Getting the right elliptical for your body and budget!


Matrix Fitness Elliptical Reviews


A Trusted Commercial Brand – Now In Your Home!

Rachael and Brad in Wisconsin to visit Johnson Fitness facilities.

Rachael and Brad in Wisconsin visiting Johnson Fitness facilities.

Matrix is a common gym name, and you might find their pieces of gym equipment in almost every gym. Matrix has carved a niche by manufacturing world-class gym equipment, and now the latest addition to their list of products is Matrix ellipticals. Matrix is known for its quality, and it has several best sellers in several fitness categories.

Several representatives from our side have visited different health facilities to review these products, and Matrix ellipticals have fared well in most reviews. We took a tour of their entire manufacturing facility, where we witnessed process excellence and how they do justice to every stage of elliptical production. Matrix has now taken its place and is on its way to becoming the most successful commercial fitness brand in the world. While in the past the primary focus of Matrix Fitness was to produce gym equipment, they are slightly moving their focus towards home workout equipment due to the pandemic.

Matrix ellipticals have the best range of ellipticals. Their suspension ellipticals are the most comfortable as they offer different features that can be compared with the other expensive ellipticals out there. Johnson Fitness is the parent company of Matrix Fitness, and the company is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. The company is also the parent company of Vision Fitness and Horizon Fitness.

Check out this video of our visit to the Johnson Fitness Facility:

What Features Distinguish Matrix Fitness from Its Competitors

Vertical Integration

Many competition brands source their machine components from third-party companies so the parts don’t always work in perfect harmony.  On the other hand, Matrix Fitness makes all of its ellipticals from scratch rather than buying them from third parties. Vertical integration is the term for this configuration, and it is extremely useful to the product owner in the event of a machine malfunction. Vertical integration improves the machine’s sturdiness while requiring less maintenance. The machines are well built, durable, and tend to be low maintenance.

Great Customer Service

Excellent customer service sets a company apart from all of its competitors. Fitness is a high involvement category where the company representative needs to understand the needs before they suggest you a piece of equipment for your home.

Matrix Lifestyle has this aspect under control. The representatives from Matrix Lifestyle are known for providing the best customer service. All of the staff members of Matrix Lifestyle are stationed at the headquarters. They have access to machine designs and working models and all the other related documents to access all of these when a customer has a question about the working of the product.

However, to make things more convenient for the customers, they should try to incorporate a chatbot into their website. The chatbot will improve the way customer queries are managed and answered.

Company Culture

A healthy company culture fosters growth and all the other types of development. Good communication and an understanding among the employees are very important to create a positive work environment. Everyone at different levels of management is in sync if a company has a healthy culture. When the culture of a company is open and respectful, everyone will bring their ideas forward and start thinking creatively for the company’s benefit.

When it comes to Matrix Lifestyle, they treat their employees with respect, and integrity prevails in the entire organization. When a company treats its employees well, they remain satisfied and give their best to whatever they do. This also promotes them to provide the best customer service, which happens with Matrix Lifestyle. We were pretty impressed by the facilities built or provided to the employees of Matrix Lifestyle when we visited their office. The employees had access to the gym, lockers, and all other amenities, and there was a positive atmosphere throughout.

Matrix Elliptical Models

There are a variety of ellipticals from Matrix out there in the market. Let’s take a look at the different types of Matrix ellipticals.  

E30

Elliptical E30It is a suspension elliptical that is relatively compact, and you can use it in both your home and at the gym. They have a 23.1 lb flywheel, 20″ stride, and about 20 levels of resistance so that people can adjust the settings and work out accordingly. There are three types of consoles available in this category, and you can easily pick one based on the console you like.

E50

Elliptical E50E50 is one of the best models of Matrix ellipticals. The elliptical has force induction breaks that help the elliptical to run smoothly. The machine is so precise that the resistance level changes immediately with every touch of the button. The best part about these ellipticals is that they have about 30 levels of resistance, and the parts have a warranty of up to 7 years. 

A30

Elliptical A30 – Matrix FitnessThis model uses an elliptical suspension type with a flywheel of 30 lb. The frame of A30 is longer than what was used for the E-series. However, this allows the users to increase their inclination by 24-54% if they want to carry out a butt-busting workout.

A50

Matrix Fitness A50 EllipticalA50 too includes Exact Force Induction Brakes so that the users get a smooth workout experience. These Matrix ellipticals have an oversized rubber foot palette that can accommodate any size of the foot, and it also has the incline feature. However, what makes it popular is the 7-year warranty period available on the elliptical parts.

Additional Features that Make Matrix Ellipticals Stand Out

Several other features, too, have shaped the elliptical and have made it ideal for use. Let’s check these features out:

Exact Force Induction Brake

Exact Force Induction Brake Eddy current brake (ECB) systems are used on best ellipticals, but the top Matrix ellipticals employ a new technology called Exact Force Induction Braking instead. This resistance method is more expensive than the regular ECB system since it creates a magnetic field for braking using energy. The machine is quiet and wears very slowly because it has no moving parts (no moving parts equates to limited friction.) The elliptical, best of all, respond to resistance adjustments quickly, making it ideal for interval training. This kind of sophistication isn’t’ available on most at-home ellipticals.

Suspension Elliptical Design

suspension elliptical The wheels on traditional ellipticals roll along a single or double track, causing greater noise, wear, and roughness. A suspension elliptical differs from other ellipticals in that the pedals are suspended in mid-air. These Matrix ellipticals are known for being exceptionally quiet and comfortable to ride. Matrix suspension ellipticals use their Perfect Stride system to eliminate toe numbness, which combines an optimal stride motion with ergonomically proper foot posture. Suspension ellipticals are ideal for active seniors with limited movement or joint problems. The E30 and E50 have a very low step-in height and small footprint. 

Compact Design

The best part about buying any of the Matrix ellipticals is that the design of these machines is quite compact, and especially the footprint of E30 and E50 is pretty small so that you can place the equipment anywhere. Matrix ellipticals take very small space, and hence these are ideal if you are facing any space crunch. They usually take around 57.5″ X 29.5″ of space, while other ellipticals can be 80″ long.

Warranty

The length of the warranty period talks about the durability of the products. The E30 and A30 Matrix ellipticals have a part warranty of 5 years and a labor warranty of about 52 years. The best part about these Matrix ellipticals is that it offers a lifetime warranty on the frame. Also, the E50 and A50 have increased their parts warranty to 7 years.

The One-of-a-Kind-Console Technology used by Matrix Ellipticals

One of the best things about buying Matrix ellipticals is that it is available in 3 different types of consoles, and you need to decide which console you want. Some of the features present in these consoles are:

Sprint 8 

Dr. Phil Campbell created the Sprint 8 program, which is supposed to produce real benefits in just eight weeks. Lower body fat, improve cholesterol levels, enhance energy, and experience amazing changes in your body by working out for just 20 minutes three times a week. The application is compatible with both the XER and XIR consoles, and it includes onscreen coaching to help you complete the intervals. This type of high-intensity interval training can be difficult on a standard elliptical since you must manually increase the resistance and keep track of your time intervals. The entire workout is coded into the Sprint 8 program, so all you have to do is follow the directions on the screen.

Virtual Active and Passport

Working out on the elliptical machine can become monotonous after a time. The Virtual Active program allows you to exercise in exciting, filmed areas to spice up your training. Use one pre-programmed course or buy more race routes to download via USB. A Passport module can also be purchased to connect your system to a TV for a better viewing experience. Only the XIR and XER consoles support Virtual Active. All three consoles are compatible with Passport.

ViaFit Connectivity

Managing all your fitness data can be tricky, but some technologies can help you track all your fitness data and then store it in one place. If you use ViaFit, you can bring together all the data collected via your Fitbit or other fitness trackers and apps like MapMyRun, nutrition tracker, etc. The best part about using ViaFit in the Matrix ellipticals is that it allows you to stay competitive as you can set your workout goals and join different kinds of online challenges. What makes ViaFit the best is that there is no subscription charge, unlike its competitors.

Choice of consoles

As discussed earlier, the ellipticals by Matrix Fitness have three different types of consoles available. These consoles are:

consoles_elliptical

XIR

The XIR is the best console choice for any elliptical, and it goes well with Matrix Fitness. The console has a 16″ touchscreen that supports smart apps like Netflix, Facebook, etc. It also comes with a Polar HR strap, and you can use all of the innovative console technologies like ViaFit, Sprint 8, etc.

XER 

The only thing that makes XER different from XIR is the small display size. You get all the same features, and you save $500. The size of the display screen is 10″.

XR

This is the most basic console as you can save an additional $500. The screen is extra wide and has a blue backlit LCD screen. The size of the screen is 8.5″. The screen will show you some fitness statistics like the time of workout, calories burnt, and the kind of resistance. However, you can still connect to Passport and get to virtual running.

Matrix Ellipticals – Our Opinions

After conducting several tests and considering the customer feedback, we can assume that all the Matrix ellipticals are good in shape and ideal for use in a gym. They are available in different models, and you get to choose the type of console you want in your Matrix elliptical. You get to experience a great elliptical stride as these ellipticals are great.

However, if you are looking for an elliptical in your home, these are not quite ideal. You can go ahead with the ellipticals from Horizon. They offer products that are ideal for home workouts. Also, the parent company of both of these organizations is the same. Therefore, the trust and the quality that you expect from Matrix Fitness, you can expect the same from the ellipticals from Horizon.

We appreciate the suspension design of Matrix ellipticals, so they’re near the top of our list. Furthermore, we believe that the quality of these devices is well worth the money. They have great tech options, console design flexibility, and strong warranties to back up their devices. If you like the features on these machines but are put off by the price, you might want to look at some of the less expensive models from Horizon or Vision, which are sibling firms.

To learn more, visit MatrixFitness.com.


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