Stamina InMotion E1000 Compact Elliptical Trainer Review
Stamina InMotion E1000
No longer can you use the excuse that you do not have time to work out or have the space for workout equipment. You can fit a cardiovascular workout in your schedule using a compact and portable elliptical machine that you can use sitting down or standing up.
Below you can read my Stamina InMotion E1000 review to see if this is the right choice to get you back into the workout machine or something you can do during your work day to burn extra calories.
This is a great option to use under your desk or in a compact area as small as a 4’ x 4.5’.
**** This button takes you to the lowest priced listing I found on Amazon.
Portability/storage/workout space
The Stamina E1000 compact strider was built to be small enough to work out in small areas with and it was made with a compact design to make it portable and to easily move it or store it.
It is so compact that you can keep it stored under your computer desk or store it in a closet to keep it out of sight.
If you are going to carry the unit around you will be happy to know that the elliptical machine only weighs in at 24 pounds. So, it will be easy to carry into the closet for storage if you are tight on space. You will want to grab the front handle which is the stabilizer bar on the front of the unit.
Drive System
It’s good old fashion leg power that powers this elliptical machine. As you start pedaling you will need to adjust the tension knob to crate the desired resistance for your workout. The actual wheel size is 8 inches by 1 inch wide. If you wanted more resistance you would want to find a larger wheel but that would defeat the purpose of this being a compact elliptical machine.
Technology Features
There is an electronic meter display that allows you to see various metrics. It will count the total number of strides per workout session, the amount of time you have been exercising during your workout, an estimated number of calories you are burning and the number of strides per minute.
Note: This Is there a battery for the monitor that requires a 1.5v LR44 button cell battery which can be replaced if your display stops working overtime.
1. Another feature that is nice is that you can go forward and in reverse with the E1000. That makes it nice to use different muscles and change up your routine from going forward all the time.
2. There is an adjustable tension knob to increase or decrease the resistance. You simply turn it clock-wise to increase the tension and do the opposite to release it. This works exactly like tension knobs do on spin bikes. As you turn the knob it applies more tension on the roller wheel. Sort of like applying brakes on a bike. You will have to get a feel for what the right amount of tension is by playing around with it during you’re your first couple workouts.
3. There is a nifty feature where the unit automatically turns on when you start pedaling and it will automatically shut off after 4 minutes of inactivity. Your stats will be kept from your previous workout until you reset them.
4. There is a function button right below the electronic display and that is one way to turn the unit on or you can just start pedaling. You can use that button to switch between screens to view the stat you want to view which are exercise time, distance, stride count and calories burned. There is one option called scan and if you leave it on that it will cycle through all of them every 6 seconds. To get that working you press the function button until the display says “Scan”.
If you hold down the function button below the electronic display for 2 seconds you can reset your current stats which is a great idea before each workout, so you know the exact number of strides you accomplished and calories you burned.
Note: Maximum time to track is 99.59 minutes before you have to reset it. The maximum distance it will track is 999.9 miles. The total number of strides you can track is 9999 strides. The maximum of calories it can track is 999.9 Kcal.
Pedals/Foot Plate
The pedals are textured rubber to prevent your shoe from slipping and there are also end caps that help secure your feet as you are pedaling as so you get a nice smooth stroke.
The stride length will work for short and tall people. It is short so that won’t be a big deal. If you do this sitting down, the height of your chair will be the best way to adjust how close you are to the pedals which will make a difference on your knees and hips.
Note: The one pedal stride is actually 7 ½ inches. So basically, like walking up a stair. The length of the pedal is actually 13” ¾ by 5 ½.
Additional Features
The E1000 is built with a sturdy steel construction sporting 3 colors to choose from which are sliver, green and orange colors. The outer casing is a colored, so you can pick which one you like the best.
Workout Effectiveness
I really want to ensure everyone understands the main purpose of a compact elliptical machine and what you can expect from consistently working out with the Stamina E1000. Elliptical machines are designed to be lower impact workouts than running on a treadmill or outside. This made it easier on the knees, hips and other joints that take a beating when running.
Benefits of Stamina In-Motion Elliptical Trainer
With an elliptical machine you can target your leg muscles and butt muscles which will help tone them and burn calories at the same time to get in shape and lose weight.
A compact elliptical machine will still have all these benefits, but it is geared toward people who want a lower impact workout that is easier than using a full size elliptical. They also designed it so people could use this under their desk or sitting down in case a person had bad knee or hip injuries.
So, as long as you have those expectations set you can have a great workout with a compact elliptical machine if you are confined in space, have injuries and you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a full size elliptical machine.
I would recommend doing a consistent workout 15-20 minutes a day. You can decide if sitting or standing will work out better for you or not. As your muscles begin to adapt to the workouts start to increase the resistance levels so you keep challenging your muscles and also consider actually going for longer periods of time or think about doing 2 sessions a day.
At the end of the day this is a great way to fit a cardio workout into a busy schedule and into a small workout area where you can burn calories and tone muscle to get in shape.
As with any type of workout it will depend on your body make up and your current cardio shape to determine what type of calories you will burn. You cannot really say how many calories you will burn using this because it will vary per person and how hard you go at it. The fact of the matter is that you are exercising which burns more calories than doing nothing sitting in a chair or couch.
Workout Options
This is a great choice for anyone who wants to multitask during their normal office hours while they are sitting at their desk or for people who are looking for a very low impact workout on their joints. As you do this consistently you will be able to build more lower body strength and you will be burning extra calories during the day that you would not have been doing before. A great way to burn extra calories and lose some weight.
Now if you are looking for the same kind of workout that you get on a full size elliptical machine that compares to a challenging run, this is not the unit that you should be looking at. This is really low impact and it’s going to be hard to get your heart rate high enough to build any cardio endurance.
Workout Instructions and Tips
- When you start pedaling the electronic meter will start recording strides and calories.
- When using the unit standing up I would highly recommend you step on the pedal in the downward position with one leg and then step on the other pedal while holding something to help you get started. I would not start with the pedal in the up position. Holding onto a desk or chair next to you is a great way to help you balance as you get used to standing up on it.
- Start out with a resistance level that is easy to get started and add more as you go so it is easy to start pedaling.
- The InMotion E1000 does have the ability to go in reverse. I would alternate between forward and reverse often so that you can work different muscle groups and breakup of the workout.
- You can watch T.V. while get a cardio workout in!
Accessories
Exercise Mat
You might consider buying an exercise mat to put it on to help stabilize the machine and to ensure it does not slip while riding it. I would look for a mat that is roughly 4 feet wide and 4 ½ feet long.
Dumbbells
You could consider using lower weight dumbbells during your workouts to work your upper body while you are pedaling. This is absolutely optional.
Assembly Time
It takes less that 10 minutes to put together and you shouldn’t have any issues getting it up and running.
Maximum User Weight Capacity
The maximum weight capacity is up to 250 pounds. So, that would mean when you are using it in the stand-up position. If you plan on using it and you are not within that rank I would look for a higher end model that would support more weight.
Dimensions
- 24 1/4" long x 17" wide x 11 3/8" tall
- The pedal footprint is 20” x 12”.
Note: I would suggest having a desk clearance of at least 27” to ensure you have enough room to use this under your desk without hitting your knees.
Consumer Ratings For Stamina In-Motion Elliptical Trainer
For the overall rating and considering that this is on the lower end of the price spectrum I would give this a 4 out of 5. The resistance will work for anyone needing a low impact workout or who has injuries that you need to be careful of working out with.
There is a 250lb weight limit so for most people that is ok, but it is limiting. You need to look at another model if you are over 250. I also like that fact that the unit weighs 24 pounds and you can keep it hidden away when you are not using it. Overall, it’s a great starter elliptical machine to run under your desk and you are looking for a light cardio workout.
As with any fitness equipment you can expect wear and tear on it. I actually called custom care to understand if this will eventually make any noise from over use. She stated that every now and then she has had some complain that the unit began making noise have being used frequently standing up.
It’s to be expected as wear and tear when using any fitness equipment, you buy. But hey for the low-end price of this unit and what you get for it, my personal opinion is that it is what it is. If I get a year’s worth out of this, then it was way cheaper than what it would have cost me for a gym membership 5 times fold!
Stamina InMotion E1000 Reviewed
The Stamina InMotion E1000 is an entry level desk elliptical that is a great way to try one of these out if your budget is a concern. Just don’t expect all the benefits out of a full elliptical machine and know you are getting what you pay for which is the ability to do this while sitting in a small space.
It’s a simple unit that will track strides, time and calories burned which makes it easy to get a quick workout in. If you are looking for a low impact cardio workout then this is a great idea to try one of these.
If you are a very competitive person who is used to gym quality elliptical machines to workout really hard with, this is not a machine you will want to use. You will want to read more of our elliptical machine reviews here.