Smooth Agile DMT

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Smooth Agile DMT Review

The Smooth Agile DMT is really an elliptical trainer with benefits. One of the major benefits that sets this elliptical apart from the crowd is its overall range of motion and workout variety.

What sets this 5-star elliptical trainer apart from the rest of the pack in what can seem to be an endless parade of the “same old, same old,” is the patented design which maintains a bio-mechanically superior position of the toes in front of the user’s knees through the motion. This results in a movement which is sustainable without causing knee pain.

Runners, bodybuilders and ‘everyday’ people who want to avoid injuries, nurse injured knees or simply enjoy a full-body workout with less stress on the joints love the Agile DMT.

This is not a ‘new’ elliptical, as it was originally released a few years ago – yet it still consistently wins independent awards of ‘best in class’ and even ‘best cross-trainer for 2011′ (our choice is the Yowza Captiva, but the Smooth Agile DMT actually inspired many of Yowza Captiva’s innovations).

How Does the Smooth Agile DMT Feel?

It’s very similar to a Cybex Arc Trainer (they have them at local gyms everywhere), but the motion is still an elliptical unless you adjust the motion. By adjusting the stride and the motion, you can get the same feel that you’d find on a Cybex Arc Trainer, but for a much more affordable price.

Some say it’s a mix of all three: part elliptical, part stair-stepper, part arc-trainer. However you want to describe it, I prefer to term it “an elliptical trainer with benefits.”

Not only is it smooth to workout on, but the upper body handles offer resistance training and incorporate your trapezius, shoulders, core muscles and arm muscles (from the forearm to the triceps). This is a machine that grows with you as you grow stronger, with a number of adjustments.

Any adjustments to the motion are all done on the fly with a very easy-to-use thumb control system in the handles.

This is a runner’s elliptical trainer, though it can accommodate people of all fitness levels. Many types of workouts are available thanks to the patented “Agile Dynamic Motion Trainer” technology: there are 13 different motions which actually adjust more than the stride.

The motion of the elliptical pattern and foot pedals is adjustable, so it is very much like an arc trainer in that regard. Please note that only on high-end ellipticals (read: much more expensive) or on the Yowza Captiva are such features as an adjustable motion available.

Main Features of the Smooth Fitness Agile DMT

Like most quality, gym-class elliptical trainers, the Agile DMT elliptical features what you would expect in a machine of this stature:

• iPod Dock with Speakers (they’re OK, can’t use the iPhone, though)
• Thumb Controls, a.k.a. “Lite Touch” – this is really great!
• Heart Rate Monitoring via Chest Strap OR Handles
• Wireless Chest Strap
• Adjustable Fan (this will do for most, I still prefer floor-fans)
• Water Bottle Holder

(See our features table below for a fuller list of what the Smooth Fitness Agile DMT offers.)

These are mostly the ‘added touches’ you’d expect on an elliptical in this price range, or what you hope to find at this price anyhow. But besides all the ‘regulars,’ what sets this elliptical machine apart is that it provides a true full-body workout, and has:

A Great Adjustable Stride

If you read our Yowza Captiva or Schwinn 460 review, you’ll note that it is rare to have an elliptical machine that offers an adjustable stride.

Like the Captiva, the Smooth Agile Dynamic Motion Trainer (which is what DMT means: Dynamic Motion Trainer) offers an adjustable stride and various motions and 20 levels of intensity for a more robust workout.

What are the Benefits of an Adjustable Stride?

Having an adjustable stride is a sought-out feature in any elliptical machine, it translates into more value for your money, and a longer shelf-life so to speak. You will get more use out of an elliptical you can adjust and grow with as your strength and endurance grows in time.

It will also allow a variety of users to use the machine. For situations in which 2 or more users will be using the elliptical, if the stride can be adjusted, then obviously you’ve increased the value of the machine since it can accommodate more people of various heights and fitness levels.

Stride length is concerned with range of motion, height, speed of ‘running’ on the machine and overall intensity of the workout. Luckily, the Smooth Agile DMT elliptical provides a stride length of 19-24 inches.

Some customers describe this as an Arc trainer, or as an elliptical that offers ‘stair-stepping’ motion on up to a full stride. It’s not really a stair-climber, but the adjustable motion of the Agile DMT offers this feel to the workout.

The Agile’s Thumb Controls are Great

Very few home models of elliptical trainers will offer thumb controls, those on the Smooth Fitness Agile are termed “Lite Touch” because they are feather-light, in my opinion.

Why does this matter?
When you’re working out, you don’t necessarily want to stop the machine and make adjustments like you may have to do on some models (like the Sole E95 or other Sole Fitness models, or the Schwinn 460). Thumb controls allow you the freedom of working out non-stop.

Even during interval training, where your heart rate will be dynamic and go up or down, you still don’t want to cool down all the way. Having control at your fingertips to adjust your stride or the dynamic motion of the elliptical without breaking stride provides cardiovascular benefits.

You can work out and burn more calories in less time.

That’s really the benefit of a total body workout machine like this, but it’s really enhanced with a seemingly ‘nice feature;’ it’s more than a nice feature, there’s a direct benefit to your workout with these thumb controls.

Grip Size of Handles

The Agile DMT elliptical also offers great grips, the size I like and find on more expensive models. If you have ever used a Precor in the gym, you get the idea. You can see what I mean from the video at the top of this review.

They simply feel more comfortable and give more ‘heft’ to the machine, you get your money’s worth and it shows in the sturdy construction.

Clearly Built to Last

This elliptical is made from quality parts – sure there are some plastic parts used as well, but the warranty denotes a sturdy product. Once on the Agile DMT trainer, you will feel like you’re running on air.

The machine won’t rock or feel unsteady.

The maximum user weight is 400 pounds.

That should speak volumes to how stable this cross trainer is: it will be around for years of use.

Real Smooth Agile DMT Customer Reviews

There are a number of reviews online from athletes in various disciplines. If you’re not an athlete, that’s OK, too – below is a comment from someone who began using the Smooth Agile DMT trainer and he lost 130 pounds on it.

Please note this is not a ‘guaranteed result’ for anyone, as losing weight requires a combination of disciplines such as a healthy diet as well as exercise, but it’s an inspiring quote from someone who’s had success on Smooth Fitness’s Agile DMT.

What you want are real reviews from real people. That’s what this section is about, and I’ve provided my sources as well for you.

None of these quotes are solicited, they’re all genuine quotes from real customers like you.

Note edits of omission are noted by “…” and are strictly for brevity’s sake.

Bodybuilders Enjoy Cross-Training on the Smooth Agile DMT

At a premier bodybuilding forum, a number of people were discussing a few different ellipticals, trying to decide which is best. This was when a forum member asking which elliptical to buy for his home gym, without spending the $5k or so on a Precor model. This person is 6 foot, 3 inches, so variable stride was what he was after.

Two models came up in the discussion predominantly, the Yowza Captiva and Smooth Agile DMT or DMT X2. Here are a couple of quotes from that conversation.

[Source: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/archive/index.php/t-123535051.html]:

Member “drsimnal” says (this is taken from 2 comments he made):

I’ve got the Smooth Fitness Agile DMT…had mine for a year and a half and have had no problems with the machine from a maintenance standpoint. It works as well as it did when I put it together. It has 12 different motions, basically from a long smooth stride to a high stepping stride. I love using it…

Note how he’s had the machine for over a year, without any maintenance issues. The Smooth Agile DMT is built to last. Also note that he describes the motion varying from a “long smooth stride” to a “high stepping stride,” since you can adjust both the stride and the motion of the pedals.

That’s great for working out various muscle groups in your lower body, a strong benefit for a machine you will use for years to come.

He continues to add (this is my favorite part):

I’m very happy with my purchase. It’s worked well for me. When I first started working out in November, 2008 I weighed 380 pounds. I bought the Agile DMT and a…treadmill. There weren’t very many cardio machines out there that could handle my weight.

This is also something to consider – this machine is made to handle up to 400 pounds, which is considerable to note. It really is sturdy.

He goes on to say:

I didn’t use the treadmill very much because just walking was causing a lot of ankle pain…The elliptical caused no issues with the joints. I’ll never forget my first session on it…I lasted 5 minutes, rested a bit then went another 5. Felt like I was going to die, but I got through it.

…I’ve lost 130 pounds so far.…Again, I’ve had no issues with it.

Those results will not be “the typical results,” there’s no telling how much of a diet change was also a part of his success, but honestly that’s a motivating story.

Member “fishinggeek” says:

I can only go on my personal experience and I am very happy with my [Smooth Agile DMT]. The service techs have been very helpful and I can honestly say it’s one of the best investments I have made in my gym.

Below are quotes from just regular people who are into fitness in another forum altogether. Interesting what their take on the Smooth Agile DMT was when it was originally released (and they paid $3k-4k, it costs much less now thanks to the economy).

[Source: http://training.fitness.com/fitness-equipment/smooth-agile-dmt-elliptical-31124.html]

Member “rickkop” said:

I’ve had my DMT for about two months. Only regret, is I wish I had this 20 years ago. This thing is so good I’ve given my treadmill away.

Member “nobogy” said:

I have had mine for 3 weeks and I can say without a doubt it is a well built machine and I completely happy with it. I was going to buy a [LifeFitness elliptical] until the DMT came along and just offered more versatility for both my wife (5’3″) and me (5’11″).

I have used Precor but really didn’t like the ramp contruction, [LifeFitness] is excellent but lacked on the fly adjustable stride that DMT offers, albeit a stair/arc-like motion. The thumb controls are excellent.

Yet another member by the moniker of “TSO” said:

The thumb controls are excellent – extremely convenient for me as I tend to like to manually change both the motion and the resistance frequently to vary my workouts which are usually between 30 and 40 minutes.

I wanted to stop there and say that what seems like just a “neat” feature (thumb controls) is an excellent benefit when you’re working out. It prevents you from cooling off, keeps your metabolism in “calorie burn” mode and keeps your workouts shorter.

TSO continued to say:

I used to use a treadmill but began to have a pain in my knee from the impact which would not go away…Working out on the DMT eliminated my knee pain and I also found it to be just generally more comfortable and enjoyable than the treadmill, and the time seems to go faster. Sometimes I workout up to 50 minutes just because it is so comfortable.

The motion control basically feels like increasing up and down motion rather than increasing stride length, so the experience is like moving from an almost treadmill-like motion to a stair climber.

No Pain, No Gain? Forget It!

Arnold Schwarzenegger was famous for the line, “No pain, no gain,” but I’d caution instead that you listen to your body. So if running gives you knee and ankle pain – you might need to consider another workout strategy (or new shoes at least).

Without listening to the signals your body gives you through injury, you run the risk of further damage or potential surgery. This is why many runners will wind up either cross-training on an elliptical or will wind up buying elliptical machines.

The ergonomic stride and body position of the DMT elliptical greatly reduces strain on the knees, and the foot pedals adjust to prevent numbness in the feet and ankle strain.

If you experience pain in other types of working out, or if you’ve been injured, you can get back in the saddle on one of the 13 workouts & 20 intensity levels on the Smooth Fitness Agile Dynamic Motion Trainer.

Maybe Arnold was right, after all – because when you use the Agile DMT, you will not ‘gain,’ but you’ll rather lose unwanted fat in the process of working out…I stand corrected.

Great Warranty on the Agile DMT

Taken directly from SmoothFitness.com:

Lifetime warranty on the frame & braking system, 7 years on all parts & electronics and 2 years in home labor…

This is really a great warranty on a durable product that is built to last for years of use. This is the top model of a leader in the home fitness industry, and they’re standing behind it for good reason (it’s a quality product).

When using this elliptical, it’s clear that it’s sturdy, lives up to its name (it really is smooth) and clearly it is an industrial-strength model when you use it.

Smooth Fitness stands behind their elliptical trainers. They have a satisfaction guarantee that should put any reservations at rest.

What Other Smooth Fitness Agile DMT Customers Said

Again, these are not ‘paid reviews’ in any way, these are real customers taken from Amazon.

A. Weist “drsimnal” said (and this is the same person above, but in a different ‘forum’):

…It seems that the arc-type trainers can give many more muscle groups a workout, and Smooth Fitness touts that you can strength and cardio train at the same time.

If you aren’t familiar with ‘arc trainers,’ they are very expensive gym equipment that work your entire body, and resemble the cross country ski machines in terms of their motion and feel. They aren’t elliptical trainers, but are similar.

The most popular kinds of arc trainers are from Cybex, many gyms feature them, they’re about $5,000 and up for the gym equipment.

A. Weist continues to say:

So, I’ve been working out about 6x/week so far. I’ve lost 25 pounds since I started, and am clearly more fit than when I first began this new program…I really love this machine…for a while, I had hurt my ankles…and I couldn’t do anything but the Agile and my bike. I really sweat with this workout and it feels great.

Mind you, if you’re injured you will want a doctor’s opinion on how to best rehabilitate your injury. But the thing about ellipticals (the good ones) is that you can workout even with injuries.

One of the motivations of this website is how many people I personally know who were long-time marathon runners who are nursing injuries and keep injuring themselves. There’s no need to – just use an elliptical machine.

Continuing with Mr. Weist’s quote, he updates his quote to say he’s following up one year after purchase:

I’ve lost 110 pounds. I’m in good cardiac shape-my resting heart rate is now in the 40s…With the different motion settings on this machine and with strength training, I’ve seen very impressive muscle development in my legs. I’ve had no problems at all with the machine: it works just as it did on day one. No maintenance issues or anything else. Very glad I bought it, as I owe a large part of my early weight loss and now continuing success to the use of this machine.

That’s one of the most motivational quotes for any fitness machine I’ve read – a loss of over 100 pounds and muscle development – that’s what we all want.

Shannon L. Bowman (from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) said:

This machine is far different from other elliptical trainers. The first day I used it I could feel the burn not only in my legs but in my arms and back muscles as well.

The different levels provide a quality workout whether you are brand new to fitness or a seasoned pro. I would definitely recommend this machine to anyone who is serious about fitness or is looking to really transform their body shape. This machine will certainly push you to succeed!

Best Price on Smooth Agile DMT: May 19, 2012

Check to Make Sure Amazon Does Not Have a Special

Sometimes Amazon will run a special offer, it’s best to double-check their prices since they also sell the Smooth Fitness line.
 

Few Complaints About the Agile DMT

Nothing is perfect, you’re sure to find some negative reviewers out there. But at the time of writing this, there seem to be only 4 legitimate ‘bad’ reviews to be found.

Most addressed the shipping or the assembly of the elliptical.

Some had to do with a negative customer service experience (when a product has been out this long, and there are really only 4 reviews stating this as an issue, it’s clearly not a major issue).

The difficulty level of assembly will depend on your own level of aptitude, how well you assemble big products like this.

But to avoid that, I’d strongly urge you to buy directly from Smooth Fitness to start with. This way you know the workers are insured against damage so you should be covered in case anything happens.

If you do want to assemble it yourself, check the parts immediately upon delivery. If something is missing or doesn’t seem to fit properly, immediately call the company: your warranty protects your purchase if there is an issue.

There is an easy way to avoid the hassle of assembling this heavy equipment.

(It is pretty heavy, by the way, a sturdy elliptical trainer – if you need to move it up or down stairs, it’s best to have some help.)

The solution?

Pay for assembly by a certified assembly technician from Smooth Fitness, or a trained and insured technician.

You already get free delivery (curbside). You will still need to get the machine inside your home, moved to the room of choice and assembled properly.

Your options are:

• Inside Front Door Delivery $49: Delivery professionals will deliver and put your the elliptical inside the door of your home.
• In Room Delivery $99: 2 delivery professionals put your Smooth Agile DMT Elliptical in the room of your choice (up or down 2 flights of stairs).
• Delivery & Assembly $199: This is the best service option. The delivery team brings your elliptical into the room of your choosing and also assembles your Smooth Agile DMT. In this last option, there is still a limit on the 2 flights of stairs rule, but arrangements can be made once an order is placed.

Note that it’s not impossible to put this elliptical together, nor (in my opinion) is it very challenging. However, if you think this may be an issue, it is well-worth the $199 delivery and assembly fee to have your Smooth Agile DMT placed exactly where you want it.

Final Thoughts on the Smooth Agile DMT

This elliptical trainer is definitely a 5-star quality piece of home gym technology that will give you years of service.

If you want a full-body workout so you can spend less time in the gym and more time enjoying other activities, this Dynamic Motion Trainer won’t let you down.

The Smooth Fitness Agile DMT can help you achieve your fitness goals without causing injury, and gets full marks from us for its construction, reliability and overall workout.

Get the Smooth Agile DMT Best Price for May 19, 2012