What is an iFit elliptical and is it worth buying?

An iFit elliptical is a cardio machine that has ICON Health & Fitness' patented workout programming capability.  It is available to some extent from all of their many brands, but currently only NordicTrack and ProForm have the latest version, called iFit Coach.

Let's take a closer look at iFit to see what it is all about...

An Overview of the iFit Program

With so much competition in the fitness industry, companies are always striving to come up with the next thing that gives them a leg up on the competition.  To this end, ICON Health came up with the concept of iFit, which brings a whole new workout experience to elliptical, as well as treadmill and exercise bike users.

In addition to the various workouts that are built into the machine itself, iFit gives you access to an unlimited library of additional personal trainer designed workouts, as well as nutrition recommendations, workout tracking and sharing, real-time studio training and Google map integration.

You can access this information in two ways.  Some iFit ellipticals, those with touch screens, have the capability built right into the machine.  So the entire iFit interface is right there in front of you.

Check out the latest NordicTrack ellipticals on sale!

Check out the latest ProForm ellipticals on sale!

Other iFit ellipticals, those that are not touch screen, work via Bluetooth, and you can interact with the program with your tablet or smart phone, which rests on the tablet holder attached to the machine.

So you can think of iFit as a comprehensive fitness and lifestyle app that covers every aspect of your health: exercise, wellness, diet and sleep, integrating all of them together to help you reach your ultimate goals.

ProForm and NordicTrack iFit ellipticals are the most popular, and this is where ICON focuses most of their attention.  These are the top selling brands (they also own FreeMotion, HealthRider, Weslo, Weider and Reebok) and only on these machines will you find the very latest versions of the program.

Note that iFit is a subscription based program.  Some include 1 year for free and others require a monthly or yearly fee to join.

iFit is the Latest Version

There have been a number of iterations of the iFit program over the years, but the very latest version is called just iFit on its own. It was previously known as iFit Coach and iFit Coach Plus on some of the higher end elliptical trainers.

With an iFit elliptical, you can select from a group of personal trainers and have them guide you through a selection of on-demand or live workouts. You can also choose whether you want it in studio, or anywhere else across the world with Google maps (called GlobeTrek Workouts).

Another cool feature is that your elliptical will automatically change its incline and resistance as you workout to match the terrain of the location you choose.

In addition to global workouts, you can enter your fitness goals into the program, and it will create custom workouts and meal plans for you.  It also monitors your sleep and your activity throughout the day.

The iFit program is ever-evolving to include more features and capabilities, so by the time you read this there may be even more that it offers.

iFit is currently found on NordicTrack and ProForm ellipticals only.  The entry level models offer it via Bluetooth and the higher level models offer it right on the elliptical itself.

What are the iFit Costs?

The price of the iFit Coach programs changes often, as ICON Fitness experiments to see what price levels work for most people. On most machines iFit is required, on others it is an optional add on. So the cost may be different than what we outline here.

Oftentimes a free year is included so you can try it out to see if you like it. This is typically on the more expensive ellipticals.

One of the newer developments is getting the elliptical for free with a 3 year iFit membership. So you're paying for iFit, but essentially getting the machine itself for free.

An example of this is the ProForm Carbon E7, which comes at no cost if you sign up for a 3 year iFit Family Membership. So you're paying a little over $1,400 which is the cost of a 3 years subscription, $39 a month as of our latest iFit reviews.

Sometimes a free iFit wearable is included as well as a set of adjustable dumbbells.  It just depends on the current deal.

Is it worth it?

It may sound like a lot of money but in our opinion an iFit elliptical is worth the additional price, especially if it will motivate you to work out more.  It's kind of like having a personal trainer come to your home, so even if you only use your elliptical 3 days a week, it's definitely worth around $3 per workout.

What are the iFit Ellipticals?

iFit can currently be found on these NordicTrack ellipticals:

FS10i, FS14i

Commercial 9.9, Commercial 14.9

SpaceSaver SE7i, SpaceSaver SE9i

iFit can currently be found on these ProForm ellipticals:

Carbon EL, Carbon EX, Carbon E7

Pro 9.9, Pro E14

Carbon HIIT H7, Pro HIIT H14

All Hybrid Trainer Models 

Do Other Brands Have Similar Programs?

There are alternatives to iFit ellipticals from other brands such as Johnson Health & Fitness, Bowflex, Sole and others, but most of them only have one or perhaps two components of iFit, not the entire program.

For example, Johnson Health offers the entry level Horizon and higher end Matrix ellipticals.  Some Horizon ellipticals have ViaFit workout tracking, Passport HD destination videos and Virtual Active on board videos.  

Sole Fitness has Bluetooth tracking and app syncing.  Bowflex has the new JRNY program which is pretty close to iFit but not as comprehensive.

Only iFit offers the on-demand and live personal training, Google maps, nutrition programs and sleep monitoring.  Yet the other interactive programs (besides Bowflex JRNY) are free with the cost of the machine...iFit is an extra expense.

You don't need iFit to get a good workout, and if you prefer another brand to NordicTrack or ProForm you're not missing out...however, if you do have the opportunity to try iFit you'll definitely fall in love with it.  Working out in any location of your choice via Google maps is worth the price alone in our opinion.

Check out the latest NordicTrack ellipticals on sale!

Check out the latest ProForm ellipticals on sale!

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