The ProForm Carbon HIIT H7 Cross Trainer is the updated version of the now discontinued HIIT Trainer, and brings together the low-impact movement of a cross trainer with the sweat-inducing prowess of a StairMaster. It's a little bulkier than other models in our best elliptical machines guide, but it's well made and has a wealth of features to help you get fit in the privacy of your own home.
ProForm, of course, is a top home gym brand that makes some of the world's best treadmills for running indoors, as well as exercise bikes for spin workouts and endurance training. The Carbon HIIT H7 Cross Trainer has an iFit-enabled touchscreen for interactive training, so you shouldn't get bored with this home gym machine anytime soon.
Though if you do fancy adding even further to your range of home exercise equipment, take a look at our guide to the best bike trainers for converting your road or mountain bike into an indoor fitness bike.
ProForm Carbon HIIT H7 review: Overview
If you’re not familiar with High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), let’s quickly get you acquainted... HIIT is a type of training that sees you push yourself to maximum capacity for short bursts of time, followed by short periods of recovery. It’s great for keeping your heart rate up, for building strength, and for burning a higher amount of calories in a short space of time. To keep tabs on how hard you're working, use one of the best fitness trackers to monitor your activity.
The ProForm Carbon HIIT H7 is the updated version of the brand's much-loved original HIIT trainer. Retaining all of the great original features, the H7 has the added benefit of a built-in capability for iFit interactive training and when it comes to variety, the sky’s the limit with this. For another iFit-enabled trainer, read our NordicTrack FS7i FreeStride review
We’ll look at iFit in more depth in the features section because that’s not all the Carbon HIIT H7 has going for it. It’s compact, super smooth and quiet, comes with a 10-inch vertical and 5-inch horizontal elliptical path, 24 resistance levels, and comfy cushioned pedals. This is one tough machine that has something for everyone so whether you’re looking to build stamina and endurance or tone up so you can feel fit, healthy, and strong, the Carbon HIIT H7 has got you covered.
ProForm Carbon HIIT H7 review: Design
First things first, if space is your problem then the Carbon HIIT H7 is your solution. This compact machine takes up half the space of a normal elliptical, making it great if you don’t have a ton of room. And if you like to be able to move things around easily then the transport wheels make repositioning this machine a piece of cake.
It also comes with a 30lb flywheel and silent magnetic resistance making it incredibly quiet and smooth, perfect if you like to exercise early in the morning or late at night and don’t want to disturb the rest of your household.
We know we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but we have to say, the shallow part of us loves the look of this machine. There’s something very sleek, professional, and high-quality about the way ProForm have built the Carbon HIIT H7 and it will definitely bring a touch of class to your home gym.
The solid and durable frame can accommodate user weights of up 325lbs and the oversized, cushioned pedals make for a comfortable workout experience. It can also store up to 5 user profiles making this a great investment if you’re wanting to get fit as a family.
For more compact cross-trainers, read our Sole Fitness E25 Elliptical Machine review, or take a look at the Sunny Health and Fitness SF-E3912 Elliptical Trainer.
ProForm Carbon HIIT H7 review: Features
If features are your thing then the Carbon HIIT H7 will not disappoint. Firstly, yes, you can purchase this model without the iFit membership and with 32 built-in programs and 24 resistance levels, you could certainly have yourself a grand old time without it.
Imagine working out on a Hawaiian beach on Monday morning, climbing Mt Fuji in Japan on Thursday, and tackling the stairs of the Italian Cinque Terre villages on Saturday. Well, now you can do all that in one week thanks to GoogleMaps and still have time to fit in a studio class with some of the world’s best personal trainers. All without having to leave your home.
The iFit trainers can also adjust your resistance remotely so it’s like having a personal trainer right there beside you. While this may be a high-intensity machine, it still delivers a workout in a low-intensity way. The 10” vertical and 5” horizontal elliptical path is designed so that your feet never lose contact with the pedals, burning more calories and building more strength.
The multi-position handlebars are also super effective at helping you target your biceps and triceps and the large pedals mean you can change up your foot positioning so that your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves all get a chance to feel the burn.
The Bluetooth speakers provide great sound quality and you can also connect your own Bluetooth heart rate monitoring strap to get the most accurate reading possible. The high-definition 7” HD touchscreen displays breathtakingly beautiful scenery from around the world to help keep you motivated while you workout.
ProForm Carbon HIIT H7 review: Performance
Delivering a total-body workout, the Carbon HIIT H7 utilizes a training model that will help you get results fast. The 30-pound flywheel delivers 24 different levels of resistance ranging from easy to intense and the design of the machine allows you to target every muscle group, providing a full-body workout that has a low-impact on your joints.
This hybrid trainer performs well no matter what your goal, from torching fat and calories to toning muscle and building strength and endurance, the Carbon HIIT H7 does it all and more importantly, it does it well.
One thing to be mindful of is that HIIT training isn’t for everyone so if you have a pre-existing medical condition or concerns around the potential for injury, please make sure you speak to a healthcare professional before purchasing this machine.
Should you buy the ProForm Carbon HIIT H7?
If you want rapid results from the comfort of your own home, the ProForm Carbon HIIT H7 is certainly worth considering. With a generous number of programs plus the ability to subscribe to iFit, you can get a gym-standard workout at home. However, you will need a decent amount of space to house the machine and workout on it properly.
We love the fat burning potential of the Carbon HIIT H7, and with various workout levels on offer, this is one machine that will continue to challenge you as your fitness grows. To complement your HIIT sessions, take a look at our guide to the best online fitness training programs, including yoga for stretching before and after cardio and weights workouts.
