The elliptical trainer became a gym sensation in the 90s and to this day, the support for this versatile fitness equipment is still going strong despite some scepticism. So, what are the benefits of elliptical trainers exactly and why is it so well-loved by many fitness buffs?
There are several reasons why elliptical trainer usage has not slowed down. Firstly, it provides low-impact workouts. Secondly, it’s praised for delivering a total body workout. If you want more information on why elliptical trainers rock, you need to read the rest of this article.
Let us dive into it. In general, it’s fitness equipment that will not only make you fit but improve your health as well.
12 Advantages That You Need To Know About Elliptical Trainers
While the elliptical has garnered many praises, the equipment also has its fair share of criticism. Sceptics are not that keen on the elliptical trainer because they say it’s just a boring piece of equipment. But then again, it is up to you to take full advantage of the unit; it’s what you make of the whole deal. To further pique your interest in the elliptical trainer, here are some awesome benefits.
1. Provides A Full-Body Workout
One of the best things about the elliptical trainer is that it is capable of delivering a total body workout. It comes with movable handles so you can engage the arms – grab the handles then push and pull whenever your feet budge about on the pedals. The exercise engages all of the upper body from the chest to the shoulders.
The glutes are engaged as well whenever you move your feet. If you want to work on your glutes, just increase the elliptical’s resistance level. You can also do some reverse strides.
When necessary, you can target certain muscle groups only – like the core muscles for instance. Don’t use the handles when walking on the pedals. This will force your abdominals to tighten themselves whenever you try to remain balanced.
2. Boost Weight Loss
To continue with our benefits of elliptical trainers list, another advantage of this nifty exercise equipment is its capability to significantly assist in your weight loss goals. Many prefer the elliptical over the treadmill and stair climber when it comes to weight loss programs and comparing cardio machines.
The calories that elliptical trainers burn are comparable to treadmills but using the elliptical is easier since a bigger number of muscles are engaged to produce more movement while maintaining an elevated heart rate.
While there are factors at play that impact caloric-burning, elliptical training offers excellent cardiovascular exercise, and if you want to shave away unwanted pounds, you just have to get into efficient cardio routines.
3. Less Impact On The Joints
Using the elliptical machine is pretty similar to running but performing elliptical training on this unit will not put so much stress on your joints. The ankles, knees, and hips often take their toll when running but with elliptical movements, there’s no need for your feet to leave the pedals, thus making for effortless workouts.
Low-impact exercises also help reduce the risks of injury and damage that are proffered to the body during physical activities. Being low-impact fitness equipment also makes the elliptical a go-to choice for many physical therapists and older users.
4. Ideal For People Recovering From Injury
You should get advice from your doctor or therapist first before doing any strenuous physical activities following an injury. However, health experts consider the elliptical trainer as a helpful machine for regaining one’s range of motion around the hips.
Doctors even agree that elliptical machines assist with ACL rehabilitation – elliptical routines are one of the few aerobic exercises that doctors agree on for people recovering from an ACL injury.
5. Improves Balancing Capabilities
Working out for the long term keeps our bodies limber and flexible. Proper balance and coordination of the limbs, regardless of age, are crucial to our general health. Doing elliptical machine workouts engages the core and challenges our balancing abilities.
To stay in place during the workout, we need to stand up straight and let go of the machine’s handle. You do have to remember to set an incline and resistance that is manageable according to your physical condition.
6. Improves Stamina and Cardio Capacity
6. Improves Stamina and Cardio Capacity
Cardio workouts engage the heart and lungs to double their effort to distribute more oxygen and blood throughout our muscles. The elliptical trainer delivers excellent aerobic workouts. This type of workout is not only good for keeping fit and losing weight, but it also helps strengthen the heart and lungs, leading to better endurance and stamina throughout the entire body.
7. Capable Of Burning Body Fat
One of the best benefits of elliptical machines is their ability to set off caloric burning. The higher level of calorie burn that ellipticals are often associated with helps users accomplish weight loss goals in a shorter period.
If you want to maximise effective workout for caloric burning, then concentrate on the intensity and duration of the workout. Fat loss is achieved through both high and moderate-intensity exercises but HIIT (high-intensity interval training) allows users to achieve more in less time.
8. Provides Customised Workouts
Elliptical trainers allow users to adjust incline and resistance levels for a more tailored workout. This is a nice advantage since it lets you engage one or two specific muscle groups at a time.
For example, you can focus on your arms and shoulders by letting go of the handles and modifying the resistance and incline to keep them toned and fit. Maybe next time, you can focus on your glutes or quads by setting an incline and resistance that best fits those parts.
Elliptical foot pedals can also move in reverse, so users get to change their elliptical stride direction to work out the hamstrings.
9. User-Friendly Workout Equipment
The benefits of elliptical trainers do not stop here. Another reason why many are so fond of using this piece of gym equipment at home is that it is fairly easy to master. Users get the hang of the unit pretty quickly. You can read the manual or ask how it’s used by a personal trainer but when it comes to learning curves related to the elliptical, it is not that complex a machine.
10. It’s Not A Bore
Contrary to what sceptics say about the cardio equipment– that it’s boring and the workouts it provides are not motivational enough for one to keep going – they might have overlooked the workout modules that the unit comes with.
An elliptical cross trainer already includes premade workout routines that challenge users. These workouts vary in terms of intensity so you will get a routine that is suitable for your fitness level or goal.
Excellent routines include different intensities and if you use them together, you might be able to accomplish whatever fitness goal you have set. With ellipticals, you can replicate brisk walking, go for a run, make as if you’re climbing a hill, or do some stair-climbing exercises. If you want to change your workout, all you need to do is modify the resistance and the speed.
Another addition that you can include in your routine is to do reverse strides. Ellipticals are designed to change directions as well and reverse walking is great for working out the calves, glutes, and hamstrings.
11. Convenient Home Gym Workouts
Not all of us have the time to go to a gym after work. With an elliptical, you can conveniently perform your exercise duties at home – and what a good range of workouts this versatile equipment brings. The excellent benefits of elliptical trainers like this make the piece a worthwhile investment.
12. Improves Health
The Department of Health suggests being active regularly by doing at least 2.5-5 hours of moderate physical activity or 1.25-2.5 hours of dynamic physical activity per week.
While leisurely walking will not contribute that much in terms of cardio, a workout using the elliptical machine surely can. Cardio exercises, as mentioned previously, are not only helpful for weight loss, they also improve heart and lung health.
Conclusion
Fitness enthusiasts who use the elliptical will not stop, and this is due to the many benefits of elliptical machines. It is ideal fitness equipment for keeping you fit, stable, healthy, and strong.
Related Questions
1. Is the elliptical or the exercise bike better for losing weight?
Both machines contribute to weight loss. For those who want a full-body workout, the elliptical machine does the job best, but if you are more into HIIT routines, the exercise bike excels in this regard. In the end, the most ideal for you is a unit that best suits your weight loss goal and the effort you put in to accomplish this.
2. Is there a weight limit on an elliptical machine?
Yes, elliptical machines have weight limits. The average weight limit for a home elliptical machine rates around 132kg (292 lbs). There are also models with weight limits that can accommodate more than 136kg (300 lbs). However, these machines are often bigger and heavier compared to standard ones.