An elliptical trainer machine can be an excellent cardio trainer. They’re low-impact and can help you burn calories quickly. The elliptical is easy to use too – use it correctly or not! This article explains how to use the elliptical correctly for a safe and effective workout.
An effective workout on the elliptical trainer starts with proper body positioning. Here’s how to do it.
boarding. Be careful when stepping on the elliptical machine, some people are surprised that the pedals move right away. Grab the fixed handlebars and place one foot on each pedal.
Align your feet. Most elliptical trainers have oversized pedals. The extra space around the foot promotes comfort, but with all that space, you may be leaning your foot the wrong way. To avoid straining your hips, keep your feet parallel to the edge of the pedals.
Straighten your back. Keeping the spine straight is an important part of using the elliptical machine properly. Squeeze your stomach and push your pelvis forward. Keeping your head upright, and facing forward, also helps with posture. You may find it helpful to imagine a rope connecting the top of your head to the ceiling.
Position your arms. Elliptical trainer machines generally have two sets of arms. You can grab the stationary handlebars for balance, or grab the moving handlebars for an upper body workout. In either case, be careful with light grasping! A common mistake is grasping too hard. Pull your shoulders down slightly and pull back. Bend your elbows slightly to ensure smooth movement.
Start moving
Now that you’re all set, it’s time to get started and learn how to use the elliptical.
Step forward. To start pedaling forward, bend your knees slightly and keep them bent throughout the movement mode. Knee locks can make the whole movement feel awkward and uncomfortable. This also keeps the quadriceps in constant tension, maximizing the muscle strengthening you see. Your legs should move in an oval pattern as you continue to pedal. Generally speaking, the more your knees are bent, the faster you can walk.
Set your challenge. Now, you’re going to adjust your resistance level so that it challenges you the way you want. The specific elliptical machine you’re using may also have an incline function, so you can set that too. Note that as you increase the incline, you also transfer more stress to other muscles.
At high resistance, you’ll work your calves, glutes, and hamstrings more, while at low resistance you’ll work your quads to a greater extent. As you make these adjustments, try to keep your movement patterns smooth and continuous. Some machines work better, just set everything up the way you want before you start, while other machines, usually more advanced machines, allow you to change at will during your workout. If the handlebar has controls, you’ll have no problem adjusting the controls from there. Make sure you’re not leaning against the handlebars when adding resistance.
Some people try to cheat workouts by doing this, but you’re really not doing yourself any favors. You might think you’re working hard because there’s more resistance, but in reality, you’re just using these to assist you to lose weight on your body.
Keep going. Once you find your rhythm, try to maintain it for 20-30 minutes. Most meetings should last that long – or longer, so don’t let yourself get stuck. Unless you’re doing very high-intensity interval training, 20 minutes is your minimum goal. Still, remember that something is better than nothing, so if you can only do 15 minutes on a given day, that’s fine too.
Use special functions. Many ellipticals come with special features, so it’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with these features so you can incorporate them into your workout routine as well.
Track your heart rate. If your machine has a heart rate tracker, you should either place the monitor on your chest (if it’s a chest strap) or use the touch pads on the handlebars to monitor your heart rate. This will give you clues as to how hard your body is working and whether you’ve reached your specific intensity in that workout session.
Use the program. Building variety into your workout routine is key to sustained results, and the programs built into the elliptical help make that happen. Use programs such as hills, fat burning, or interval training to help challenge your body and switch things up that keep you most interested in the workout you’re doing. Don’t make the mistake many people make, going to the gym to do the same exercise over and over again.
Step back. Finally, if you really want to change things up and challenge your body in a completely different way, consider stepping back. This might seem a little clunky at first, but if you stick with it, you’ll get the hang of it.
Written by: FUJIREJA GROUP
The Exporter and Manufacturer of Fitness Equipments since 2003
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