4 Easy Changes for the Most Effective Elliptical Workout
Many people love elliptical machine for the low-impact total body workout it gives them. While many agree elliptical machines are easier on the joints than other exercise equipment machines, such as the pounding of the tread belts the treadmills give you.
While elliptical machines can be a great cardio exercise machine for those more injury prone, and even for those who are just looking for a great total body workout that is not so hard on their body, don’t let the ease of the low-impact cause you to slack on your workout.
If you begin feeling like too much of a champion flowing through your elliptical stride, you may not be pushing yourself hard enough. Flying through the same elliptical workout day after day on the lowest resistance with the lowest incline is not going to help you achieve those results you’re looking for.
“If you’re ready to push you body’s limits and take your routine to the next level, these four tips will help you make the most of your workout time” adapted from a Fit Sugar article title 4 Easy Changes to Make the Most of Elliptical Time:
Have A Plan. Fit Sugar first suggests making sure you go into your exercise routine with a plan. If you are just on autopilot continuing to do the same workout day after day your body is never going to receive any sort of challenge, instead you are simply wasting your precious workout time. Don’t just simple get on your machine and push “quick start”, take the time to input your specific information “putting yourself in the best position to get the best workout for your body’s needs.” Customize a workout that is suited for your needs, and be sure to switch them up once in a while as well.
Add incline. It makes just as much difference to add incline on your elliptical workout as it does to your treadmill workouts. Just like on the treadmill, adding incline on your elliptical workouts helps to “target different muscle groups and forces your whole body to put in more effort and work out harder.”
Switch It Up With Intervals. Along with incline, Fit Sugar also suggests making sure you add intervals into your elliptical routine. Any workout that alternates between periods of high intensity of pushing yourself to the max with rest periods has been proven time and time again to aid in fat loss. “This metabolism-boosting workout technique is perfect for a charged-up elliptical exercise session.” Try our HIIT Elliptical Workout for fat loss for an example of an elliptical interval workout.
Back Back Back It Up. Just as adding incline targets different muscles groups, by pedaling backward you also incorporate different muscle groups than the forward motion allows. Pedaling backwards really targets the back of your legs helping to strengthen not only your glutes, but your core as well.
Try these 4 different Elliptical Workouts from Fit Sugar to help you utilize these tips and get started challenging yourself in your elliptical workout.