Life Fitness X5 Elliptical Trainer Review

Overview: The Life Fitness X5 is a high end elliptical bringing you a gym-quality workout right in your home. With a generous adjustable stride, console options and the unique Coach Zone technology, it offers everything you need to reach your fitness goals/

Let’s take a look at some of the best features it offers…

Generous Adjustable Stride

Just like you’ll find at the gym, the X5 gives you a wide range of stride lengths, from a minimum of 18″ all the way up to 24″. This allows you to vary your workouts and target different muscle groups. At the shorter length it is a more of a stepper motion. At the longest length it is more like a treadmill. So you can choose your own motion. Plus, it accommodates users of all sizes.

Console Options

One thing that makes Life Fitness unique is the fact that they give you different console options depending on your needs. All of the models, except the Club Series elliptical, offer the basic Go display or the advanced Track+ display. The Go console features 12 built-in workouts, 2 custom and 2 user profiles. The Track+ gives you 14 workouts, 12 custom and 4 user profiles, plus the ability to connect to your smart phone or tablet to track your workouts.

Smooth Motion

One thing you’ll notice on the Life Fitness X5 is the smooth, natural motion. The company is known for this, and it is due to their extensive research into bio-mechanical design. If you’ve ever been on a cheap elliptical, you’ll notice how it often feels very choppy and harsh as you work out. The X5 is the exact opposite. It’s very comfortable to use and you’re in the perfect position, maximizing your results.

Coach Zone

Another unique feature found on some of the ellipticals, including the X3 model, is something called CoachZone. This is a built-in program that actually guides you through your workout and helps you target different muscle groups. It is like having a personal trainer there showing you what to do, which is a big plus, especially for those who are relatively new to working out.

Other Benefits

The X5 comes with a wireless chest strap, which is a more accurate way to measure your heart rate. There is WhisperStride technology which makes it very quiet. There are also oversized pedals with shock absorption and moving workout arms.

Life Fitness X5 Test Drive

The first thing you’ll notice about the X5 is its unique design. Unlike all of the other models we tested, which are black with silver accents, the X5 is the opposite…silver with black accents, making it the sleekest looking model in the series. It also has touches of sea blue on the pedals, underneath the console and on the water bottle holders. It would definitely be a welcome addition to any home gym environment.

But it’s not all about the looks. Hopping on, the X5 felt great. It’s a sturdy, heavier machine but it feels very light and comfortable. Our test machine had the basic Go console, so it didn’t have all of the interactivity of the Track +, but it still has a very nice feel to it. Everything is available at the touch of a button.

The blue backlit display shows you all of your workout stats including distance, heart rate, calories, time, speed and resistance level. You have a Quick Start button that allows you to hop right on and get started. You can also choose from 12 different workout programs, create 2 of your own or just work out manually.

The wireless heart rate monitor works very well or you can just use the hand grips if you prefer. The Coach Zone feature is a nice touch, and helps you target different muscle groups like the glutes and arms. The stride can be adjusted up to 24 inches, as we mentioned, which gives you a lot of freedom.

Anything we didn’t like? There’s always something. The machine is heavy and without transport wheels, it is difficult to move. It’s also very expensive, and although the Track+ console does give you some interactivity, it would be nice if all of the X5’s came with internet capability. To that end there is really no where to put your tablet without blocking all of the workout stats.

Still, the Life Fitness X5 is one heck of a machine, and if you can afford it it’s hard to beat.

Conclusion

When it comes to gym quality elliptical trainers, the X5 from Life Fitness is one of the best, with a sleek modern design, generous adjustable stride, Coach Zone training and one of the smoothest motions you’ll find anywhere.

Although it might not have some of the technology you’ll find on other machines, like a touch screen or internet capability, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better designed, higher quality elliptical trainer anywhere else.