An elliptical machine allows you to improve your aerobic conditioning and burn calories. You stand upright and move your feet in an elliptical pattern similar to pedaling a bicycle while standing up. One advantage of an elliptical machine over other exercise machines is that it allows you to get the aerobic benefits of running without the stress to your joints. You can calculate the calories you burn on an elliptical machine with a standard formula that works equally well for all types of exercise.
Step 1
Weigh yourself in pounds with a bathroom scale.
Step 2
Put your heart monitor on according to the instructions, and begin your session with your elliptical machine. Start recording your heart rate once it increases to 90 beats per minute.
Step 3
Maintain your heart rate within the range of 90 to 150 bpm by adjusting your speed on the elliptical training session as necessary. Turn your heart rate recorder off after you complete your session with the elliptical machine. This will provide the duration of your elliptical training session and your average heart rate during that session.
Step 4
Calculate your calorie expenditure during your elliptical training session if you're male. The Journal of Sports Sciences offers the following formula for this calculation: Calories = [(0.6309 x Heart Rate) + (0.2017 x Age) -- (0.09036 x Weight) -- 55.0969] x Time / 4.184. This formula requires your age in years, your weight in pounds and the time of the elliptical training session in minutes.
Assume you're a 51-year-old male weighing 172 lb. Your heart rate during a 34-minute elliptical training session averaged 134 bpm. You burned [(0.6309 x 134) + (0.2017 x 51) -- (0.09036 x 172) -- 55.0969] x 34 / 4.184 = 197 calories.
Step 5
Compute your calorie expenditure during your elliptical training session if you're female. The Journal of Sports Sciences offers the following formula for this computation: Calories = [(0.4472 x Heart Rate) -- (0.05741 x Weight) + (0.074 x Age) -- 20.4022] x Time / 4.184.
Assume you're a 42-year-old female weighing 141 lb. Your heart rate during a 37-minute elliptical training session averaged 127 bpm. You burned [(0.4472 x 127) -- (0.05741 x 141) + (0.074 x 42) -- 20.4022] x 37 / 4.184 = 278 calories.
Things You'll Need
- Bathroom scale
- Heart monitor
- Calculator
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