The elliptical trainer is a machine with upright handles and cupped foot pedals. It is operated by moving the poles and pedals back and forth in a cross-country skiing motion. Unlike a treadmill, an elliptical is less impactful on your joints, according to the Mayo Clinic. As an added benefit, you also work several muscles in your upper and lower body simultaneously -- this can help you tone up while you burn calories.
Dynamic Stretches
When you use an elliptical, you activate a high percentage of muscles and joints throughout your body. Even though the machine is low-impact, you still don't want to get on it without loosening up. Instead of doing static stretches which are held, perform dynamic stretches which are performed in motion. These can help reduce the odds of suffering a muscle tear, according to Sports Fitness Advisor. Perform stretches like alternate toe touches, arm swings, leg swings, side bends, shoulder shrugs and walking lunges.
Starting Out
After you have loosened up your body, your next mission is to perform a light warm-up on the elliptical. Start moving at a slow pace and gradually increase your speed through a five minute time span. This will further loosen up your body and slowly raise your body temperature so you don't shock your system.
Exercise Intensity
The intensity of your workout will depend on your current fitness level. If you are new to exercise, you aren't going to be able to exercise at a fast pace. But this is okay. The most important thing is that your heart rate gets elevated and you break a sweat while gliding. Once you reach this pace, remain there for the duration of your workout.
Workout Duration
The amount of time you exercise varies on what you are looking to accomplish. For example, if you seek health benefits, your time will be shorter than if you're trying to lose weight. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, 30 minutes is beneficial for disease risk reduction and 60 to 90 minutes is more favorable for weight loss. You also need the discipline to work out on a regular basis. Each week aim for four or five days of elliptical training.
Adjustments
The elliptical machine comes equipped with multiple adjustments to make your workouts more challenging. Experiment with the resistance control and incline feature. When your workouts start to become easy, increase the resistance, raise the incline or do both at the same time. You can also incorporate these into an interval workout. Alternate back and forth from high intensity to low intensity.
Hydration
Any time you do cardiovascular exercise, it is important to keep your body hydrated -- especially if you break a sweat. To maintain hydration drink plenty of water before, during and after your workouts. Most ellipticals come with cup holders to place your bottle in while you glide.
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