5 Elliptical Workouts to Get You Fit
Many people don’t know that you can workout in more than one way on an elliptical machine. There are obvious workouts that work your cardio, and then there are strength-training workouts that help you improve your muscles. Even though there are more than 5 Elliptical workouts out there, our sanford physicians are giving you their top five to get you started.
1. Alternating Intervals
For those of you who are just starting out on the elliptical this is a great beginner workout. It helps you become more comfortable with the elliptical and increases your aerobic activity.
Warm up for five minutes at a low exertion level. Then spend 20 minutes doing intervals. Spend 60 seconds doing a high interval, about a 6 on a scale of 1-10. Then for 60 seconds reduce down to a level 4. Then for the next 60 seconds increase the exertion level to a 7. When you reduce, do a level higher, around a 5 and increase the rest period to 90 seconds. Keep alternating between easier and more difficult intervals for the remainder of the workout and leave time for a five-minute cool down.
2. Confuse Your Body
Now for the more experienced people on the elliptical – here is a more challenging workout. This is more of a quick changing workout that keeps your body guessing what is next preventing your body from plateauing.
Start at an easy pace and warm up for five minutes. After that your routine will switch for every 2 minutes. Go forward, and then go backward. Use your hands for two minutes, then don’t. Switch up and try your hands going backward and then don’t use your hands and go backward. Increase your intensity levels from low to high and back. Since you wont be repeating the same motion over and over your body will never plateau.
3. Interval Training
Here is one for you cardio lovers. Cardio workouts improve your heart and lung functions. The elliptical offers low cardio but if you know how to utilize it correctly you can get a great cardio workout! The best way to increase your cardio on an elliptical is to do intense interval training.
After warming up, increase your speed to about 85% of maximum effort for 20 seconds. Then reduce your speed down to about 50% of maximum effort for 40 seconds. Continue to go back and forth between these two intervals for the rest of your workout. You can change your intervals to whatever length you want. It is recommended that you use a two to one ratio. For example if you do a high intensity for 10 seconds rest for 20 seconds.
4. Up Hill
An uphill climb is designed to increase your heart rate quickly and strengthen your lower body. It is a more intense cardio workout for those of you feeling adventurous.
This workout is more slow paced but much more intense then the rest. A good uphill workout would last for about 20 minutes. It involves the highest resistance setting your elliptical has. Majority of elliptical machines have an up hill climb workout setting you can use.
5. Fat Burning
Not only do treadmills burn fat but elliptical machines are great fat burning tools as well. It is a simple exercise that takes about 20 minutes.
Start with a warm up for three minutes. After the warm up increase your strides to 130 per minute, aiming to work at 75% of your maximum target heart rate. You calculate this by (220 – (age) = Target heart rate). Keep that pace for five minutes on low incline. Then switch to a medium incline for the next five minutes. Then move on to a high incline for the next five minutes. After that end a three-minute cool down.
There are more than just these exercises to do on an elliptical machine. These are just a few to get you started. If you enjoy them keep researching the world of elliptical machines!