Strengths:
1) Longest Stride Available on an Elliptical - Up to 35" - The Freemotion s5.6 gives you stride of up to 35" - this is 2X what you get with most ellipticals.
This longer stride uses more muscle fibers and burns more calories. Nordic Track calls it a "User Defined stride" which means that you choose the stride length you want while on the machine (no buttons to push, no getting off the machine to adjust the stride length).
You can do short strides to work your calves, medium strides to work your quads and longer strides to work your glutes and hamstrings.
Because of the many different strides to choose from, the S5.6 elliptical is also handy for families or multiple users since everyone can choose the stride they like.
2) Inverted Arch Pattern Gives A More Comfortable Feel - The Freemotion elliptical uses an inverted arch pattern instead of a typical elliptical motion. According to Nordictrack, this gives a more natural motion and can feel more comfortable than tradition elliptical workouts.
3) iFit Card Reader With FREE iFit Card - iFit cards are unique to ICON products like NordicTrack or Freemotion. The cards each hold 6 weeks of interactive workouts.
Each card has a specific goal focus - performance or weight loss for example. You just plug the card into your console. The machine remembers where you left off and starts you on the next workout.
The voice of a personal traininer guides you through the workout, varying the resistance of the elliptical. It's like having a personal trainer on your own machine (without the hourly cost).
As of this writing, NordicTrack is giving away a Free iFit card with the S5.6 Elliptical.
4) iPod Port With Built In Sound System - You can plug your iPod or MP3 player into the built-in audio jack and listen to your favorite music through the deluxe sound system built into the console. This can make your workouts a lot more enjoyable.
5) 8 Body Zone Workouts To Target a Specific Body Part - These are preprogrammed workouts that each focus on a specific body part. You can target your glutes, hamstrings or even your core for total body training. There's also 8 more workouts that have preset strides if you want more of an elliptical feel.
6) Monitor Your Heart Rate With Handlebars or Wireless Chest Strap - You can monitor your heart rate with either the handlebars in front of the console or the wireless chest strap.
The console gives you constant feedback on your heartrate (along with calories burned, RPM, distance and carbs burned).
Weaknesses:
While this machine looks very cool and has some great advantages to it, it's still fairly new to the market and hasn't had a lot of time to prove itself.
Also, while you can get standard iFit cards with this elliptical you can't get the Jillian Michael's workout cards for this machine - yet.
Summary: Recommended
The Freemotion s5.6 elliptical trainer combines the high calorie burn of incline training with the low joint impact of elliptical training. If you're looking for something beyond a traditional elliptical, it may be just what you're looking for.
You get the longest stride you can find on an elliptical - up to 35". Plus you can choose your own preferred stride length while on the machine - no buttons to push. So you can choose multiple strides in one workout which gives you an overall superior crosstraining workout.
There's plenty of fun stuff too with the iPod dock, speakers, neon green console, iFit card reader, built-in fan, heart rate monitor and stride ladder
Those wanting a standard home elliptical may prefer to stick to a traditional design. But overall the S5.6 is a great hybrid elliptical that gives you better results in less time.
Where To Buy At A Discount:
While it can be hard to find, you can buy the Freemotion S5.6 direct through the Nordic Track manufacturer. They're throwing in Free Shipping which can save you about $150.
Plus as of this writing, our visitors can get a FREE iFit card with purchase to get you started working out.
The Freemotion S5.6 Elliptical trainer offers a completely new elliptical design - with some advantages over standard ellipticals.
The best thing about this machine? You choose your own stride length as you workout. You can get strides of up to 35" - twice what most ellipticals give you.
A longer stride uses more muscle fibers and burns more calories - so you get faster results in less time.
This also makes the Freemotion elliptical good for multiple users as everyone can choose a stride that's comfortable for them.
So is the Freemotion s5.6 elliptical right for you? Here's a quick review to help you decide:
Features:
Price: $1699
Stride Length: 0 - 35"
Resistance Levels: 12
Built In Workout Programs: 8
Upper Body Arms: Yes
Heart Rate Monitor: Hand Grip & Wireless Chest Strap
User Weight Capacity: 300 pounds
Footprint: 26" x 77"
iFit card reader w/ Free iFit Card
iPod/Mp3 dock with Console Speakers
Warranty: Lifetime on Frame, 1 year on Parts & Labor
