Have you hit the wall of boredom with your treadmill? Are you tired of having a sore butt from cycling? Would you like a good cardio workout that doesn’t cause damage to your knees and hips? If you can say “yes” to even one of these questions, then elliptical machines could be the answer to your fitness problems. An elliptical fitness trainer is very low-impact on the body and joints while delivering a very effective cardiovascular, full-body workout.
Elliptical machines are also known as elliptical cross trainers, elliptical gliders, training elliptical equipment, and ellipticals. Using elliptical equipment exercise routines can be an excellent way to add some variety to your cross-training plan or your regular workout schedule, which can help you to avoid boredom and stay motivated.
One reason that elliptical machines have been gaining in popularity with people is that just about anyone of any age or fitness level can use them for a safe and effective workout for losing weight. And, because the workouts on ellipticals are so effective at burning calories, people are truly maximizing the time they spend on their workouts.
Ellipticals are really a design variation of the very popular cross country training machines that were all the rage back in the 80’s. The elliptical equipment exercise delivers a high-impact cardiovascular workout while at the same time minimizing the stresses and strains on the body, that is why it is also considered to be low-impact. Because it is such a low-impact workout, doing training with elliptical machines allows older people and people with injuries to safely and effectively workout and maintain or improve their fitness levels.
Ellipticals also provide for variation in workouts because there are different combinations of exercises that can be done using an elliptical fitness trainer. Many elliptical equipment exercise models have a mode that simulates walking, either forward or backward, stair-stepping, cycling and even skiing. All of these modes are based on different elliptical motions and have either very low impact on the body, or virtually no impact at all on your joints.
It should be noted that the terminology “elliptical machine” is a rather general label and can be applied to a broad spectrum of training elliptical types of units. Not all elliptical machines are considered to be a crossover trainer, or a crossover elliptical trainer. Also, not all models of elliptical machines provide a full-body workout, but some are very effective in this area.
Elliptical machines are also favored by people who are looking to burn the most calories in the shortest period of time. Some of the elliptical machines sellers claim that a person can burn 700 calories, or more, in an hour of elliptical equipment exercise. However, the actual rate of calorie-burning will depend on a number of factors including the person’s metabolism and the intensity of their workout. Elliptical machines can deliver calorie burning rates that are very similar to what people can achieve with moderate to vigorous use of a cross-country trainer or a treadmill.
The companies that manufacture elliptical machines will often suggest in their advertisements that the ellipticals are a “single solution” and can replace a variety of other exercise equipment. But, most fitness trainers will advise that elliptical equipment exercise is actually best as part of a complete fitness routine that includes other activities and other types of exercise equipment, in order to help people avoid becoming burned out.
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