The elliptical trainer is a stationary cardio machine commonly found in fitness centers or sporting goods stores. It consists of two foot plates attached to gliding rails that you pedal forward and back to move as you would while running or cross-country skiing. Your feet never leave the pedals, making it a low-impact activity appropriate for most fitness levels. Ideally, you'll work hard enough to reap a cardiovascular and calorie-burning benefit without causing injury or early fatigue.
Step 1
Familiarize yourself with the machine. Identify the start and stop buttons, the resistance control, which determines the difficulty of the pedal stride, and the cross ramp control, which raises or lowers the rails to simulate hills.
Step 2
Step onto the pedals and start moving your legs front to back to begin the workout. Assume good posture with your shoulders retracted down your back, chin parallel to the ground, abdominals strong and arms relaxed.
Step 3
Increase the resistance gradually until it feels challenging to pedal, but you are able to keep up a pace similar to a jog, about 160 to 180 strides as indicated on the console. If you feel like you are pedaling wildly and out of control, increase your resistance.
Step 4
Wear a heart rate monitor or use the hand sensors on the elliptical if you have a machine that offers this feature. Strive to keep your heart rate between 60 and 80 percent of your maximum during the course of your routine to build cardiovascular fitness.
Step 5
Change the cross-ramp height to add variety and additional challenge to the leg muscles. Begin a workout at a low cross-ramp level and periodically raise and lower it during your workout to build quadriceps, hamstring and gluteal muscles.
Step 6
Wean yourself off holding on to the arm rails. Use the arm poles -- if they are available on your model -- to achieve an upper-body workout, or simply pump your arms alongside your body as you do your workout to build core strength.
Step 7
Exercise intensely for 20 minutes three days per week, or moderately for 30 minutes five days per week, recommends the American College of Sports Medicine. Intense activity is equivalent to a jog or run, while moderate activity is equivalent to a brisk walk. These recommended amounts are enough to maintain heart health.
Tips and Warnings
- If you are looking to lose weight, increase the duration of your activity on the elliptical to 60 to 90 minutes most days of the week. Regardless of your goals, vary your workouts on the elliptical to combat boredom and overuse injuries. On some days, do your training on a flat cross ramp with a high stride speed to mimic running; on others, perform climbs with high resistance. Once or twice a week, consider adding in speed intervals, where you push your stride speed and resistance at very strong levels for a minute or two and then recover at a less intense level for an equal amount of time.
- Clear your exercise plans with your physician before commencing.
Things You'll Need
- Elliptical trainer
- Heart rate monitor
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