Exercise equipment manufacturers often advertise elliptical trainers as providing a full-body workout. This is true to a certain extent -- just don't confuse a workout on the elliptical trainer with a strength-training routine. Nor is the full-body workout guaranteed; how you use your elliptical trainer affects which muscles it trains. The only muscle you're truly guaranteed to work in any elliptical workout is your heart.
Cardiovascular System
Like any other muscle, your heart strengthens in response to the physical stress of exercise. Also like other muscles, you must tailor your workout intensity to challenge your heart's capacity but not exceed it. Depending on your age and physical condition, you might need a doctor's advice and a trainer's assistance to maintain the correct exercise intensity.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends using a risk-stratification approach to determine whether you should be evaluated by a doctor before exercising. If your doctor has ever told you you have a heart condition and should only do physical activity recommended by your doctor, you should consult with a physician before beginning a new cardiovascular program. Several more criteria, including whether you've experienced chest pain without physical activity in the last month, are listed in the ACSM fact sheet "When to See a Physician Before Exercising." If you answer "Yes" to any of the questions posed in the fact sheet, you should consult with a physician before beginning workouts.
Lower Body
All elliptical trainers work your quads, glutes, hamstrings and calves to a certain degree. Some elliptical trainers offer an adjustable-incline ramp that lets you target certain muscles more intensely. A low incline simulates walk or jogging, placing roughly equal load on your quads, calves and glutes. Increase your calf and hamstring involvement, but decrease your glute involvement, by pedaling backward at the same incline setting.
Setting the elliptical to a high incline and pedaling forward places primary emphasis on your glutes, while also loading your quads and calves. Pedaling backward at a high incline puts primary emphasis on your quads.
Upper Body
Almost all elliptical trainers come with moving handlebars that you can push and pull for an upper-body workout as you pedal. A few elliptical trainers also have side platforms that allow you to step off the pedals and focus on the upper-body motions only. Pulling on the handlebars works all the major muscle groups in your back; pushing works your chest. Pushing and pulling work your arms and shoulders.
The moving handlebars are usually slaved to the pedals, so the harder you push, the easier pedaling gets. You might need to increase the machine's resistance to compensate for this greater ease.
Circuit Training
Don't mistake the elliptical trainer's endurance-based upper-body workout for true strength training. To strength train effectively, your muscles should reach fatigue within about 12 repetitions. A few elliptical trainers offer a high-intensity strength-training mode that comes close to achieving this level of difficulty. Some brands also offer resistance band attachment points on the elliptical's frame. You use the resistance bands to perform conventional strength training exercises during short breaks from the elliptical trainer.
Core
If you focus on maintaining proper posture while on the elliptical trainer, you will get a core workout too. Think of keeping your pelvis tucked beneath you, spine in neutral position. Bring your head up and chest out, shoulders back, instead of slouching forward. Squeeze your abs to support your spine, but don't hold your breath.
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