Elliptical Trainer Ceiling Height

When selecting an elliptical for your home, it is critical to make sure it will fit the space you have selected. The “footprint” of the elliptical exerciser is the total area that the base of the machine occupies. This is the width times the length of the elliptical.

You also need to leave at least 2 feet around this footprint in order to comfortably mount and dismount the elliptical exerciser. This extra space is also required for the upper arm handles, if present. There is nothing worse than drilling holes in your drywall because you didn’t leave enough room for the handles!

However, there is another dimension that many people overlook when selecting an elliptical exerciser and that is the elevation of the pedals off the floor. You may ask what this is all about, but it is important to remember that an elliptical exerciser is a three-dimensional machine and takes up space. The elliptical exerciser ceiling height is the dimension that is often overlooked when selecting and locating an elliptical exerciser.

The good news is that the rooms in most American homes and apartments are built with a ceiling height of 8 feet. In fact, many new houses are being built with ceilings of 9 feet or more.

Unfortunately, the dimension you need to calculate head clearance is not provided in many elliptical exerciser specifications. The dimension called “height”, which is often given, is not used to calculate the head clearance. Height is the maximum height of the trainer from the floor to the tips of the arm handles. What we want is the height from the ground to the bottom of the lowest extension of the pedals.

Precor is a manufacturer that provides this dimension. They call it “Footrest height in lowest position (raise)”. This is the height that you must add to your own height to determine that your head will not hit the ceiling.

If the room where you want to place your elliptical exerciser has a 9 foot ceiling, then you have nothing to worry about. Just don’t place your elliptical under a low pendant light. You’d have to stand 8’4 “to hit your head on a 9-foot ceiling. Not much of a chance of this happening to someone I know.

If your ceiling height is 8 feet, then unless you are 7 feet tall or more, you will not bang your head against the ceiling. However, even if it’s a few inches shorter, say 6’6 “, it may feel like your head is too close to the ceiling while working out on an elliptical trainer. This can be disconcerting, so it’s something to consider.

Now if you want to locate your elliptical in your basement and the ceiling is low, say 7 feet, take care of your head if it is 6’4 “or taller!

I remember lifting weights in the unfinished basement of my parents’ house and looking up at the ceiling while resting between sets of bench presses. I was looking at the multitude of nails digging into the floorboards and wondering if I could drive them through my head if I jumped high enough. Fortunately for me, I couldn’t jump that high!

Since most elliptical trainers have similar pedal heights, it is more a matter of selecting a room with sufficient ceiling height for the elliptical exerciser than the other way around.