With home workouts becoming more and more popular recently, there is a great push to find the right cardio machine for your home.
Most people tend to fixate on the traditional models: the treadmill, exercise bike, or recumbent bike. But in the last few years, some really cool exercise machines have come out.
This article is a Teeter Freestep Review. A zero-impact cardio and strength training machine that aims to help people exercise who may be suffering (or recovering) from injuries or mobility issues.
In this article we will be taking an in-depth look at the Teeter Freestep, assessing its claims, identifying what to look for in a cardio machine, and helping you to decide whether the Teeter Freestep is the right choice for you.
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- Full-Body Workout
- Zero Impact on joints
- Heavy Duty
- Whisper Quiet Design
- Non-Slip on floors
- Large Investment Required
- Takes Up A Lot of Space
- Not Designed for High Intensity Exercise
The best way to describe the Teeter Freestep is that it is a recumbent cross-trainer.
You have the handles that are designed to work your upper body, and the footplates to work your lower body. You sit back in a comfortable seat just like you would while on a recumbent bike.
This cardio machine is clearly designed for people who are performing rehab from injuries.
The movement is designed to take the pressure off your knees, your lower back is well supported, and there is no chance of you injuring yourself through accident or bad technique like there would be on a treadmill.
This machine is ideal for people with mobility issues who need to build strength in their upper and lower body as well as cardiovascular fitness.
The Teeter Freestep stands out from other models because it provides a full-body workout without putting any pressure on the knees, hips, or lower back.
If you’re going to purchase a cardio machine for your home (or gym) then there are several things that you’ll want to consider.
Durability – You will want a cardio machine that is going to be durable. There’s no point spending money on a machine that will barely last six months! Nor do you want one that will struggle at a higher intensity of training.
Price – Now, this is actually influenced by how durable the machine is. The longer a machine is likely to last, the more expensive it can be. You want to look at its value for money. A $1,000 machine that lasts 20 years is better value for money than a $50 machine that breaks within the first week of use!
Space – You also want to consider how much space this machine is going to take up when in use. Whether it can be stored away safely when not in use, or if it has to be left out all the time (i.e. a treadmill). If your house is quite small, then this is very important.
Usability – You also need to consider whether this machine will still be useful for the fitter you get. Think about it, a set of 5lb dumbbells is going to stop being useful after just a few weeks of strength training. While an adjustable dumbbell will be useful forever. It’s the same thing with cardio machines.
There are several features of the Teeter Freestep that we thought would be important to mention. Here are a few of the main features that make the Teeter Freestep stand apart from other cardio machines.
Yes, we’re aware that on the surface this isn’t a particularly interesting feature.
But do you know how rare it is for a cardio machine to have a fully adjustable seat?
Most offer higher or lower, forwards or backwards.
The seat on this machine can also be tilted forwards and backwards, meaning that a wide range of people can use this machine in complete comfort. It also covers a range of mobility issues.
While it is undeniable that the Teeter Freestep Recumbent Cross Trainer is a hefty piece of kit.
The inclusion of well-made transportation wheels means that you can easily move the machine around your house between uses.
If you keep your machine in a different room but would like to exercise in front of the television, then that’s no problem!
We wish that more cardio machines were this portable.
The main feature of the Teeter Freestep is that it is zero impact. This means that when you are using it, there are no forces hitting your joints.
Unlike say a treadmill, where each step that you land on the belt creates an impact. Or an exercise bike, where each pedal will put a shear force through your knees.
The benefit of a zero impact design is that it basically injury-proofs the entire machine.
The patented stride technology works in two ways, it reduces muscle fatigue, and reduces injury risk. This means that you are able to train for longer and at a higher intensity than you would on other cardio machines.
As with X-trainers, the Teeter Freestep has two handles which can be used to work your upper body.
You can put more emphasis on these handles to target your upper body, or you can let go of the handles to target your lower body.
Ideally, you work the handles and pedals equally to create a full-body workout. This burns the most calories.
The Teeter Freestep uses dual power motion, this distributes the exertion throughout a large number of your muscles. This has two main benefits:
Firstly, as mentioned earlier, the Freestep will work both the upper body and lower body. Equally distributing the power between the two.
Secondly, the Teeter Freestep will reduce the risk of injury. This is because the dual power motion will not target a specific muscle or joint. Taking the pressure off.
The Teeter Freestep has been shown to burn 17.4% more calories than other machines. This means that you can get the same results in a short amount of time, or get better results in the same amount of time.
One of the most annoying aspects of owning a fitness machine is the noise that they can make. Particularly treadmills.
The Teeter FreeStep is great because it utilises whisper quiet technology. Making it one of the quietest cardio machines on the market.
Perfect if you want to keep the noise down while you use it. Which can keep the neighbours happy (as well as your family members).
This friction-free magnetic linkage system allows the Teeter FreeStep to last longer than almost any other machine.
The durability is incredible. No broken chains ending the life of your product like you can get on exercise bikes. Or damaged running belts as you’d see in a treadmill.
While this is an extra feature, we thought it would be a good idea to include it. Just because it is so useful!
The heavy duty mat can be placed underneath the Teeter FreeStep and can help to reduce noise even further, as well as offering a boost to stability.
This console will track your time, calories burned, your speed, and the distance that you have traveled. Helping you to assess how well you are doing.
There is also a stand for you to place your smartphone or perhaps a tablet. Allowing you to listen to your favorite tunes or watch television while you train. This can prevent tedium, and can help you to train for longer.
There are hundreds of customer reviews currently online about the Teeter Freestep Recumbent Cross Trainer. With 75% of them giving 5-star reviews on Amazon, and 82% of reviews on the Teeter website giving 5 stars.
However, it wasn’t all positive reviews. Customers clearly weren’t impressed with the price. This is a valid criticism, as the Teeter Freestep is quite expensive. But it is worth remembering that the vast majority of reviewers found the price to be reasonable.
You can get stationary bikes for cheaper, but then this is so much more than a stationary bike. If you are completely injury-free then a stationary bike may not be a bad idea. But for many people, a stationary bike is not good enough for their needs!
If you are looking for a budget-friendly machine, then you may want to take a look at the ProForm Hybrid Trainer.
This is a much more lightweight version, and it allows you to either use it as a recumbent cycle or a regular X-trainer.
It’s not quite as durable as the Freestep cross trainer, but it is still going to last you quite a few years. It is not designed for people with injuries, which is a major difference.
However, if you are injury-free and looking to have a good workout for a decent price, then the ProForm Hybrid Trainer may just be the right choice for you.
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On the other hand, if money is not an issue then there is a seriously good alternative in the form of Bodycraft SCT400g Seated Elliptical Cross trainer.
An incredibly comfortable seat, great pedal movement, durable as you want, and it uses its own generator to power itself!
The seat also swivels to allow easier access, making it simple to hop on and off.
Whether the Bodycraft model is better than the Freestep is up for debate, and the price is going to be a stumbling block for many. But you’ve got a great piece of kit here, regardless.
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The Teeter Freestep Recumbent Cross Trainer is well suited for people who were injured or at risk of becoming injured. It helps people with mobility issues/disabilities to exercise. The machine does that incredibly well.
It is well made, durable, and will support most shapes and sizes. The argument that it is quite expensive is a fair one.
Still, if you find it difficult/painful to use most cardio machines then Teeter Freestep is might be a good choice for you.
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