An elliptical machine or a trainer is a piece of stationary fitness equipment. You can perform different cardio exercises on it. You probably have seen one in a gym already.
Although it is not as popular as the treadmill is, it is undoubtedly a safer option. Many people have found out that using an elliptical machine seems useless to them. Is that true? Let us keep reading to find out the benefits of elliptical machines, shall we?
Benefits Of Elliptical Machine
Common accusations about the elliptical machine involve being boring and not challenging enough. However, this doesn’t indicate that you can’t do a meaningful workout out of it.
Although it does not get the attention it deserves, an elliptical workout can bring tons of benefits to your health and fitness. Well then, let’s find out what benefits comes along with using an elliptical machine for a cardio workout.
1. Easy And Simple To Use
To begin with, people of all ages can easily use the elliptical machine. You will be surprised to find out that the elliptical machine is such a simplified piece of fitness equipment that you don’t even need an instruction manual to know how to operate it; it replicates a simple running motion. This gives people a sense of security.
An elliptical machine can be a good choice for people that are new to a gym. This prevents gym newbies from being intimidated by other devices. The cherry on top, you can find them everywhere! Be it a studio apartment or a crowded gym.
2. Gets Your Body Fired Up
Exercising on an elliptical machine can cause a surge of adrenaline to flow through your body. Unbelievably, you can get your heart pumping during an elliptical workout. This has many health benefits. Your heart rate increases, which leads to better blood circulation around the body. Additionally, your breathing rate also increases, which leads to a greater intake of oxygen.
3. No Competition
We have all felt challenged by the person working out next to us at least once. This meant that you needed to push yourself so far that you practically drove yourself into overtraining. You did all of that to outcompete the person next to you. What gain will that bring to you? Nothing but problems for your physician.
Luckily, you can avoid all that by simply exercising on an elliptical machine. You can work out peacefully and at your own pace since no one will keep track of your speed and mileage. Especially the person next to you!
4. Low Impact Training
The elliptical machine workout will help you if you intend to enjoy a gentle and a low impact workout. This is because the elliptical machine exerts a lower force on your body. This reduces the strain on your legs and knee joints.
Since your feet never lose contact with the pedals, you will always be in an elliptical motion. Therefore, you can enjoy an impact-free workout. It also means that you can have an intense workout without hurting your body.
5. Weight Loss
Losing weight is something many people desire. However, either they wear themselves out very quickly by doing intense cardio exercises or losing interest. An elliptical machine can come in handy in your weight loss journey. It has built-in weight-bearing activities. Doing weight-bearing exercises is essential to prevent the development of many bone diseases.
Altering the elliptical speed of the machine can help burn a few hundred calories quickly. However, make sure you change the speed according to your weight. You exert less pressure when you use an elliptical machine. Therefore, you will have enough stamina left after your elliptical workout to do some extra weight loss exercises.
6. Full Body Workout
Using the elliptical machine can also help you achieve a full-body workout. Pedaling while you’re in an elliptical motion can target the leg muscles and strengthen them. It primarily acts on the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and hip flexors.
To strengthen the upper body, you can push and pull the handles that come with the machine. You are engaging your core while making this simple motion. The push and pull motion targets your biceps, triceps, thighs, and your hip. This helps to maximize the synchronization between the upper and lower body movements.
How To Use An Elliptical Machine To Obtain Maximum Benefit
Before using the elliptical machine, it is ideal to complete a few warm-up exercises to activate the body. Always make sure that you’re facing the monitor when hopping onto the machine. It would be best if you were careful while getting on, as the pedals may start moving, which makes it easier for you to lose your balance and fall off.
Balance & Move
Holding onto the handlebars will assist you in maintaining your balance. Start pedaling by pressing on the pedals in a forward motion using your feet; this will also simultaneously turn on the monitor. Remember to push and pull the handlebars while remaining coordinated with the movement of your feet.
Alter The Speed And Resistance
You can alter the elliptical speed and resistance; by pressing on the up and down arrows that appear on the monitor. Change it accordingly to vary the intensity of your workout. Once you have completed your training, make sure the machine completely stops before getting off. You can always slow down or stop your elliptical workout if you experience any discomfort
Now that you know how to operate the elliptical machine, there are many techniques that you can learn which will help you to obtain the maximum benefits out of the machine. Let’s find out what these techniques are, shall we?
Heels Over Toes
While pedaling, keep the pressure off your toes by leaning backward. This is because your toes will lose their sensation if your weight keeps pushing on them making them go numb. That is why it is ideal that you transfer your weight over to your heels. Thus, leading to an improvement in your stamina and making your muscles stronger. This will allow you to work out for a longer period.
Proper Posture
One of the most common mistakes that people in the gym make is maintaining an improper posture when using fitness equipment. Therefore, it is essential to have the correct posture when using the elliptical machine.
The first thing that you’re not going to do is lean towards the handlebars. This will lead to an ineffective workout as your weight gets distributed unevenly while you’re in motion. Pushing your pelvis forward while tightening your abdominal muscles will straighten your spine and reduce your back’s stress.
Track Your Progress
Keeping track of your progress can be very helpful in determining your improvement. Always focus on the monitor. Since it can tell you how many calories you have burned, the number of cycles completed, and your workout period. Recording these data can help you choose a different training program that will improve your physique.
Factors To Consider Before Buying An Elliptical Machine
You now know about the benefits and the usage of an elliptical machine. However, there are many factors to consider when purchasing one. You will have to do a lot of pre-planning and online research. Make sure that you’re ordering the machine from a well-known brand. Everyone looks up these common factors when shopping. However, the elliptical machine has a few ‘must-have’ elements.
Adjustable Resistance and Incline:
The majority of the elliptical machines have adjustable ramps and resistance. Changing the incline of the ramp increases the intensity of your workout. Some machines automatically do this. Increasing resistance can help make the workout challenging for you. You can improve your stamina and tolerance by doing this.
How Noisy It Is:
Machines- in general- are loud and boisterous. Therefore, buying a noisy elliptical machine can cause a huge inconvenience in your household. You definitely wouldn’t want a noisy and disruptive workout session, now would you? Getting an elliptical machine that makes very little noise gives you the freedom to work out any time of the day. Be it at dawn or midnight.
Swift Motion:
To get the most out of your elliptical machine, you need to check and see if it is running smoothly. Thus, always try out the machine before buying it. We recommend trying out the pedals first. This is to see if they are moving smoothly and don’t feel shaky. You should also check and see if you’re comfortable when moving in an elliptical motion.
How To Take Care Of An Elliptical Machine
An elliptical machine will deteriorate over time. After all, it is a machine. However, a useful fact about the elliptical machine is its low-cost maintenance. Thus, you can take care of your machine with minimal effort. We are going to talk about a few essential maintenance methods.
Lubrication:
The metal pieces and the screws of the machine can easily rust over time. This will prevent the machine from running swiftly and operating quietly. Therefore, to maintain a smooth elliptical motion while working out, lubricate the machine regularly. Make sure to use an appropriate lubricant. This will lower the amount of friction when you’re moving, which will reduce the chances of your machine wearing out.
Tightening Loose Nuts And Bolts:
Heavy usage of the elliptical machine can cause a few of its bolts to loosen. You can identify that if the machine makes a screeching sound when you use it. If that is the case, then you need to tighten them immediately to prevent any unfortunate injuries. The tightening process is straightforward; all you require is a screwdriver and a pinch of patience!
Keep It Clean:
The machine will collect a lot of dust over time if you don’t clean it regularly. We suggest you cover it up whenever you don’t use it or go out on holiday with your family. At least in that way, you will know that your favorite fitness machine will not be dusty and messy when you get back home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Being fitness freaks ourselves, we understand that people have many queries about ellipticals. Here’s the answer to some questions that you asked about this exercise machine—
How an elliptical machine can help you lose belly fat?
An elliptical works on most of the major abdominal muscles and bucks them up to shed the excess fat from your body. So you get fat free & toned abs and keep yourself fit.
What body parts does the elliptical machine target?
An elliptical trainer mostly targets the legs, thighs, and arms by targeting their major muscles. But it helps to get you a full body workout and provide an overall good physique.
What is an elliptical trainer good for?
An elliptical is an excellent cardio trainer, it is super beneficial for a weight loss journey. Also, it helps your body to achieve a better tone & physique and promotes a healthy lifestyle.
Can I do elliptical everyday?
For regular usage, five to six times a week is actually best for working out on an elliptical. Since it doesn’t have any major drawbacks, you can also work out on this machine every day.
What is the difference between an elliptical and a cross trainer?
One of the major differences between a cross trainer & an elliptical is their handle bars. A cross trainer has a moveable handle bar which involves the hand in the workout procedure along with the pedals. And the elliptical has a fixed handle bar which only provides balance by letting the person holding it.
Wrapping It Up
Well then, it seems we have finally come to an end. We hope that you now know about the wonderful benefits of elliptical machines by reading this article. In addition, how it benefits your physique and health. So then, the next time you come across an elliptical skeptic, you know exactly what to tell them! Thank you for reading!