For a healthy life, the American Heart Association recommends that people do 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. But because of the busy schedule, many of us have little spare time to go to the gym for exercise. If you want to get the best exercise results while saving time, bringing exercise equipment into your home is a fantastic option. In this way, you can work out whenever you want in the comfort of your own home. The most incredible machine for a home workout is the elliptical exercise machine. Not only does it help you to work out your entire body by focusing on your upper and lower body, but you can also workout burning fat on the elliptical machine, thus effectively helping you achieve your fitness goals.
As a form of cardiovascular exercise, the elliptical exercise machine is a common alternative to the treadmill. But unlike running on a treadmill or on the road, its impact is extremely low, so its impact on knees and other joints is very small. However, like virtually all pieces of exercise equipment, the elliptical trainer requires regular maintenance in order to ensure smooth, quiet, ongoing operation. Lubricating your elliptical exercise machine is one of the most important forms of such regular maintenance. Your elliptical exercise machine has to stay properly lubricated to avoid wear and tear over time. If you don't know what to do, please don't worry. In the following article, I will teach you how to lubricate an elliptical exercise machine so that you can use it for many more years to come.
Why lubricate your elliptical exercise machine?
Over time, your elliptical exercise machine may start to become stiff and slow. In order to make it work as usual, you may need to do some simple maintenance on it. One of the essential aspects of maintenance is lubrication. It is important to lubricate your elliptical cross trainer, and here are a few main reasons why you should lubricate it. First of all, lubricating your elliptical exercise machine keeps the device from wearing down over time and can keep your workout equipment functioning at its highest capacity. Secondly, lubricating your elliptical exercise machine will also keep noises low and prevent the jerkiness that older elliptical exercise machine can develop. Finally, lubricating your elliptical exercise machine can stop the squeaky noise, dust accumulation and reduces corrosion due to repeated friction. On the contrary, if you don't lubricate your elliptical exercise machine, you may end up with expensive repairs, and it will shorten its service life to some extent.
How to tell if your elliptical exercise machine needs lubrication?
The general rule of thumb for the elliptical exercise machine is to lubricate it in regular monthly intervals. People typically do a thorough maintenance every 5-6 months or so. It is also alright if you do not prefer to keep track of time. In which case, you need to discern whether your elliptical exercise machine needs lubricating by its performance. In the initial stages of lubricant deprivation, the first sign is the rough feel of the tread. The tread of an elliptical trainer should feel smooth when you walk on it. You need to lubricate it soon if it shows any signs of feeling uneven or grating. Besides, if your elliptical exercise machine squeaks when you are working out, there’s around a 70% chance that it needs lubricating as soon as possible. Otherwise, the repetitive grinding will wear out the parts involved and cause permanent damage to your machine.
How to lubricate your elliptical exercise machine?
There are two primary types of elliptical exercise machines on the market. One type has tread ramps and wheels, and the other is rampless. Rampless elliptical exercise machines have different pivot points than the ones with ramps and wheels. The process of lubricating either of them is almost the same. The only difference is the different pivot point locations. Let us talk about how you should go about the process of lubricating:
1. Uncover the parts
First of all, get all the plastic covers off from the front and back to expose all the moving parts. Some elliptical exercise machines have the larger parts at the back, and some have it in front. Take off the wheel covers and other plastic overs if there are any.
2. Clean all the dust
Many people think that lubricating means slapping some nice and slippery oil on something, which is one of the worst things people can do to their machinery in the long term. The correct way of lubricating is to clean the parts before applying lubricant. Otherwise, the dust and debris will mix with it and cause problems later. Start by cleaning out all the dust from the elliptical machine surface, especially around the pivot points where you will be applying lubricant later. While cleaning the machine, you should pay attention to the belt connecting to the tread ramps.
3. Lubricating the pivot points
By now, you should have found all the pivot points on the elliptical exercise machine. The pivot points are the moving joints. They usually have a wavy washer at the connecting point. Your task is to find all of these joints and apply a little lubricant to them. Just a little bit of lubricant is enough.
4. Lubricating the tracks
Once you are done with the interior, move to the outer parts of the elliptical exercise machine. The tracks are crucial, as they are one of the primary reasons for creaks and squeaky noises if you neglect them long enough. You can generally lift off the metal legs on the track. Then spray some diluted cleaner directly on the tracks. You don’t need anything fancy for this. Even the most random spray lubricant will work just fine. Once you are done, gently wipe the excess lubricant off of the track with a paper towel.
5. Lubricating the wheels
Lubricating the wheels will be easy if you ever cleaned a pair of skate wheels. The wheels on an elliptical exercise machine are generally the same size as skate wheels, and the process of taking them off is also similar. First, you would need to remove the bolts from each wheel. After the bolts are taken off, gently shake the wheel while pulling them off the mounting point. Once they are all taken off, drop a smattering of grease on the mounting point. Spray lubricant is not a good choice for the wheels. It is better to use grease in this case.
6. Inspect your elliptical exercise machine
No, I do not mean staring at your elliptical exercise machine like a bum. You have all the moving parts exposed and recently oiled. It is the perfect time to inspect if they are working as they should. Just hop on the tread and start using the elliptical exercise machine. Keep your ears open for any abnormal noises. Identify the location of any creaky noise and lubricate that part again. If your elliptical exercise machine is old, you should expect to find some abnormalities among the moving parts. You could even find some loose bolts or misplaced washers.
For home gyms, lubricating the elliptical trainer is an important part of home care and maintenance. I hope this article can help you understand how to lubricate it properly.
