The benefits and harms of the elliptical trainer – it’s not as simple as it sounds.
The elliptical trainer is useful for those who want to lose weight and gain beautiful body definition without training their arms and legs. This makes it particularly appealing to girls.
You need to understand the effectiveness of the elliptical trainer and how to use it correctly.
What is an elliptical trainer?
First, you need to understand what an elliptical trainer is. It is also called an oval and refers to a cardio machine. This machine combines the properties of a treadmill and stepper. The exercise combines running, cycling, skiing and stair climbing movements. The first fitness equipment was manufactured at the end of the last century by Precor. The handrails were fixed, and the flywheel was at the rear.
The elliptical trainer, whose benefits for weight loss are evident, does an excellent job as an aerobic workout, while also protecting ligaments and joints from damage thanks to its movements’ smoothness. Because of the latter, the ellipsoid is considered unique.
The new models are equipped with movable handrails, a powerful flywheel and electronics. These allow you to work out different muscles and make your training more versatile. Many people are attracted to the fact that they can train at home. Well, those who like to go to the gym can find it there in the cardio zone.
Which muscles does the elliptical trainer train?
So, what does an elliptical trainer train? It engages the posterior thigh muscles, lower leg and buttock muscles, the back and some arm muscles’ deltoid muscles. The abs and shoulder girdle also work.
On the reverse, you can work the leg muscles inaccessible to the treadmill and exercise bike. Which muscles work when practising with reverse movements? With this method of training, you will perform the glutes and hamstrings.
Which muscles work on the elliptical can depend on the specific body position, allowing you to adjust the load:
- * If you adopt an upright body position with your head elevated and your eyes facing forward, all muscle groups will be worked.
- * Moving backwards with the body and head straight and the legs slightly bent actively works the hamstrings and gluteal muscles.
- * When moving forward with your body tilted forward, the maximum load is on the calf muscles and quadriceps.
- * If the ellipsoid trainer, which muscles work when you know, is used with a straight body and legs bent at the knees, the gluteal muscles and hamstrings are well exercised.
Advantages and disadvantages of elliptical trainers
We have already found out what an ellipsoid is and which muscles work when exercising with one. But apart from that, training on an elliptical can be very beneficial for your health. These activities have the following effects on the body:
* Substantially increase the level of endurance;
* As it is a cardio trainer, the elliptical trainer helps to strengthen the cardiovascular system. It can be a good substitute for classical fitness.
* As practically all the muscles of the body are engaged in the workout, the trainer allows you to
* Effectively work the muscular corset.
* The exercise strengthens and tightens common problem areas.
* The trainer helps you get rid of excess weight quickly and evenly.
* The respiratory system is strengthened, cells in the body are oxygenated, and their nutrition is improved.
The elliptical trainer’s benefits are obvious: it’s excellent for strengthening your entire body and the parts of your body that you feel need work.
But the basic answer to the question, “Why use an elliptical trainer? – is, of course, to lose weight. To use it for this purpose, you should do it about 3-4 times a week. This will be enough to tighten your body and work out all your muscle groups. But don’t forget that a healthy and proper diet is also essential to achieve results.
It is also essential to know how to use the trainer. If you are exercising without a specialist, you can try one of the programmes below, compare results and see which suits you best.
Strength training
The machine is not originally designed to build muscle, so you don’t have to worry about over-stretching your shins, arms or shoulders. Strength training is needed to improve your overall endurance, but only if you are in good enough shape not to overtrain.
You should do this three times a week for 30 minutes. 10 minutes is spent in warm-up mode, while the remaining time involves 10-15% more work.
High-intensity cardio exercise
Perfect for those who want to lose weight with the elliptical trainer. By tensing the thighs and buttocks, the whole body warms up, which increases the consumption of fat in problem areas.
To target the lower body, you can do away with the handles, grouping your arms around the waist and focusing on the leg muscles as much as possible. You can lean on fixed support by leaning your body slightly forward.
You should work out three times a week. The duration of the training session is determined individually. Do a medium-intensity warm-up, then set a kilometre on the trainer and go faster each time.
Beginners should start with 1.5 km to feel for their abilities and then build up to 3.5-4 km.
Note:
Keep in mind that during any exercise, you should monitor your heart rate.
Normal-intensity cardio training
Suitable for those with a slim figure who just want to strengthen their body and keep their muscles toned. The movements should be performed with a straight back, working on smoothness in the process. Don’t let yourself sweat too much. Increase the load very slowly and gradually.
Exercise 5-6 times a week for half an hour, choosing medium or low intensity and moving at the same pace without speeding up. Apply the handles to work the back and arms. If your physical fitness is good enough, you can increase the medium load setting by 3-5%.
Try to ensure that the foot is correctly positioned on the pedal. You must not tear off either the heel or the toe. The position should be as if you were “stuck”. This will ensure that it is the gluteal and thigh muscles that work. Otherwise, they will be much less strenuous, and your ankles may also be damaged.
We’ve already established what an elliptical trainer can do and what its benefits are. The main advantages of ellipticals are functionality and safety. Are there any downsides? There is a perception that the stabiliser muscles are less stressed when using an exercise machine than when using a treadmill.
But when you consider that these muscles are responsible for regulating body position, they continue to work even when the person is just standing, sitting or lying down.
Getting Everything from your Elliptical
1. If you want to use as many muscles as possible during your workout, this option is perfect for you. The quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and glutes are all involved. The movable arms on the trainer don’t neglect your arms either, toning your biceps, triceps and deltoids. This exerciser provides a continuous pulse for the entire body, stimulating the abdomen and, backs core muscles those who mainly want to work the calves and hamstrings, pedal in reverse. The elliptical trainer is designed so that, when properly positioned, you won’t feel overloaded during your workout and can effectively activate your muscles.
2. You can quickly burn fat and lose weight with the elliptical trainer. For overweight people, high-intensity exercise can seriously injure joints. With an elliptical trainer, your feet remain in constant contact with the machine, limiting the impact on your joints. By the way, changing the stride length affects the number of calories burned. You can lose 8 to 12 calories per minute on this machine. Not bad, eh?
3. The next benefit of the elliptical trainer, mentioned briefly in the previous point, is that it is ideal for people with joint problems. When they start training, many beginners enthusiastically storm the treadmill, do lunges and squats, ignoring the joint pain. But is it worth paying that price to lose weight when you can lose weight safely on an elliptical machine?
4. Elliptical trainer is also great to maintain and improve your cardiovascular system. Most models have different programmes. You can pedal at a slow, moderate or fast pace depending on the mode you choose, giving you the perfect cardio workout without the fatigue and strain of a treadmill. Studies have shown that the physiological effects of exercise on an elliptical trainer are very similar to that of a treadmill.
5. experts believe that elliptical trainers have less impact on the body than running. The elliptical movement follows the natural movements of the hip, knee and ankle, allowing you to burn as much fat and calories as you would during the run without any impact on joints.
6. Safety in use is another benefit of the elliptical trainer. You stop, and so does the car. The speed is determined by your own movements.
7. For those looking for a home cardio machine, the elliptical is a great option. It is economical to operate as you won’t need to replace any belts, motors, bearings etc. The elliptical trainer is great for beginners and advanced users alike.
What to consider when choosing an Elliptical Trainer?
Elliptical trainers, the benefits and harms of which are already known, are suitable for almost everyone. Built-in programmes enable you to adjust your workout intensity, thus controlling the power of your workout.
This makes it a good option for both the professional athlete and first-time gym-goer. It’s perfect for those who want to improve their health, get rid of excess weight, trim their body, work on problem areas and simply ensure they stay in good shape.
Caution is needed for those who suffer from joint and spine problems, heart and vascular diseases, and severe obesity. In these all cases, the machine is not contraindicated, but it is advisable to consult a specialist before training.
The elliptical trainer is considered optimal for weight loss. In this case, calories are burned through vigorous exercise, but you don’t have to exercise to the point of exhaustion. A few times a week will suffice. And the programmes chosen will also enable you to effectively eliminate cellulite and tighten your skin.
Despite all the benefits and advantages of the elliptical trainer, there are also contraindications. Thus, you should abstain from exercising in such cases:
* Regular hypertensive crises;
* Heart asthma attacks;
* Tachycardia and angina pectoris;
* Diabetes mellitus, cancer, oedema, thrombophlebitis.
Naturally, the benefits of the simulator are invaluable. But if you can’t use it to lose weight for some reason or other, don’t feel bad, as there are many different effective ways to keep yourself in shape. If there are no contraindications, including an ellipsoid into your regular exercise routine is definitely worthwhile. A gym can help you lose weight in a healthy, enjoyable and risk-free way.