Elliptical, also known as Crosstrainer, is fast catching up as THE fitness equipment for cardiovascular exercises. Let’s find out why….
For those of you unfamiliar with this fitness equipment, elliptical is a cardiovascular workout machine that combines the cyclical movement of an exercise bike with a forward and backward arm movement to deliver a full body workout. The leg movement is like an ellipse, hence the name elliptical. It has innumerable benefits that can be derived in the comfort of your home.
1. Burns calories more effectively
This is probably the most significant benefit of an elliptical. It burns a lot more calories than a treadmill in a given period of time. This also means that you can burn a given amount of calories in a lot less time using the elliptical. For instance, if your daily target is to burn 300 calories and you achieve that using a treadmill in 50 min, you can do that in 25 min using an elliptical. So you have a choice between working out for 50 min and burning 600 calories or sticking with 300 calories and saving 25 minutes! Isn’t that awesome?
2. Less tiring
Ask anyone who has used an elliptical and she will tell you how easy it is as compared to a bike or a treadmill. The elliptical motion gives a sense of floating, which makes it a fun workout. All this makes you exercise a lot longer, burning even more calories without getting terribly exhausted. This is one workout you will look forward to each day!
3. Upper body workout
Though it may not seem like you are actually exercising your upper body, the forward and backward arm movement tones these muscles. So, even without feeling the stress, you are going to see your upper body get firm and strong.
4. Doesn’t damage feet
Many users of treadmill complain of foot pain and damaged toe nails as the walking or running motion requires them to continuously lift their foot and step back on the treadmill, resulting in a hard thumping motion. If you are not wearing proper shoes or your stride is not right, you might end up damaging your feet considerably. Elliptical, on the other hand, just doesn’t require you to lift your foot from the surface of the pedal. So there is no question of damaged toe nails or foot pain due to excessive pressure on the heels.
5. Forward and Backward
Surprisingly, this tremendously useful feature, is not known to quite a few users of elliptical. The pedals of an elliptical move both in the forward as well as the backward direction with varying levels of resistance. And each direction targets a different group of muscles. Forward motion targets glutes and backward hamstrings. This helps you get more out of your workout by focusing on your problem areas.
6. Muscle toning
Although elliptical is primarily a cardio equipment, it is incredibly effective in toning your muscles as well. As it burns the fat, the toned muscles surface up. Your thighs, calves and butt are the first to get toned followed by your arms. Your mid section also gets a very lean look. And as you now know, you can exercise specific muscle groups as per your needs.
7. Less pressure on the joints (knees, ankles and hip)
The running or even the brisk walking motion causes a lot of pressure on the joints with each step. Along with pressure on knees, hip and ankles, the jolt also affects the lower back. In elliptical, since your feet are supported the whole time, it provides a very low impact workout with virtually no pressure on the joints. It’s good for people with ageing joints or even for someone who is recovering from a joint problem.
8. Good for all ages
The very low impact workout which doesn’t cause any injury to the joints or feet is good for people of all ages. If you are unable to run or even walk briskly on a treadmill, elliptical can do wonders! The high calorie burning capacity with less fatigue will make it a totally enjoyable exercise regime.
9. Total body workout
There is simply no other exercise machine that can simultaneously work as many muscle groups as the elliptical. Your glutes, hamstrings, quads, back, butt, abs, chest, biceps, triceps and shoulders get an excellent workout that too at the same time. This is also the reason why there is considerably more calorie burning involved.
10. Weight-resistant workout
Ellipticals offer a weight resistant workout which in addition to burning calories faster and more efficiently, helps build bone density. This is particularly important for men or women who are at risk for osteoporosis.
11. Marathon training
After all the pros we have talked about, the only con that has been pointed out is that once you get used to elliptical it becomes difficult for your body to train for a marathon. You need to actually practice running to participate in a marathon. Fair enough! But, this also means if you don’t intend training for a marathon, you have no reason not to use an elliptical.
Without any doubt, elliptical offers the most effective, low-impact, total body workout ever! Now that you know all the great things about an elliptical, all you need to do is bring one home. I will soon be writing an article on what you need to consider while buying an elliptical.
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