The elliptical machine, or elliptical trainer, offers a simple and convenient workout -- similar to a treadmill, but with a few extra advantages. Because the elliptical combines aerobic exercise and strength training, it allows you to burn more calories than most other types of exercise. An elliptical also places less stress on joints and hence causes less pain; because the workout feels more comfortable, you may actually do it more often than less pleasant types of exercise.
How Elliptical Functions
The elliptical functions like a cross between stair-stepping and cross-country skiing. It feels a little like bicycling while standing up, except that your feet move in an elliptical pattern rather than a circular pattern. Keep your body upright, and support your weight on your lower body, as if you were standing normally.
Aerobic Workout
When exercising on an elliptical, you move continuously and somewhat strenuously, depending on your chosen settings; hence, you get a good aerobic workout. Moving your legs in the elliptical pattern works your muscles and raises your heart rate. Keeping your heart rate raised for an extended period of time burns calories and boosts your metabolism.
Strength Training And Building Muscle
If you change the elliptical's settings to add weights or resistance to the moving parts, then your legs will also undergo strength training. It's as if you were lifting weights with your feet, in addition to moving your body in a jogging motion. Because your legs work against the resistance, they work harder, and hence you burn more calories.
Over time, if you use the elliptical faithfully, you will build muscle on your legs. As your body's percentage of muscle increases, your metabolism will slowly speed up. Muscle burns more calories than fat, even while you simply sit or sleep.
Calories Burned
Because the elliptical combines strength training with aerobic exercise, you can burn a high number of calories on this machine. According to "Fitness" magazine, exercising on the elliptical for one hour burns about 575 calories -- a bit more than mountain biking or cross-country skiing for an hour, and a lot more than hiking, dancing or weightlifting for an hour.
The calories you burn on the elliptical vary significantly, depending on personal factors such as your age, weight and gender, and depending on the intensity of your workout, including how fast you go and the level of resistance you use.
Interval Training
The elliptical easily facilitates interval training, a pattern of exercise intensity that burns a high number of calories. Interval training means alternating between exercising at a low intensity, for a few minutes, and then exercising at a high intensity, for a few minutes. This type of exercise burns more calories than simply exercising at a constant pace. It also increases your cardiovascular capacity, which allows you to work out harder and longer.
Some elliptical machines offer pre-designed routines that will periodically spike the resistance levels. If using these routines, simply try to keep up your pace even when the resistance increases. If your machine doesn't provide preformed routines, then alternate smooth going with cycling very quickly for a minute; or, switch the resistance between low and high, while maintaining your speed.
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