As a retired Navy SEAL with a master’s degree (M.Sc.) in Health and Human Performace, I take my fitness seriously. I’ve had the opportunity over the past 30+ years to use some of the latest products in health and fitness, so when I had the chance to test out a Helix lateral trainer, well… it was a no-brainer. (And look, I made a rhyme!)
First off, this is not a small, cheap piece of gym equipment you might order online. My lateral trainer was delivered by a cargo truck and forklift. I had to break open the crate in my driveway and recruit the help of my neighbors to carry the base into my garage for assembly.
It took me about an hour to put it together by myself and get it ready for its inaugural run.
Using the Helix is as simple as riding a stationary bike. The only difference is that rather than peddling on the frontal plane, your legs move on the lateral plane. Well, there’s also no seat, okay so… two things.
Plain and simple, this thing kicked my butt! (watch the video below) I thought I’d go for 20-30 minutes, but after ten, I was drenched in sweat and ready for a break. Not only is it a great workout, but it uses muscles that most people neglect. I’m missing most of my right hamstring, and this has led to a lot of compensation from other muscles in my core and lower body. The Helix targets these muscles, and after using it for about a month now, those muscles are firing correctly, and the pain I’ve had in my lower back for the last ten years is much improved.
It’s better than the competition.
Every minute of a Helix Lateral Trainer workout provides a better cardio workout than that same minute spent on a bike, a treadmill, a stepper, or an elliptical. Helix users burn more fat, tone more muscles, and achieve targeted heart rates faster on a Helix than on other cardio machines.
It tones at the same time it gives cardio benefits.
Other cardio trainers concentrate their movement– and thus their training focus– on the fronts and backs of the lower body only. By integrating a lateral motion, the Helix does everything that those trainers do, but also adds in toning benefits to the inner thighs, the outer thighs, the glutes and the core. Unlike other cardio trainers, it works the entire lower body, from the core to the floor, conferring toning benefits normally seen only with weight training.
Its unique focus confers real-world results.
By targeting muscles that other machines completely ignore such as the Gluteus Medius, Helix Lateral Trainers can quickly improve balance, advance athletic performance, and actually increase the health of the knee and hip joints. This makes the Helix the best choice for literally everyone, from the elite athlete looking to improve his/her performance on the field to those undergoing knee or hip replacement surgery, to de-conditioned seniors looking to keep active and lower their fall risk.
I’m not sure what they were thinking when they designed this. A seriously high-quality piece of equipment in every way except… The water bottle holder! Check out my video review. The only bottle that would fit in that thing is a baby bottle. Okay, I know, it’s not a big deal. I don’t use them on any other machines and defiantly don’t need them in my garage gym.
The Helix 3D HLT1500 retails for $1500 and Helix has a full line of lateral trainers for home gyms to professional use. For me this a good price for a high-quality piece of gym equipment. For you I guess it would depend on your budget. But I would definitely choose this over a treadmill or stationary bike.
Maybe it’s because my body is so jacked up and in need of some targeted muscle work but the Helix lateral trainer is Navy SEAL Approved! This is my go-to machine for a quick butt-kicking workout and as a warm-up before lower body workouts.
