Elliptical trainers couple the physical movements of stair stepping and cross country skiing. Vary your workouts by changing the resistance level, the cross ramp height, or your stride speed. Some elliptical trainers offer arm poles to increase the challenge of your workout. Many models offer heart rate sensors on the pole handles or the console for intensity monitoring. Always warm up and cool down as part of your total workout.
Steady State
To help build aerobic endurance and enhance overall health, use the elliptical trainer to go at a steady rate that raises your heart rate to between 65 and 75 percent of maximum. Set your cross ramp at 10 and find a resistance level that is challenging, but sustainable for at least a half hour of work. Constantly monitor your heart rate and adjust your resistance level up or down if your heart rate slips out of the prescribed zone. A 150-lb. woman will burn about 300 calories in a half hour with this intensity.
Hill Climbs
Adjust the cross ramp throughout your workout to target various muscles of the legs and buttocks during your elliptical workout. Set your resistance level at a challenging level---try between a 5 and 10---and work to sustain a stride speed of 120 to 160 strides per minute. Begin your workout with the cross ramp at a 3 to simulate a flat road. With each minute, increase your cross ramp by one, until you reach a 15, and then go back down to 3. Repeat two or three times for a full workout. By softening your knee joints, pushing your hips slightly back and pressing through the heels you will activate the gluteal muscles even more during this routine.
Intervals
Interval training challenges your cardiovascular system and revs your metabolism. According to the American Council on Exercise, interval training can help you avoid injuries and see faster results from your workouts. To perform intervals on the elliptical, set your cross ramp between a 6 and a 10 and your resistance at a level that makes pedaling at 130 strides challenging. Time yourself for one minute and push the pedals as fast as you can go, then return to your 130 stride speed for a minute. Repeat 10 times. As you become stronger, gradually increase your resistance, the duration of your intervals or your cross ramp.
Member Comments