Tue. Mar 5th, 2024
elliptical machine

A well-liked piece of cardio equipment is elliptical. The use of an elliptical trainer for exercise has many advantages. It works on the lower and upper body and burns calories while you listen to songs or watch your favorite show.

The aging baby boomer generation is especially drawn to elliptical trainers. They help you burn calories for weight loss while also being kind to your aging joints and providing a good aerobic workout. There are a few good reasons to try one of these machines if you’ve never done so.

12 Benefits Of An Elliptical Machine

1. Can Aid Weight Loss

The elliptical trainer or machine is excellent for weight loss. Depending on your weight right now and the speed of the elliptical, it can burn anywhere from 150 to 400 calories in 30 minutes.

When you do cardio on an elliptical machine, you exert less effort. This means that after your 30-minute elliptical workout, you’ll still have energy for a few more exercises that burn fat.

2. Low-impact Exercise

Exercises with ellipticals have low impact. It is gentle on your knees and is great for the elderly and people in the rehabilitation phase after a knee injury, osteoporosis, ankle injury, and knee arthritis (1).

Exercises with high impact, like walking or running on a treadmill, can aggravate or even start new injuries. Therefore, elliptical machines are a good option if you want to burn calories without getting hurt.

3. Targets The Lower Body

The leg muscles are worked by the elliptical machines’ pedaling or stair-climbing motion. It affects the calves, glutes, hip flexors, hamstrings, and quadriceps.

Due to this exact reason, using an elliptical machine for exercise is excellent for reducing excess body fat in your lower body., the lower belly area, hips, and thighs.

4. Tones The Entire Body

You can get a complete body workout on an elliptical machine. Elliptical trainers work your upper and lower bodies simultaneously, unlike treadmills, which only focus on the lower body.

The handle levers on elliptical trainers are moved back and forth in time with the leg motions. They provide a full-body workout by working the biceps, triceps, deltoids, lats, lower belly, hips, and thighs.

5. Boosts Cardiovascular Health

A better and longer life depends on the health of your heart and blood vessels. The heart rate will rise as a result of 20 to 30 minutes on the elliptical, helping to tone the heart muscles.

6. Improves Cardio Stamina

Cardiovascular endurance can be increased by engaging in daily sessions of 30 minutes of moderate or 15 minutes of high intensity elliptical exercise. Pumping oxygen to every part of the body requires a lot of effort from the heart and lungs. You’ll notice an increase in your stamina when you practice daily for at least 10 days. You’ll also become more effective at other kinds of exercise.

7. Reduces High Blood Pressure

The elliptical machine can help you feel less stressed even if you only use it for 5 minutes. That’s because exercising releases serotonin, the “feel-good” hormone. Blood pressure can be lowered or reduced by serotonin (2), (3).

Everyday elliptical exercise at a low or moderate intensity can help control hypertension. If you take hypertension medications or have recently had major surgery, you should however consult your doctor.

8. Improves Balance And Mobility

In order to reduce the risk of accidents and falls and to increase flexibility and agility, balance and mobility are crucial. Your body can be trained on elliptical trainers to become more mobile and balance. Coordination between the legs, arms, and brain is enhanced by the high platform and simultaneous leg and arm motion.

elliptical machine

9. Decreases Chronic Inflammation

Poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle may contribute to chronic low-grade inflammation, which can lead to weight gain (4). Exercise machines like ellipticals promote serotonin release, blood pressure reduction, and calorie burning. In turn, this assists in reducing stress and inflammation in the body. This is why, following a 20–30 minute elliptical trainer workout, you shed pounds and feel better.

10. Improves Blood Circulation

Exercise on an elliptical trainer also enhances blood circulation. Improved blood flow keeps the body’s entire system’s supply of oxygen flowing. As a result, the risk of contracting diseases and chronic illness is decreased. In addition to maintaining the health of the vital organs, good circulation also enhances the quality of sleep. Your skin and hair problems are also lessened by it.

11. Weight-bearing Exercise

Exercise on an elliptical machine involves bearing weight. As a result, pressing the pedals requires effort from both your bones and muscles. As a result of the muscle damage it causes, bones and muscles can become stronger. People with osteoporosis and those at high risk of fracture benefit greatly from this exercise.

12. Enjoyable Workout Program

It is a fun workout because the legs and arms move in rhythmic alternation. Despite having a low impact, it still helps you lose weight and burns a lot of calories. While using the elliptical, you can watch a show, a game, a podcast, or even listen to music.

Is Elliptical Exercise As Effective As Cycling?

Exercises that have low impact on the heart include cycling and using an elliptical machine.

Since your feet are in contact with the pedals during the entire workout, both cycling and elliptical training are easier on the joints than running or other high intensity workouts (6Trusted Source).

In order to get a cardiovascular workout and calorie burn comparable to those of the elliptical, you can adjust the resistance on an upright or recumbent bike.

It’s a little trickier to compare elliptical exercise to cycling outdoors.

When you venture outside, there are more unknowns like hills, uneven ground, trails, and traffic. As opposed to a steady session of moderate intensity on the elliptical, this frequently leads to a workout that is more interval-based.

Your body must adapt to changing circumstances when you cycle outside. In that regard, cycling might be a superior workout, particularly if you’re looking for a more functional workout that imitates the movement patterns you use more frequently.

Plus, findings from self-reported data show that ditching motorized transportation in favor of cycling to work may result in less weight gain over time

Are Elliptical Machines As Effective As Running?

The elliptical is a fantastic option if you want to avoid running. You can change the incline and resistance to simulate a running workout, plus it’s less strenuous on your joints.

However, the majority of ardent runners will agree that an artificial run is not the same as a genuine one.

Your feet must leave the ground when walking on pavement or trails, which forces your body to adjust to changing weather conditions. You might be walking on uneven ground or climbing and descending hills.

This means you’ll recruit your lower body muscles to a greater degree and need more force to propel yourself forward (4)Trusted Source.

Additionally, pumping your arms works the biceps, triceps, chest, and upper back while raising your heart rate and burning more calories.

While many ellipticals have handlebars that let you push and pull against resistance, unlike the continuous arm movements you make while running, using the handlebars is optional on an elliptical. The device will also perform some of your work for you.

Although you should engage your core muscles when performing any aerobic workout, it’s easier to let these critical muscles relax when exercising on the elliptical, making running a better workout for your core (5Trusted Source).

Including the elliptical in your running routine is one way to get the best of both worlds. Consider substituting a 30- to 45-minute elliptical workout for one day of outdoor or treadmill running.

Interval and heart rate training exercises should be done during this time. You’ll consequently pay more attention to your cardiovascular system and less so on the impact.

How Much Time Should I Spend On The Elliptical?

Your overall goals will determine how much time you should spend on the elliptical. In general, you should aim for a minimum of 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise each week, with the upper end being 300 minutes

To reach the 150-minute goal, this translates to 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per day, five days per week. Increase the intensity and complete the workout in 20 minutes if you don’t have 30 to spare.

A quick way to enhance your cardiovascular health and increase your calorie burn is to exercise more intensely.

Does The Elliptical Machine Reduce Belly Fat?

Elliptical machines are intended for aerobic or cardiovascular exercises. To raise heart rate, burn calories, and reduce body fat, many people use elliptical machines.

Although aerobic exercise can help with weight loss, it cannot magically reduce belly fat. However, research shows that combining exercise with a low-calorie, high-protein diet can cause both subcutaneous and intra-abdominal fat as part of a general weight loss program.

11 Benefits of Doing Lunges Regularly

The primary advantages of including lunges in your exercise regimen are covered in this video.

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Drawbacks of the elliptical machine

Despite all the benefits of using an elliptical, there are some drawbacks to be aware of.

“The motion on the elliptical is slightly different than running or walking, so leg and core muscles are activated differently,” says Pain Free Running’s primary care physician for sports medicine is John M. Martinez, MD.

“If the body doesn’t adjust to the new muscle-firing and movement patterns, this difference in muscle activation could potentially result in injury.”

Additionally, if you don’t make a conscious effort to maintain proper leg alignment, you might experience pain from improper foot and leg tracking, especially if your foot is frequently fixed in place on the elliptical machine.

Additionally, he makes the point that because using an elliptical machine is less stressful on the legs than running or walking, you might not see as much improvement in your leg strength.

This lessening of impact is why Dr. According to Martinez, compared to running or weightlifting, you might also notice a lesser increase in bone density. This is so because higher loads or impacts tend to make the bones in the lower body more dense.

Conclusion

Your fitness regimen can benefit from including the elliptical machine by burning a lot of calories, boosting stamina, improving balance, and strengthening your heart, lungs, and muscles.

It’s a fantastic choice if you have joint problems or want to improve or keep up your fitness level after an injury.

While most fitness levels can benefit from using this low-impact piece of equipment, if you want to strengthen your legs and increase bone density, you should also incorporate other exercises into your routine. Not every exercise is ideal for achieving every objective.

The advantages of the elliptical machine, however, far outweigh the disadvantages, making it a fantastic option for almost anyone.