The Life Fitness FS4 Elliptical Cross Trainer – Small Footprint, Longer Stride Length

Overview

The Life Fitness FS4 joins the FS6 as the two new elliptical trainers in the high end company’s lineup. A complete departure from the rear drive design of the rest of the machines, these mid-drive cross trainers are designed to accommodate smaller spaces, while retaining the durability and craftsmanship the company is known for.

Let’s take a look at some of the best features you’ll find…

Compact Footprint

One of the complaints that people have had over the years is that all of the Life Fitness ellipticals tend to be a bit large and heavy for home use. The new FS4 addresses that concern, with the smallest footprint ever from the company. At only 50″ long, it’s a good 25-30″ shorter than a traditional elliptical trainer, which makes it a much better option for those with smaller home gyms.

Multiple Workout Options

Another thing that makes the Life Fitness FS4 unique is the fact that you can really cross train on it. In addition to using the upper and lower body simultaneously, you can also step on the fixed side platforms and just work your upper body or use the attachment points on the rear of the machine and do resistance band training. This is the first machine from the company that offers that kind of full body capability.

Touch Screen Technology

The FS4 has a premium built in touch screen console that mimics the health club experience. It has both Bluetooth and NFC capability, allowing for workout tracking and sharing, as well as syncing with your favorite fitness apps. This is a great way to keep tabs on your workouts, to see how you are progressing and set fitness goals for yourself.

Other Great Features

The Life Fitness FS4 elliptical gives you two color options to choose from to match your decor. You have either titanium, which is similar to what you’d find in your health club, or dark walnut, which sometimes looks better in a home gym environment. You also get a generous 22″ stride, extended comfort pedals, QuickGrip handles and a 400 lb. max weight capacity.

Life Fitness FS4 Test Drive

As we mentioned in our FS6 review, it’s very nice to see that Life Fitness is listening to their customers and giving them a more space-friendly option for their home gyms. The rest of their lineup is truly great, and customer reviews are always positive, but those with limited space really couldn’t take advantage of their offerings until now.

The FS4 has what’s known as side-drive mechanics, so rather than the typical rear drive, the mechanism is located on either side of the elliptical pedals. This allows for a more compact design, and puts you in more of a straight position, which many users enjoy.

The motion is very smooth and natural, which we’ve come to expect from Life Fitness, and the machine itself feels just as strong and durable as the rest of their elliptical machines. The main difference between the FS4 and the up-level FS6 is in the stride. The FS4 has a fixed 22″ stride, while the FS6 has an adjustable 18″ to 26″ stride. Although 22″ is a good size and will accommodate most users, there is much more freedom of movement on the FS6, so that one is also worth considering.

Other than that both machines are very similar. Besides the compact design, we really enjoyed the fact that you can vary your workouts, something you can’t really do on many ellipticals these days. It’s nice to be able to take a little break and just work your arms for a while. The side platforms are generously sized and textured like the pedals. You can then step back onto the FS4 and just work the legs as you hold the stationary handle bars. Another cool feature is that you can step off the machine entirely, attach resistance bands to the rear and do all sorts of curls, presses, rows and a variety of other exercises.

So the Life Fitness FS4 and FS6 are really like multiple machines in one, providing a much more complete workout than a traditional elliptical trainer.

The last major highlight of the new series is the touch screen console, which you don’t find on many of their other ellipticals, especially at this price point. Although not a necessity, it makes for a much more enjoyable experience as you can view continuously updating workouts, track your progress, sync your results, etc. It’s much more tangible than the usual LCD display dots, and once you’ve experienced a touch screen it’s hard to go back.

All in all we really loved the new FS4 and FS6, as they have a lot to offer in a compact package. Time will tell if users prefer these ellipticals over the company’s traditional offerings.

Conclusion

For those who always wanted a Life Fitness elliptical but weren’t able to accommodate their large, bulky size, the new FS4 gives you even more features and capabilities in a space-friendly form. With a generous stride, multiple workout options, comfortable pedals and handles, smooth motion and advanced touch screen console, it has everything you need for a great workout.

Also take a look at its big brother, the FS6, which gives you an adjustable stride from 18-26″. It costs a bit more but offers much more freedom of movement.

Get more information and special sale pricing along with free shipping here