The Air Walk Elliptical comes with a user manual.
Our Thoughts
It is easy to assemble and operates smoothly. Although the Sunny Health and Fitness SF-E902 Air Walk Trainer Elliptical Machine Glider is meant for all types of individuals, it is more directed towards the new and intermediate level of users, and may not be as exciting for professionals. However, this does not take away the fact that it is a great body workout machine that does not put pressure on your back or joints. And it is nicely priced to give you the complete value for the money that you want. It is light in weight and boasts a compact design.
By Comparison
If you compare the SF-E902 with other ski machines, it may not be ideal for professional skiers or exercise pros, however, it offers a complete aerobic workout at home that provides the user the benefits of cross-country skiing, running, walking, stretching, and aerobic dancing. Since this Elliptical Machine Glider has a simple structure, it is easy to set up, as compared to some other machines that end up being too complicated once you start assembling them.
- AIR WALK TRAINER: The non-slip pedals will help simulate a slow walk or work up to a full run while maintaining a continuous motion capability without interruption. 30-inch stride length.
- TOTAL BODY WORKOUT: The air walker exercise machine targets muscles in your arms as well as your legs. When you maintain an upright posture on the machine, your abdominal muscles will work as stabilizing muscles increasing your stability and endurance …
How to Choose A Cross-Country Ski Machine?
Working out on a cross country ski machine is like skiing when you cannot ski outdoors. You do not need white powdered snow on the ground or juggle lots of layers of clothing to experience the thrill that skiing brings. And if this incentive is not enough, a cross country ski machine will prepare your body and build stamina for the actual snow season to come.
If you are not sure which cross country ski machine is the right one for you, you don’t have to worry. We have done the research work for you. The best part is that you do not need a gym membership to enjoy the XC ski machine workout. You can enjoy a full workout in the comfort of your home. A cross country ski machine is also a great alternative for those individuals who would love to get the physical benefits of snowing without having to face the cold weather. When purchasing your cross country ski machine, keep in mind these three important factors:
Quality
If you are investing in a cross country ski machine to do off-season ski practice, you need to buy a good quality machine so that you can do your workout in all the off-seasons to come in the long run. Therefore, you need a sturdy machine that is made of excellent quality. Many good manufacturers provide a longer warranty period – a sign of their trust in their product. Although you may find the ski machines made with premium quality materials not too light on the wallet, yet your great quality ski machine will benefit you for years to come, as compared to the light and inferior quality ones that are expected to last a season.
If you plan to share the cross country ski machine with other family members, it is crucial to invest in a great quality reputable manufacturer that offers a good product warranty.
Features
Different cross country ski machines offer different features, but some features are extremely important and come in handy. Make sure you look for an adjustable resistance level. This way you can challenge yourself or decrease the resistance level if you find the workout hard. It is also useful when the machine is used by different family members as everyone has their preferred resistance settings.
Another factor to consider is having a good grip. It is important for the cross country ski machine to have sturdy handles that are ergonomically located to give you the best comfort and grip. These handles need to be sweat resistant as the last thing you want is to hold them for grip and end up having slippery hands and an unstable workout.
An LCD screen window is also a great feature to have in your cross country ski machine. It prompts you the exercise time, speed, calories you have burnt, and pulse rate, etc.
When searching for a good ski machine, make sure you get one with smooth motion in order to prevent or decrease the chances of injury. In exercise machines that have repetitive cycles, it is important to check for a smoother motion mechanism.
There are times when you want to focus on a certain zone of your body. While purchasing your cross country ski machine, it is a good idea to check for separate controls for your upper and lower body parts. This way, a certain body zone can rest and you can work on the target zone.
Portability
There are many benefits of having a portable cross country ski machine. The first one is, you can move it to different parts of your home. For instance, when the weather is good, you can move it to your backyard to enjoy working out under the sky. Or you may want to move it to the living room or your bedroom when you feel like it.
Another benefit of having a portable XC ski machine is that you can shift it to the storage area or your garage in the ski season when you would rather go out and ski and want to take a break from your home trainer for a couple of weeks.
It is always a big plus if your cross country ski machine is compact, or can be folded to take less space. This comes in pretty handy if you live in a rented property or have less space in your home. This way, you can pack it and store it in your closet or under the bed, and take it out when you need to use it.
Conclusion
Getting yourself a cross country ski machine is a great way to train your body for the coming ski season, build endurance, and tone those muscles that you would be needing soon on the slopes. However, the best part about investing in a ski machine is that it is not just for cross country skiers – the entire family can benefit from it. Any individual who is interested in fitness and wants to tone up upper and lower body muscles, stay fit, and/ or lose weight can take advantage of a good cross country ski machine.
Now that you know what features to look for when buying a practical cross country ski machine and the top machines available in the market, what are you waiting for? Get those arms and legs moving and get in shape!
