Ski Trainers

A ski trainer covers the movement no other cardio machine does — standing, double-pole, upper body and trunk — which is why functional floors keep them beside the rowers and bikes rather than instead of them.

They also take up very little floor, since the working envelope is vertical. Where a rower needs a long lane, a ski trainer needs a spot and clear space overhead, so they suit floors that have run out of length but not area.

They are most often bought in pairs or banks for class formats. If that is the plan, check the mounting option: a wall or rig-mounted unit frees the floor entirely.