Stamina Inmotion Compact Strider Foot Exercise Machine - Under Desk Elliptical - Standing or Seated Elliptical Fitness Equipment

I purchased this mainly because I sit at a desk all day, am in my late 50s, and although not overweight, could use toning, tightening, and cardio protection. This machine "feels" like it will do all of the above, and best of all it was inexpensive. I can cancel my $10/month gym membership which I can never get to, and workout in my PJs anytime I want to. Because of its portability which makes it accessible, I find it easy to stay motivated, something I have a very hard time with. I'm not ashamed to say, that I hate going to the gym as it is too much trouble to get to after a hard day at work. I keep this in my living room in front of the sofa and use it every night during the television commercials. When company comes, I scoop it up by the handle and hide it. It is low impact, so it has not hurt my sensitive joints, something I was a little worried about. The machine is made very well, very sturdy. .I love that you can turn it around and pedal from a sitting position which is great to burn an extra few calories between workouts. When I was researching buying a portable elliptical, I learned from a couple of physical therapists who posted several YouTube video reviews on exercise equipment that when choosing these portable machines, to be sure they have ball bearings and not mini hydraulics. This InMotion has ball bearings. Mini hydraulics get so hot from friction of going up and down that you can actually burn yourself and the manufacturers limit your workout to 10 minutes, which they don't tell you before you buy. This machine generates no heat whatsoever because of the ball bearings, so I don't have to worry about getting burned. Ball bearings also make this machine almost silent, so it doesn't bother anyone around me. I am forever grateful to legitimate reviews and a little common sense of my own when researching the purchase of anything substantial. All in all, I am very happy with my purchase and it has given me renewed hope that I can really stick with this, because it's always there and really no big deal to use. Forgot to add in the review that I just love the resistance bands. Some models don't have it so, choose carefully.

I'm happy with the purchase. It does what it advertises to do. I've recommended it to friends and clients. If you turn up the tension you can get a good workout. My desk is against a wall so when the tension is high it just buts up against the wall so it doesn't go anywhere. You'll need a mat otherwise, that is if you use high tension and are seated. You can definitely stand on it too. It's not a substitute for regular exercise but I can easily work up a sweat and feel out of breath. The only downside is it's rather heavy and awkward to move, as others have noted, but for the great price I don't mind. I made the mistake of using WD-40 to quiet the sound it makes on higher tension (I read that someone used it and it worked), and now it squeaks even worse. I'll try the lubricant that's advertised for it.

After moving to a new location that is a bit longer drive from the local gym, I've found that I started to using the distance as a reason to not go. After a long day of work, helping the kids with homework, seeing a nice meal on the table...you get the idea, the gym was too easily pushed off during weekday evenings. I needed a way to burn some calories that was low-friction and something I could do while multi-tasking, making my time more efficient. Something I could do while reading or watching TV would be great. I had some other home exercise equipment but they are either too noisy to use while watching TV, required use of my hands (so I couldn't hold a book or tablet), or were too unwieldy to move from the TV room to storage, or put me in a position where I couldn't look at the TV. Positives: - This compact elliptical has proven a great solution. - Assembly is pretty straightforward and the parts fit where they were supposed to and the screws turned smoothly. - The unit overall seems very sturdy and the movement is very smooth - It's very quiet. You can barely hear a light hum as you pedal. It's no problem to use this with TV or radio. - The tension dial is easy to use and you can feel it makes a difference. - The unit can be used standing up or sitting down. Both are good for TV watching, sitting is good for reading. - It really works! I break a sweat using it. But the best point for me is that now instead of fully sedentary evenings, I'm getting at least some kind of activity because it's accessible and comfortable to do. - The integrated handle helps you move the device when you need to. Negatives: - The electric readout is awful. It is supposed to track strides and time but you can't reset it. The instructions say it will automatically reset after a few minutes of inactivity but we've found that it doesn't really do that. As far as we're concerned, our own phones and clocks are what help us track our time. They should have either done this feature right or just killed it and knocked a few dollars off the price. - Although the unit is solid, I was watching from the back of unit when someone else was using it and I saw a slight wiggle of the upright portion at the base as they were pedaling. So far it hasn't seemed to have a negative effect on the device, but I wonder if long term that wiggle will weaken the unit. I'll update the review if anything changes. - It would have been nice if the unit had a little hook or clip on the back to tie up or store the resistance tubes when not using them or when moving the elliptical around. Tips: - I didn't care for the arm resistance tubes (they're fine, I just felt awkward using them). My wife though likes them and feels they add to the workout. If you don't feel you need them I believe you can buy this same item without them for a little less. - If your sense of balance is challenged, you might consider a different type of equipment since you'd only be able to use this sitting and I think the standing position makes for a better workout. - If you have very light lifting capacity, you might need someone else to help you assemble and move the unit around. It's not super heavy but definitely has some heft to it. 23-Mar-2018 Update: The unit has continued working well though it has developed a slight squeak. Fortunately it is not louder than the television and has not affected the unit's performance. 03-May-2019 Update: The unit is still intact and we're still using it several times a week. It still has slight squeaks and groans but we can still use it with the television and it continues to really help on weekdays when we aren't getting to the gym. 05-Nov-2020 Update: Well well well. What a difference a year makes. Judging from the spike in views on this review I have to assume something happened in 2020 to make home exercise equipment popular! I still have this compact elliptical, and don't have much else to say about it. My frequency of use dropped some but it still works and it still beats the heck out of doing nothing. Plop it down in front of your favorite TV and use those legs!

This review is going to focus on using this elliptical a little more hardcore, trying to get the best cardio workout possible. So you know who's using this for comparison purposes, I'm going to start by telling you a little about myself. I'm a 5' 11" 23 year old guy weighing in at 145lbs. Prior to this purchase, I hadn't worked out for about two years, but remained thin throughout. I recently found myself at home more than usual, munching out all too often, and I needed to do something to get off my butt and get my heart rate going. I concidered a gym, but because I have no interest in weight training, to pay for a gym membership seemed pointless, not to mention inconvinient and time wasting, which I'll talk about later. So, I did some research, going through compact treadmills and mini steppers, and eventually ended up going with this because of the price, size, durability, and I hoped, effectiveness of the workout. What I found was, this thing is truly lifechanging, and can really positively benefit you in ways that most $100 purchases cannot. Now, I'm going to jump right into the way I use this in comparison to other reviewers, and what you can get from it. As I stated, I'm in good shape, but I wanted something to get my heart up and make me sweat on days where I just felt lazy or fat. Yes, I repeat yes, you can get a great cardio workout with this and really sweat. Most reviewers talked about using this when sitting down, and while I can see the specific benefits by doing so, I'm not going to touch on that. However, don't sit down and expect an efficient workout, please:) So, because it's so compact, the stride is limited. You may be thinking that because your stride is so small, and there's no handle bars, you really can't go fast on it. Well, that's not the case. Trust me, you can go very fast and keep your balance easily. The thing that makes this elliptical really shine is the resistance. You can crank it up quite a lot, basically to the point of it being impossible to move (that means really unlimited resistance). Using common sense now, if you crank this thing up high, try to go fast, you will inevitably feel a burn. Your quads are a primary target, and hamstrings and glutes follow. Your abs are at work for stabilization and from the back and forth motion, but it's limited. So, what I like to do is hop on it with high resistance and just go for a minute. After my first minute, for 15 seconds I pump and go as fast and hard as I can, and then 45 seconds back to normal pace. It's HIIT, but in a little less effective format than a normal sized workout machine, for you won't be able to go as fast, but you can get up there. Like I said, the golden ticket is the resistance when you're upping the speed, instead of just going super fast with no resistance on a normal machine. You will feel the burn. I go for like 10-15 minutes, and my heart is pumping and I definitely break a mini sweat. If I go for about 25-30 minutes, I'm sweating quite a lot. It's what you put into it, but the most important thing is, you CAN go hard and get a great sweat. Next step for me is upping the 15 second pump to 30 seconds, which I won't be able to do for quite awhile. Now, let me talk about using this over going to a gym. This was huge for me. I really didn't want to go to a gym. Some people love that environment, but I hate it. Like I mentioned above, going to a gym is inconvenient and time consuming. You really have to factor this in if you're only interested in cardio. We're busy people, and I'm frequently working at home. Having the obligation to get ready, drive to the gym, do my cardio, drive back, and then shower is really cumbersome. It really is. Knowing you have a cardio machine that you can hop on at any moment, looking any way, is so so so so motivational! On top of that, watching TV while doing cardio makes it so much easier! Oh, what did you say, they have TV at the gym? Well, it's either shared or a tiny thing on the treadmill, and you probably have access to 10 channels. Plus, no privacy. I'm not trying to fight the gym, for they're necessary, but if you're in a similar situation like me and don't have room or money for a great treadmill in your apartment, this thing is godsend, leading me to my next subject, the size. It's so compact, so easy to pick up and move around, that you can get an effective workout nearly anywhere. This means a lot. Other cardio options limit you to one location, so to be able to change rooms is really motivational, for you're never limited by your environment. I love to use this thing in the den while watching TV, but can move it to my room if I desire more privacy. How awesome is that. Knowing you can get a workout at any time during the day, maybe because you're feeling fat when you've had too much at dinner, is sweet. In terms of build quality, I personally haven't had any issues yet. I've had it for about a month now, and use it rather regularly, and it behaves as expected. There's a little bit of sound that comes out of it when I go fast, but it's minor and really not an issue. Do I think that overtime sounds may become more prevalent, sure, especially because I don't know how to lube it up and no where in the instructions does it tell you to do so. All workout machines wear, that's just reality. I got the two year warranty for an additional 10 bucks, so hopefully if anything happens, that's an easy process. Regardless, the positive benefits this has on one's life makes it worth it. Gosh, sorry for the long review. Let me see, what else. You need to wear shoes with this, because your feet will die from the grooves on the pedals. The building of it was very simple, and took approximately 15 minutes. There's an onboard simple fitness monitor, but to be quite frank, I've never used it. How I feel is, you know when you've gotten a good workout. You don't need to count your steps or track your distance. If you're sweating and your heart is pumping, you know that you've done your job. Push yourself people. And yeah, I think that's everything! I really hope you enjoyed my review.[...]Thanks so much!

I waited a few months to review this machine because I really wanted to have worked out on this before giving my opinion. Initially I really debated on where or not to buy this workout machine. I do not like going to gyms and prefer to workout in private BUT I just don't ever really feel like I get a good workout at home. I'm 5'7" and pretty averagely built so I was not sure if the "small strides" the other reviewers commented on would be a problem. While this machine obviously is not going to be like a regular elliptical and the strides are smaller I still would recommend this machine because: 1. If you push yourself and stay motivated you WILL get a good workout and the sweat will be flowing! 2. The size is just soooo much smaller than a regular elliptical and I can easily stash this in my closet when I'm not using it. 3. Helps with balance. (FYI I had no problem jumping on this machine without any type of support (chair/table) and if anything this has helped me with my balance). 4.Pretty quiet - I just prefer working out in the evenings, this machine is pretty quiet so I don't disturb anyone. 5. The arm cords have finally motivated me to start working out my arms. I have always had a skinny but weak upper body and could never to pushups etc so I just started slow with the arm cords (ohhh the burn) and I can really tell a huge difference in my arm strength. I usually workout on the machine for 25-30min and I am REALLY tired and sweaty at the end. I feel like I get a really good workout and because it is so convenient I am staying consistent with working out 2-3times a week (pretty good for my very inconsistent maybe once in the while workouts I was doing before). PS: This machine is VERY VERY easy to put together. Took me maybe 5 min so don't worry about that part.

I sit working on a computer 8-10 hours a day (working from home) and my legs sometimes swell so I bought this in hopes to help circulation. I've had it only a few days. It's really heavy duty not some cheaply made piece of equipment. Set up was really easy - the parts were in little packets in the order you would need them and included 2 little tools. Most of the time when they say it will be easy it's not so I was happy about that. I really want to love this thing but so far I've found only one set up that works in using this. It doesn't work for me under a desk - I'm 5'8" - and I can't even put my feet flat in the pedals and use this comfortably. Everything is too low. If I sit in a wooden rocker and lean back - with my feet on the back edge of the pedal - it works. Even at that it tends to not be perfect. The back of my shoe wants to catch on the floor every so often and my foot gravitates out of place as I use it - probably because it's not made to use it this way. It's nice and smooth and quiet. I paid for this model so it would have the carry handle and it's so heavy it's really needed. Since I can't use it at my desk I'm going to try to take regular breaks to use it throughout the day. There are some videos on YouTube you can check out - one show someone using the back part of the pedal which I have to do. I hope this is just a matter of me figuring out a system that works for me.

Let me first say that I did not purchase this product without some trepidation. All the review seemed to say that I, a 5’10” female with a desk that sits at 27” high, would not be able to use the product without knocking my knees. After the fact, I found a similar product for desks as low as 25” high and I was already planning a return before this product showed up at my door. Despite my reticence, I opened the box and put it together and brought it to work to give it a try. I have decided that people were using it wrong. I don’t know if this is in the owner’s manual, but I found that the digital readout can be pulled out and reversed. If I use the device the way that it came, my knees knock the desk, but if I reverse it, lower my chair and push it back under my desk so that the configuration is similar to the seating arrangement on a low stationary bike, my knees don’t even come close to knocking my desk. Bear in mind, I am tall with very long legs. This device performs fine with a 27” high cubicle setup, though perhaps my 6’2” husband might have trouble. I will have him try it out to verify that. Also, some reviews said that they only feel it in their knees. Again, was it in a good position and were you using it right? One of the things I have always seen at the gym is novices using the equipment improperly. Cardio and strength training equipment are only as effective as their user. If you don’t perform the motion in the correct position with proper form, you won’t feel anything. I have been using it at my desk today and my calves and hamstrings are whining at me, even my glutes are starting to complain since I have been using it all day. I am even a little lightheaded (probably overdid it in my zeal) and feel as if I ran an hour on the treadmill. I am very pleased all the reviews I read are wrong. This device is not a marathon runner, but it provides a decent cardio workout. Then of course, compare it to simply sitting all day. It is low impact and easy to do while working on the computer. The box arrived in good condition and the equipment was all in good order. Assembly was about ten minutes. I cannot say what prolonged use will do, since people said it began to squeak over time, but I will update my review in a month. I logged 25 miles and almost 1000 calories today. So far, exceeds my best expectations and I am glad I am not going to have to try to return it.

I went through several of these standing/sitting compact ellipticals and this was the winner for me. First of all, I need to be able to move it from room to room and so the handle is crucial. Secondly, it is MUCH more quiet than the older version of the Inmotion machine. Notably it was quieter on the hard surface floor than on my mat (which is kind of thicker than a yoga mat). The bands are quite challenging too! The other thing that made me choose this over another brand that I tried is that the foot pedals are closer together so I don't feel like I'm having to straddle my steps unnaturally and it is more comfortable to use than the compact ellipticals where the foot pedals are wider apart. I mostly use this standing up so that mattered a lot for my comfort level. Also, it was hard to find this info, but this appears to be the updated version of the Inmotion machine (Amazon's AI bot said the opposite but it was apparently wrong.) Glad I FINALLY found a winner!