Surprisingly, mechanical exercise equipment has been around for over 100 years. Some of the first machines used belts and springs to give a cardiovascular workout or increase muscle mass. Things have changed since then, especially in the elliptical industry.

Ellipicals have become extremely popular in gyms and fitness clubs—and even in private homes. Athletes and work out enthusiasts are head over heals for them because they are proven to give a save and powerful cardiovascular workout. Ellipticals let the user experience a wide range of motion, but without any painful impact on the joints.

Ellipticals take their name from the oval (“elliptical”) motion of the foot pedals. Although they now occupy a central place in gyms and health clubs, this design was revolutionary when ellipticals were first introduced. As surprising as it is, this category of machines used for exercise has only been around for 15 years.

The first elliptical machine was introduced in 1995. It was unlike anything ever seen before, and quickly grew in popularity among “weekend warriors” and elite athletes alike. Unlike an elliptical most of us use today, this first model had only foot pedals, and worked only the lower body.

A new version of ellipticals came to market only five years late. This one included handles similar to ski poles that the user could grip, for a full-body workout. The addition of these handles burned more calories, gave the user a more natural walking feel when using, and made for safer and more stable use.

Since then, the basic design of ellipticals has not changed substantially—but the fitness equipment manufacturers continue to fine-tune their ellipticals to make them more comfortable ergonomically, more compact, more energy-efficient, and more fun to use.

Because of the fantastic workout quality they offer, ellipticals will continue to be a leader in their share of the exercise machine industry. Designers are constantly at work, and it will be interesting to see how ellipticals change in the next several years.