Any physical activity will help you burn calories and strengthen your muscles, but not all physical activities offer the same exercise benefits as elliptical training does. Although elliptical training has some perks over other forms of exercise, you will get the most benefits from an elliptical workout if you maintain a healthy posture that involves keeping your shoulders back, your head upright and your stomach muscles tightened throughout your workout, according to MayoClinic.com.
Easy to Start
If you're new to exercise or if you just haven't worked out in a while, beginning an exercise routine slowly will help reduce your risk of injury, according to Hilton Head Health online. Elliptical machines come with multiple settings that offer different intensities of resistance and you're not obligated to exercise at a rapid speed. You can set your own pace and only work at a higher resistance and faster speed when you feel ready.
Low Impact
Elliptical training is a low-impact way of getting exercise, meaning it is less stressful on your back, hips and knees than exercises such as running on a treadmill, according to MayoClinic.com. You only need to use muscular strength to propel an elliptical machine, according to Hilton Head Health. This offers benefits for older people, pregnant women, recovering athletes and people who are new to exercising.
Versatile
Elliptical training doesn't have to be the same hum-drum exercise that works out the same muscles. Most elliptical machines allow you to pedal backward to work out different areas of your body, according to MayoClinic.com. Most elliptical machines also come with handles, which allows you to burn more calories and add an upper-body workout, according to Hilton Head Health.
Time Saving
Since elliptical training can exercise various lower-body and upper-body muscles, you won't have to spend extra time working those muscle groups after you work out on an elliptical. You may be able to get in a well-rounded workout on an elliptical machine in about 20 minutes.
Efficient
Elliptical machines can cause a person to use 12 percent more oxygen and have a greater heart rate during exercise than a traditional treadmill machine, according to a 2002 study in the Journal of Exercise Physiology online. Although the subjects in this study were people with cardiovascular disease, the information from the study suggests that fitness results from the treadmill versus the elliptical would be at least comparable. Despite the fact that an elliptical machine has comparable results to a treadmill, working out on one may seem less intense due to its low-impact nature.
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