Exercises with an elliptical cross trainer – characteristics, principles, advantages, phases of exercises

Exercising on an elliptical cross trainer has many advantages. The elliptical is a piece of equipment that can help us burn fat. However, this is not the most important advantage of this equipment. By exercising on an elliptical cross trainer, we will also improve our efficiency and strengthen muscles. It is also worth remembering that these are safe exercises that do not burden the joints and involve a minimal risk of injury.

The elliptical trainer combines cardio and strength exercises. Thanks to them, not only the legs and buttocks, but also the abdomen and arms become stronger. The elliptical trainer makes us improve the work of the circulatory system and efficiency. Check what else is worth knowing about exercising on an elliptical cross trainer!

Exercises on an elliptical cross trainer – how to start?

The elliptical cross trainer is a modern exercise machine, also known as cross trainer or cross trainer. This equipment combines the advantages of a stepper, exercise bike and treadmill. In addition, the elliptical cross trainer does not take up much space and, if possible, you can buy this equipment and exercise at home.

Price The elliptical cross trainer is about PLN 500, but if we choose good quality equipment, it will serve us for many years. Modern models usually have a display that shows us:

1. distance traveled;
2. time;
3. speed;
4. our heart rate;
5. the amount of calories burned.

Some elliptical cross trainers have a function of measuring the amount of body fat and even have the option of carrying out a fitness test. This will allow, for example, to properly choose the training to our current capabilities.

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Exercises on an elliptical cross trainer – rules

Exercising on an elliptical cross trainer, like any form of physical activity, requires proper preparation, i.e. warm-up. All you need to do is set the lightest load on the elliptical cross trainer and move your entire body in a quiet rhythm for about 10 minutes.

Admission is very important the correct position when exercising on the elliptical. So let’s remember about:

1. catching the movable arms of the device;
2. keeping your back straight;
3. abdominal muscle tension;
4. looking straight ahead.

When exercising on the elliptical cross trainer, do not squeeze the handles too tightly as it will negatively affect the work of your arms. You will notice quick results by exercising 30 minutes a day three times a week or more. Over time, you may start to extend your exercise time.

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Exercises on an elliptical cross trainer for slimming

Exercising an elliptical cross trainer is a great way to lose weight. However, for the training to be effective, certain rules must be followed:

1. during exercise, you should constantly monitor your heart rate – it should be 70-80 percent. Hrmax, i.e. maximum heart rate;
2. properly selected load – the load on the elliptical should not be too heavy or too low. If we set it too high, we will not achieve a sufficiently high heart rate, while too low will prevent us from properly engaging the muscles;
3. training should last at least 30 minutes – remember that the human body starts to burn fat only after about 20 minutes;
4. exercise on the elliptical cross trainer should be performed at least three times a week to maintain the metabolic rate;
5. choose interval training – thanks to this, we will keep fat burning also after the end of training;
6. remember to maintain a proper posture (back straight, feet flat on the pedals, head straight – we are looking at one point and hands are on the handles).
7. it’s worth changing your elliptical exercises – adjust your stride length, pace and resistance level. You can also try pedaling backwards, which works on different muscle groups.
8. be consistent when practicing – focus on your goals and stick to the plan. It’s a good idea to keep a progress journal or use an app to track your progress. 

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Exercises on an elliptical cross trainer – exercise phases

The phases of each elliptical training session should be the same:

1. warming up – unfortunately, this stage is often overlooked. However, thanks to it, we prepare the body for proper training and avoid injuries. We stretch the body and improve blood circulation. A good warm-up takes about 5-10 minutes and includes stretching exercises or a gentle warm-up on an elliptical cross trainer;
2. proper training – we slowly increase physical effort to achieve the appropriate load. It is worth choosing the resistance in such a way as to maintain a constant speed. This phase should last about 10-15 minutes. If you feel tired earlier, stop. So monitor your heart rate and extend the steady speed phase over time;
3. relaxation exercises – they should last about 5 minutes. During this time, we gradually slow down and lower the resistance to calm the heart and cool the muscles down.

After exercising, you can do a warming massage using CBD hemp gel for athletes with hemp extract. The preparation is available for purchase at Medonet Market.

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Exercises on an elliptical cross trainer – advantages

Exercises on an elliptical cross trainer allow you not only to lose weight, but also improve our condition and endurance.

The elliptical trainer improves the body’s efficiency and endurance

Aerobic exercise, also known as cardio, is any physical activity that increases heart rate and breathing, and increases the flow of oxygen and blood throughout the body, while mobilizing large groups of muscles in a repetitive and rhythmic manner. Doing so gradually challenges the body’s vital internal organs and improves the function and performance of the heart, lungs and circulatory system. What’s more, cardio training improves many aspects of your health, including heart health, mental health, mood, sleep, weight regulation, and metabolism.

The elliptical trainer enables a good cardio workout that strengthens the heart, lungs and muscles. This, in turn, can help build endurance and endurance throughout the body. Both high-intensity interval training and stationary cardio workouts can be performed on the elliptical cross trainer.

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The elliptical allows you to burn large amounts of calories.

Depending on how much we weigh, we can burn different amounts of calories on the elliptical cross trainer. According to the data, people weighing about 56 kg can burn 30 calories during a 270-minute training on an elliptical cross trainer, while people weighing about 84 kg can burn up to 400 calories at the same time. How much weight we lose depends precisely on the difference in calories burned to the amount of calories we consume in the diet.

You can burn more calories by increasing the intensity and duration of exercise on an elliptical cross trainer. The key, however, is the so-called interval training. According to a study published in the Obesity Reviews in 2017, it turns out that high-intensity intervals allowed you to achieve more in less time.

Interval training is a type of training that involves a series of intense exercises interspersed with periods of rest. Interval training elements can be integrated into an elliptical cross trainer by ensuring that high-intensity physical activity lasts, for example, a minute, followed by 30 seconds of gentle movement.

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Exercising on the elliptical trainer, we put less strain on our joints

Although running is a great exercise, thanks to which you can not only improve your condition, but also reduce the level of stress or improve the quality of sleep, it is also a physical activity that has a negative impact on the condition of our knees if we cannot run properly. It is assumed that most knee injuries result from overstrain, where the body has to cope with more than it can bear. Overload is a consequence of, inter alia, too little rest, running too long distances, increasing the amount of training too quickly.

Knees, ankles, hips, and other joints may not be able to support you when running or doing other high-impact cardio exercises. Exercises on the elliptical cross trainer have the advantage that the feet do not detach from the pedals of the device, which translates into a significant reduction in overload. This is confirmed by a study published in Gait & Posture in 2014, which showed that exercising an elliptical cross trainer is much less stressful than other cardio exercises such as jogging and jogging.

The elliptical trainer allows you to work out the lower and upper body parts

On the elliptical cross trainer, you can train not only the lower but also the upper muscles. This requires the exerciser to evenly distribute weight and resistance, i.e. pay attention to the movement of the legs and arms. Properly performed exercise on an elliptical cross trainer affects many parts of the body, including:

1. Uda;
2. Buttocks;
3. Belly;
4. Chest;
5. Back;
6. Arms.

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The elliptical trainer allows you to exercise individual muscle groups in your legs

Depending on how hard we exercise and what is the inclination of the pedals of the elliptical cross trainer, we can exert more pressure on the individual muscles of the legs, including: calves, thighs or buttocks. The biceps muscles of the thighs work more with a greater slope, and the quadriceps muscles when the pedals are lowered. What’s more, the elliptical cross trainer allows you to move “backwards”, which means that hamstrings and gluteal muscles will play a greater role.

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The elliptical trainer allows you to work on the abdominal muscles

To do this, let go of the handles on the elliptical cross trainer, thanks to which our body will naturally try to maintain balance, which will make more use of the abdominal muscles and the entire torso. In the event that we do not stick to the handles while exercising on the elliptical cross trainer, we must remember to adjust the appropriate inclination and resistance of the device, so that we avoid injuries and do not hurt ourselves.

The elliptical helps you stay fit after an injury

The elliptical is a great device for people who have been injured and would like to continue to stay fit. In this case, the elliptical is the best choice because it puts less strain on the joints than other types of exercise such as running, jogging or jumping. What’s more, exercising on an elliptical cross trainer helps you recover by strengthening your muscles and joints while relieving the injured area.

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Exercises on an elliptical cross trainer – effects

The effects of exercising on an elliptical cross trainer may surprise us. By training with an elliptical cross trainer, we can achieve very versatile effects, both endurance and strength. This means that the cross trainer will increase our resistance to effort and strengthen our legs. In addition, when exercising on an elliptical cross trainer, we burn calories very effectively.

Losing the extra pounds is not enough. Our silhouette will be modeled thanks to movable, long handles that engage the upper parts of the body. In addition, by working with the arms, we will make us work on the side abdominal muscles at the same time. In addition, by keeping the body posture straight, we strengthen the anterior abdominal muscles.

When you start training, remember to take care of your diet. When increasing physical activity, it is also worth increasing the supply of certain nutrients, e.g. proteins. Give it a try Nutrients for athletes available at MedonetMarket.pl.

Exercises on an elliptical cross trainer and other forms of activity

Exercises on an elliptical cross trainer and running

Exercises on an elliptical cross trainer have an advantage over classic running, this is mainly due to the fact that the joints are less loaded during exercise, but also the ability to adjust the elliptical to your needs. During exercise, you can easily change the angle of inclination and the resistance of the device itself.

On the other hand, classic running provides sensations that cannot be reproduced on any machine. Touching the ground with your feet and taking your legs off it, especially if the route we run on changes from time to time (running on an uneven surface or running up or downhill), forcing the body to adapt to various conditions. This translates into better training of the lower body parts. On the other hand, the elliptical cross trainer allows you to train the upper muscle groups, such as biceps, triceps, chest or upper back, which in turn increases calorie consumption.

It seems that the best solution is to use both types of exercise, i.e. alternating classic running with exercises on an elliptical cross trainer.

Exercises on an elliptical cross trainer and cycling

Cycling and exercising on an elliptical cross trainer are very similar to each other, which is due to the constant contact of the feet with the pedals, and what’s more, training on both devices is considered better for our joints than running or other high-intensity training. It is also worth paying attention to the possibility of adjusting the resistance of the cross trainer, which can also be achieved on a recumbent bike. Regulating resistance affects the amount of calories you burn and your cardiovascular system.

Again, however, exercising on an elliptical cross trainer is not able to reflect the experience of riding a bicycle in the open air. When riding a bicycle in the open air, you should take into account changing weather conditions, various types of terrain on which you will have to ride or traffic. This translates into a type of physical activity that feels more like interval training than a regular, moderate-intensity session on an elliptical cross trainer. Riding a classic bike is more demanding for the body, which has to adapt to changing conditions, which in turn translates into better and more practical training. After all, such physical activity recreates the movement patterns that we perform more often.

Moreover, there are studies showing that cycling to work every day may result in less weight gain.

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Exercises on an elliptical cross trainer – how long should they last?

It is assumed that optimal for health is to spend 150 minutes once a week on exercises beneficial for the cardiovascular system (the upper limit is considered to be 300 minutes a week). Therefore, it is best to spend 30 minutes moderate exercise on an elliptical cross trainer 5 days a week. Alternatively, you can reduce this time to 20 minutes every day for 5 days a week, but assuming that we increase the intensity of the exercise. By suspending the intensity of training, we can burn more calories, but remember to do it wisely and not to strain your body.

Examples of exercises on an elliptical cross trainer

You can make many different movements on the elliptical cross trainer than just the classic forward, steady pedaling. When exercising on an elliptical cross trainer, you can not only increase or decrease the resistance of the device, but also change positions, which will translate into different muscle involvement and heart rate. Here are some sample exercises:

Pedal backwards on an elliptical cross trainer

This is a simple variation of the standard elliptical cross trainer exercise. While standing firmly on the back of the pedals, grab the handles well and try to move your legs backwards. When doing this exercise, you should feel how your buttocks and hamstrings are working.

Exercise without hands on an elliptical cross trainer

This exercise will test how we handle balance and get the core muscles to work. We should put our feet more on the back of the pedals, place our hands on the chest, bend our knees slightly to crouch as low as possible and try to walk backwards with our heels as in the previous exercise. The resistance in this exercise should be high.

One leg exercise on an elliptical cross trainer

Hold onto the handholds and lift your right foot off the pedal while bringing your knee to your chest. Then, with the same raised leg, perform a backward kick-like motion as if we wanted to take off. This will help us to pedal forward using only the left leg and arms. After some time, change to the left leg and make similar movements. In this exercise, the resistance should be moderate.

Pedaling with your hands on an elliptical cross trainer

With your feet in the center of the pedals, grab the handles and begin pedaling as you would a standard elliptical cross trainer until you gain momentum. Once the elliptical starts moving, try to maintain momentum by using your arms and engaging your chest muscles to push the handles forward and pull them backward.

Exercises on an elliptical cross trainer – tips

When exercising regularly on an elliptical cross trainer, you should follow a few basic tips to make your exercise more effective and good for your health.

1. Make sure you stay straight – don’t wobble to the sides!
2. Engage your hands while exercising.
3. Keep your abdominal muscles tense.
4. Run backwards on the elliptical – you will develop beautiful buttocks.
5. Take care not only of your heart rate, but also RPM, which is the number of revolutions per minute.
6. Change your training frequently.
7. Set a goal for each day.
8. Plan your workouts in the calendar.