Horizon fitness EX-59 elliptical vs Run rocket

This is a comparison of the Horizon fitness EX-59 elliptical and the Run rocket including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

If you want the most up to date news or ask direct questions, then you can follow me on Instagram.

Overview and review of the Run rocket

The Run Rocket comes in at $1999. In this article you will learn more about the product itself, its Pros and cons and alternatives you might want to consider. This article has originally been published in the overview "Which conditioning equipment to buy from Rogue".

Overview of the Run Rocket

The run rocket is a piece of acceleration equipment which especially helps for sprint and acceleration training. This machine will be very useful for

Football players
Rugby players
Soccer players
Tennis players

And any other sport where you have to sprint and change direction often. The Run rocket has adjustable resistance and comes with the following specifications:

Length 37“
Width 28“
Height 40“
Weight 165l
44lb Flywheel

The big difference to many other machines or sleds is that the run rocket provides consistent resistance when you are running forward and does not pull back on you. Sleds have the challenge that they have an uneven resistance and also not truly mimic a running pattern. Bands and straps simulate a real running resistance, but the pullback leaves your athletes exposed to injury risk. The run rocket solves both of these problems for sprinting work.

Pros of the Run Rocket

The pros of the run rocket are:

Sturdy
No pull back
Easy swap

This machine is built like a professional lawnmower. It can be left outside and survives rain and other weather conditions. It’s the ideal companion for the pitch.

The resistance immediately stops when the forward pull ceases. This makes it a good machine for sprint work without breaking any ankles.

With the hook and click system, you can easily swap between athletes to get a good workout in for the entire team. Parachutes are way more complicated to handle.

Cons of the Run rocket

The cons of the run rocket are

Space requirements
Price

To work effectively with the run rocket you need access to a pitch. This machine is a waste of your time and money if it is placed into a tiny gym or back garden. You need the necessary space to do a bit of distance for your sprint work.

Compared to other sprint Resistance options like bands and harnesses the run rocket is ten times the price and also does not include the necessary vests for the entire team. They would come in at an additional $50 to $100 a player depending on what you are getting.

Alternatives to the Run rocket

Resistance bands

Resistance bands of all forms and lengths can be an alternative to the run rocket. While less easy to use and setup they come in at a fraction of the cost.

Summary for the Run rocket

The run rocket is the right option for professional training facilities which focus on speed. If you are lucky enough to be a world class athlete who has a pitch in their own home and to whom $2000 are peanuts tja this is a gijd piece of equipment to get. You can spend a whole lot of more money on things which will do a lot less for your professional development.

Overview and review of the Horizon fitness EX-59 elliptical

This is an overview of the Horizon fitness EX-59 elliptical including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was first published in Which Horizon fitness elliptical to get?

For the most up to date information and asking direct questions you can follow me on Instagram.

Which Horizon fitness treadmill to get?
Which Horizon fitness bike to get?
Which Horizon fitness elliptical to get?

Which Nordictrack treadmill to get?
Which Nordictrack elliptical to get?
Which Nordictrack bike to get?

Which Cardio Equipment to get from TITAN?
Which conditioning equipment to get from Rogue Fitness?

Overview of the EX-59 elliptical $699

The Horizon EX-59 is a high-quality elliptical for moderate use at home. The dimensions are kept as small as possible for an elliptical with a flywheel and the pedals are very close to the ground. This makes it a good choice for anyone who wants to workout at home, does not want to make a lot of noise and will not go crazy in their workouts. If you like something that provides a more challenging workout or better entertainment options during your workout than you might want to opt for a different elliptical.

Frame Type: Six Star Non-Folding

Flywheel: 14.3

Stride Length: 18 inches

Incline Range: N/A

Resistance Range: Magnetic, 10 levels

Step on height (inches): 10 3/4"

Extras: Built-in Speakers, Tablet rack, USB Charging, Bottle holder

Electrical requirements: 110 Volt / 220 Volt

Weight: 145lbs.

Assembled dimensions:74"x25"x64.5"

Max user weight: 300 lbs.

Warranty - Frame: Lifetime

Warranty - Brake: 1 year

Warranty - Flywheel: N/A

Warranty - Parts: 1 year

Warranty - Labor: 1 year

Pros of the EX-59 elliptical

The pros of the EX-59 elliptical are

Easy on the joints
Compact for an elliptical
Low price tag
Handles

The EX 59 is designed with ease of use in mind rather than chasing personal records and pushing the envelope. Therefore the stride is shorter and the pedals have been moved closer together while sitting close to the ground. This makes it a good machine for anyone who wants to be easy on the joints and simulate a jog on an elliptical. If you want to run long distances you might opt for something else.

Ellipticals with long stride and big flywheels can take up quite a bit of space in the home compared to bikes or treadmills. Horizon Fitness tries to minimize the footprint of this machine by keeping it compact which makes it better suited for use at home. A professional gym might want to upgrade to the Evolve series to compensate for more miles being put on the machine.

Another reason that makes this elliptical attractive for moderate home gym users is the price tag that falls way below $1000. There is not a lot to be scoffed at for a full machine at $699. There are cheaper alternatives when not using a machine but most indoor cycles and treadmills that are worth their salt start at $500.

The handles are helpful if you do not feel confident enough to go for long times without holding onto something. If you still feel like you can walk comfortably without using something to hold on to a walking treadmill might be a great alternative as they are easier to store under a bed or couch.

Cons of the EX-59 elliptical

The cons of the EX-59 elliptical are:

Space requirements
Small frame and weight
Console

For a machine that is aimed at lower intensities and home use, the EX-59 still takes up a bit of space. Especially the fact that you can not store it away easily like a tower, that can be hung on the wall, or a walking treadmill or Total gym, which can be stored under a bed or sofa, makes it a less attractive option for the occasional home activities.

The smaller frame and weight are good when you’ve not go hard at the machine. If you expect to go all out or a lot of heavy abuse in a commercial gym, then you might want to look into the Evolve series instead which is bigger and heavier.

The console on the EX-59 covers the basics of navigating the in-built programs, but not more. It also has no good surface to put down a tablet or bigger phone to look at while you are exercising. In times of Peloton and follow along with YouTube videos this is not up to scratch. Still, an understandable choice in the lower price ranges from a Horizon production perspective. Here Horizon might even make the console smaller for the programs to gain space for the user‘s own device.

Alternatives to the EX-59 elliptical

Alternatives to Horizon EX-59 are:

The Horizon 7.0 AE elliptical is one of the recent facelifts to the consoles of Horizon fitness. This makes it compatible with a wider range of devices and you can also do follow-along classes by watching at the screen. It is slightly bigger and more expensive than the EX-59 but I would recommend it to anyone over the EX-59 who is willing to make their budget stretch to $999.

The Horizon T101 is the smallest treadmill you can get from Horizon at the lowest price. If you prefer to jog or walk and want to burn more calories per minute, this is the better choice. The drawback is that if you need support to walk or run the T101 does not really provide a lot.

The Nordictrack SE7i is the cheapest elliptical you can get from Nordictrack. It compares better to the Evolve series from Horizon but might be an alternative if you want something fast and Horizon is out of stock.

The Rogue Echo Bike is the Ultimate Choice for serious home gym warriors who want to go hard on a small footprint. It is a well-built air bike that is especially well suited to High-intensity interval training. If you want to hit hard on the same budget as the EX-59 the Rogue Echo bike is your choice.

The TITAN fan bike is the lower-priced copycat of the Rogue Echo bike. The main differences are the bigger wheels and the price. If you want to build an entire garage gym on a budget TITAN is a good choice.

Conclusion for the EX-59 elliptical

The EX-59 is a great elliptical if you love exercising on an elliptical, have a smaller budget, and do not want to go crazy with it. I personally think that a walking treadmill is a better choice for people who still can walk and jog without support as it can be stored better. If you need lumbar support for your exercises, go for the Horizon R series instead.