How To Move an Elliptical

An elliptical machine or cross trainer is a large, heavyweight, stationary piece of workout equipment. The best way to move an elliptical isn’t as straightforward as moving lighter pieces of gym equipment. But the question comes down to where are you moving the elliptical machine to?

If you are simply moving it across the room most cross trainers are built with transport wheels on the feet.

These allow you to simply tilt the machine and push it to your desired space. But this comes with a word of warning, you’re likely to scratch your hardwood floors in pushing or pulling your machine using the transport wheels.

If you haven’t yet bought and you’re looking for the best cross trainers, check out our comparison article here.

How to Move an Elliptical Machine

Put the furniture dolly next to your elliptical. Stand on one end and have someone assist you by standing at the opposite end of the machine.

Both at the same time lift the machine, lift with your legs to avoid injury. While airborne place it on the furniture dolly beside you.

But let’s dive into how to move elliptical in more detail.

how to move an elliptical

How to Move Heavy Gym Equipment by Yourself

Firstly you need to size up your move and figure out what type of move you’ll be doing.

Do you want to wheel your elliptical across the room to another space? First and foremost, do not simply tilt the machine and push this because it will leave a firm groove across your floor, particularly if you have hardwood floors. 

Here’s a great video by expert movers moving an elliptical machine:

How to Move an Elliptical by Yourself

If you are looking to move the elliptical machine by yourself follow these steps:

To wheel the elliptical or cross trainer you will need some tools. As most ellipticals are large and awkward in shape you will need a furniture dolly which is a wooden platform on top of four wheels. You can tie down the wheels using strong cable ties like these:

Cable Zip Ties,400 Pack Black Zip Ties Assorted Sizes 12+8+6+4 Inch,Multi-Purpose Self-Locking Nylon Cable Ties Cord Management Ties,Plastic Wire Ties for Home,Office,Garden,Workshop. By HAVE ME TD

Wrap the ties around the bottom of the frame where the legs of the machine and foot pedals meet. Firmly tying this down will stop the arms of the elliptical to swing backwards and forward while it’s being manoeuvred.

Once this is tied together you can then place the wooden furniture dolly underneath the elliptical. This is a two man job so make sure you get some help. While one person tilts the machine up the 2nd person can wheel the furniture dolly underneath in the centre, then it can be rolled where required.

Because most ellipticals are quite heavy make sure to use a heavier duty furniture dolly like this:

WEN 721830 1000 lbs. Capacity 18 in. x 30 in. Hardwood Movers Dolly (2-Pack)

If there are any tight angles or sharp turns where there might be concerns about fitting it through a tight door. Simply wrap the machine in blankets to protect your doors or walls from being scratched by the plastic.

How to Transport an Elliptical

If you’re moving elliptical machine up and down stairs you won’t be able to wheel this on the furniture dolly. If you are carrying my hand the heavier end is where the flywheel sits – at the end of the machine. So whoever is carrying this end will need to be prepared for that! If you have a magnetic and not flywheel elliptical then the weight is much more evenly distributed.

When transporting the elliptical make sure the arms and pedals are wrapped in bubble wrap to avoid any damage in the van. Also keep the console tightly bubble wrapped, or you can remove this with a screwdriver.

Taking the Elliptical Apart

Sometimes if the size of the moving elliptical is just too large to be moved by the method above then you will need to dismantle parts of it. 

If you don’t want to hire someone to do this then read our full guide on how to disassemble your elliptical

A brief overview is to take the handlebars and pedals apart from the main base of the elliptical. This can be done using a wrench and screwdriver. Safely store away all loose screws, nuts and bolts in a clear plastic bag so you can easily reattach once moved. 

Once the heavy parts are detached it will be light enough to move on your own, the shape is also much less awkward to carry. Especially if you are putting your cross trainer upstairs. Again use moving blankets over it for tight spaces to protect both your walls and machine from damage.

transporting elliptical

Other Tips for Moving your Elliptical 

Keep the Elliptical Clean

Before your move, fully sanitize and clean the machine. If you’re considering moving your elliptical with other household goods like bedding the last thing you want is for germs to spread onto your bedsheets. When you sanitize your moving elliptical it will remove all bacteria and sweat from it.

person moving elliptical on their own

Wipe your elliptical down with an all purpose cleaner or a natural spray solution and paper towel. If you dont have an all purpose cleaner at home you can create your own antibacterial spray using a mixture of water and white vinegar, I recommend this for cleaning:

Lucy's Family Owned - Natural Distilled White Vinegar, 1 Gallon (128 oz) - 5% Acidity

Mix 50/50 in a spray bottle and clean away! Thoroughly wipe the surface of the elliptical, handrails and foot pedals. Don’t forget to wipe down the console too. Pay extra care to the handrails as this is where most of the sweat will gather while you workout.

How to Move an Elliptical Up Stairs

Moving an elliptical upstairs will be a challenge and there is no one size fits all method for moving the heavy elliptical machine. It is dependent on the shape of the stairs and how narrow the staircase is.

Just take note of where the flywheel is on the elliptical because this will be the heavy end. So make sure you or your lifting partner are prepared to grab either the lighter or heavier end. If you have already removed the arms and handlebars from the machine it will make it a lot easier to lift.

How to Move an Elliptical Down Stairs

Whether you are moving your elliptical machine up or down stairs the method remains the same. It’s advisable to keep the heavier flywheel end at the lower end so that you can maintain slow and controlled movement while you hold the elliptical.

Best Way to Move a Heavy Elliptical Machine

Now you know how move elliptical! The best way to move a heavy elliptical machine is to stand next to the heavy elliptical and have someone stand on the other side. Lift your side of the elliptical up, bending at the knees, while your assistant does the same.

When the heavy elliptical is airborne you can slowly lower it on to the furniture dolly, then tie it down using cable ties. If you don’t have cable ties you can hold the moving elliptical in place while you wheel it on the dolly.

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An ex-triathlete, fitness coach and writer with a Masters in Sports Physiology. Fitness is my passion and I've had my fair share of home fitness equipment tried and tested!

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