- Adam of Wyoming, USA writes:
I have had my Gazelle Freestyle Elite for about 6 months now, and I love it! If I had to sum up the quality, durability, look, feel, and overall performance of the Gazelle Freestyle Elite in one word, it would have to be "awesome." My wife and I are big into fitness, but over the last year we seem to have had less and less time to get to the gym, being too busy with work, school, etc. We had been looking at a piece of equipment to buy for some time, not being happy with any of the ellipticals, steppers, bikes, riders or other gliders that we saw on the market, including the previous models of the Gazelle. I wanted something that was both durable and effective. Also, I wanted something that was fun to use. The Gazelle is all three and more. It is a big, heavy duty machine that can really take a pounding. I am 6' and weigh 220 lbs. and I really get it rockin'. It was easy to put together, all the tools except a Phillip's head screwdriver being in the box, plus a few extra screws. It is a great cardio workout, and with the resistance shocks, you can get a total body workout. I pride myself in having mastered all of the 12 or so movements, swingset being my favorite and cross country and hurdler's sprint being the most effective. It is really a killer machine. Mixing up the workout between the different movements is great, you work different parts of the body, and have fun- you never get bored doing the same motion for 30 minutes like on a treadmill or elliptical. It is so much fun that you get addicted to it and want to ride it everyday. And it is extremely low impact so your body does not feel like you have been beaten up afterwards. The Elite is a big improvement over the Edge and the original Freestyle. I would recommend it to anyone, despite their level of fitness- my dad uses it and he is 66 and has had two heart attacks! It can really make a difference if you stick to it. I have dropped about 10 lbs. and my cardiovascular system is in better shape than it has been in a long time. I have a ton of stamina. I really can't say enough about how great it is. It also comes with two great instructional videos and a diet plan that can be customized according to your caloric needs. I love Tony, his kooky style fits into my own philosophy concerning fitness, so I get pumped right along with him.
- Bill of California, USA writes:
I recieved the Elite about three months ago but did not start using it untill two weeks ago. It was not very easy to put together, and I left of the wheels, but since it is so heavy I would not want to move it anyway. It is solid as a rock. I was 450 lbs when I started losing weight and I am not 299 lbs. The unit will hold a person 350 so I started using it at about 310. I have very bad knees and feet, have not had any problems using the unit getting my heartrate up to 80 percent of max. It is easy and fun to use. Try it you will like it.
- Cathy of Georgia, USA writes:
My husband and I got our gazelle elite last night. He put it together and we both got to try it out. Everything positive that Ive read from other consumers appears to be true. The machine is very sturdy and relatively quiet. We are both anxious to get into a daily routine. We both have some pounds to drop so we are going to ease into it, but we are excited. I did 7 minutes on it this morning and about the same last night and so far, so good . I will write more in the future and I'm looking forward to having other's read our success story down the road. The resistence feature provided by the pistons is great, because you can feel the workout. Treadmills are boring, bikes can kill your knees, this is like swimming in mid air and I wish I would have invented it. It will helps thousands people get their health on track...if they just use it.!! It is fun!!!!
- Jeannie of Illinois, USA writes:
I recently purchased the Gazelle Freesyle Elite in November. It was very easy to assemble and it is a well-designed machine. I absolutely LOVE the Gazelle. It is amazing and so much fun to use that I use it everyday and sometimes twice a day. I have purchased alot of exercise machines in the past but this is the only one I have found that keeps me motivated especially the videos with Tony. He is wonderful!!! I have always found myself bored after the first week with other machines. That is not the case with the Gazelle Elite. I lost 20 lbs in the first 6 weeks with the workouts and really toned up. I can't thank Tony enough for this machine. I have told all my friends about this wonderful machine because it is the only machine you need for an outstanding workout.
- Dionne of New York, USA writes:
My husband and I finally decided to purchase this machine after my neihbor began complaining about the noise over her head from doing my stepping videos. Due to popular demand, this machine took a full 30 days to ship and then another 5 days in transit (yes, I checked everday). Anyway, it was worth the wait. On television you can't really tell how sturdy and thick the tubing is until you take it out of the box. We had a time putting the sucker together though (how come you guys don't read the instructions FIRST?) This machine is excellent and exceeded my expectations. There really was no sound except for a low squish sound from the pistons. Absolutely no impact but your are really using all your leg muscles and some abs if you keep them tight while excercising. I thought the upper body handles were more for show than to really be effective but if you engage them and really pump them your biceps & triceps get a slight burn. The no resistance is too easy but the 1st level is perfect for cardio (which was my main reason for buying it). Make sure your slightly raise your heels while operating the machine. This machine is easy to use and got my heart rate up quickly then he adds one minute sprints in the video for extra fat burning.It is very good not easy but good. In my opinion, Tony Little has calmed down in recent years. In the video he is not that irritating but actually quite motivating. The videos are good and he is down to earth. Overall, this is finally a peice of excercise equipment from the television that is worth it. The only problem I had was beacause I have practically no arches in my feet they ached a bit and will get shoes for that. So if you have the same condition get some sneakers like New Balance that will properly support your feet.
- Dawnmarie of New York, USA writes:
I purchased my Gazelle in March of 02 and to date, with that as my only exercise, I've lost 88 lbs! I have it set up in my living room where I literally walk into it everyday. It's impossible to just walk by it. You can't help but jump on it and go. It's the best investment in me I've made. My sister has come over to workout as well as my 9 yr old nephew. I recommend it to everyone I speak to and I have absolutely no complaints. There is no pain whatsoever, I go forward and backward and sideways and I even use weights for a little extra push. This is the best machine I've ever used! Thanks Tony.
- Kathy of Virginia, USA writes:
I have had the gazelle freestyle elite for almost a year and a half now, and at first it was difficult to go for more than ten minutes on it because my feet would cramp up. So it sat for many months in the corner, then,I found a pair of spongy open toed slippers and that was the trick... I now work out ninety minutes a day, six days a week and have lost more than fifty pounds since September, 2002. I really enjoy this thing, now. Yes, it squeeks, even with putting oil on the offending parts, but I can get it to squeek in rhythm with th music I an listening to, so that it is not a problem any more for me, but it still bothers my son. Peace
- Bill of New York, USA writes:
I tried the Elite for the $14.95 30-day trial. It took 3 weeks from order date to receive date. It was received in good shape with all parts. It was easy to assemble and not too bad to move once assembled. I returned it before thirty days for the following reasons. The workout was not what I expected, I actually get more of a workout walking fast. Several people between ages 20 and 52 tried it and all had the same comment-by the time you work up to any exercise value you could take a brisk walk and get the same results, even with the resistance on high. I think it may work well for some and I think that the less fit you are the more you will notice it works. In general it just was not worth $430.00 to me.
- Christi of Georgia, USA writes:
I have had the machine for 3 months, but have only been using it faithfully for the past 3 weeks. I use it every other day. I LOVE this machine. I get to increase my workout myself by just how much effort I put it: that is what I can get out! Fantastic! I love the shock absorbers. I am using this machine every other day along with the CrossBow and alternate them. In 2 wks. I have lost inches all over my body! Great workouts each day! Great machine Tony. Thanks for the motivation in the tapes. That keeps me pushing myself to the max!
- John of New York, USA writes:
I bought this machine because I wanted to take the pressure off my knees while exercising. Unfortunately when I use the machine it causes my knees to pop. I tried all different positions (knees slightly bent etc.) but to no avail. I will tell you that this is one of the best built machines I have ever seen. My friends wanted to buy one so I sold them mine for $200. Their only complaint is Tony's voice on the tapes. It is very grating at times and I think he would be better suited to find someone else to narrate them.
- Craig of Ohio, USA writes:
I have had this machine for over 6 months now, I have seen great improvement in my lowerbody range of motion, and much increase in muscle mass in my calf areas. It is very fun to use, and the videos that come with it are motivating. I you need to boost your metabolism, get good cardio and muscle toning this thing is king!
- John of New York, USA writes:
I've had the Gazelle Freestyle Elite for over a month now and I'm very pleased. It took about 3 hours to put the machine together and can be used in a room with a low ceiling. Mine is currently in my basement which has 7 foot ceilings and even my 6 foot 2 brother can use it without hitting his head. The machine is extremely low impact. After an hour long workout I'm tired and sweaty but not sore. My legs look more toned as well do my pecs (to be fair I had almost no muscle tone in my pecs before I started using the Gazelle). My machine can make a fair ammount of noise at times and is never completely silent. If you use the hydraulics, there will be a bit of "huffing" from air going in and out of the pumps. I also get random clanking noises that come and go (nothing too loud). It's excellent to use in front of the TV if you turn up the volume a bit. Two more cons, although I do many different exercises on it I don't feel it is toning my abdomen, just my legs and arms. The price is a bit high considering this is the same as a regular gazelle except with 2 hydraulic pumps and an odometer. Does this really justify a $200 price hike over the base model? But, you definitely need the pumps since the lowest level of difficulty will become too easy after a few weeks of use. Overall I would give the Gazelle Elite an 8.5 out of 10. Good workout, solid machine, but slightly over priced.
- Christy of Texas, USA writes:
I haven't had my Gazelle very long, but I enjoy using it very much. If you've ever used a Nordic Trac, I think this is much better/ easier to use. I like the fact that I can fold it up and slide it under my bed, because otherwise I wouldn't have anywhere to put it due to lack of space. The clips that hold the power pistons in are a pain to remove and adjust if you want to vary the resistance during your workout. Otherwise, I think it's just about everything it's advertised to be. I like it because I have weak ankles and am over 100lbs overweight and when I'm done with my workout I don't have the pain in my ankles and calves that I do when I walk or use my exercise bike.
- Walter of Ohio, USA writes:
I purchased the Gazelle about one month ago. I have got to say this machine gives me a good workout. I tried using the unit without the power pistons and could not get my heart rate in the target zone for my age. But by engaging the pistons on the first level, I was able to get it there in a matter of minutes. As for noise, my machine has a variety of noises going on. The worst being a clanking from the pistons. But this is not to loud. My overall rating on this machine is very good. It is low impact, and will give you a good stretch. The only cons I have is the machine is heavy and hard to move, and the variety of noises. Also if you want an accurate heart rate reading, I would suggest investing in a pulse monitoring system. The unit you recieve is poor at best, and does not give you an accurate reading. In my opinion, fun, easy to use, good workout.
