Top 5 Benefits of Elliptical Workouts

Elliptical machines have become increasingly more popular over the years and it’s a no-brainer as to why people are choosing them as their go-to machine when they hit the gym. Those who suffer from arthritis, recovering from injury or who just want to keep their joints in optimal shape say that the elliptical is the safest, most effective cardio workout tool.

1. Warm Up and Cool Down – Elliptical machines are the perfect choice for beginning or ending your workout. You can gradually ease your muscles to a warmer or cooler state depending on where you’re at in your workout.  Beginning your workout routine with an elliptical, you can warm up your entire body with light cardio activity preparing your muscles for a more demanding workout that may follow. Cooling down on the elliptical, you can take the pressure off of your joints after a high intensity or strength training workout.

2. Total Body Workout – The elliptical does not target any specific region of the body however, it engages the entire body at once. Ellipticals are the perfect choice for those on a schedule or if you’re running late to the gym and don’t have the time to make your rounds to all the machines you had planned on using. Covering your cardio and strength training goals, you can expect to strengthen your shoulder and arm muscles, keep your core engaged, work all of your back muscles, sculpt your glutes, hamstrings and quads all in one stop.

3. Low Impact on Joints – Ellipticals foster a natural walking, jogging or running experience while keeping stress on joints to a minimum. You’ll never have to worry about your ankles, knees or hips when getting your cardio workout on an elliptical. The rise and fall of the foot platforms are powered by your own strength therefore; you get to choose what feels best to you. As opposed to running outdoors on pavement or even on soft ground, there is an exceptional amount of stress placed on your joints and you don’t have the luxury of adjusting the comfort level of the ground. With an elliptical’s smooth, fluid movement that guides your joints in the correct direction, ellipticals are hands down the safest choice for cardio activity.

4. Burn Maximum Calories – When your entire body is moving, working and engaged, you will burn the most calories. The elliptical offers engagement from your shoulders down to your feet, targeting every muscle group and strengthening even the hardest areas to sculpt such as the inner and outer thighs. Since ellipticals strengthen the most areas of the human body, burning the maximum amount of calories is a natural result that you won’t even need to try for.

5. Pace Yourself – Most ellipticals, especially new and remanufactured machines like the ones seen on the Life Fitness Elevation Elliptical Discover Si, have touch screen displays mounted for your to track your progress. You’ll be able to find your target heart rate and maintain it with heart rate monitoring systems within the handlebars. Maintaining your target heart rate will prevent you from overexerting yourself and will allow you to maintain a consistent workout. You’ll be able to achieve the safest, most effective personalized workout with an elliptical over any other cardio machine on the market.