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12 Elliptical Machine Benefits

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An individual need to do regular exercise to maintain good health and strength. But, opting for the right tools and machinery is crucial for a better workout session.

The elliptical machine is one such machinery that offers you options to perform numerous exercises. Hence, it is widely preferred by trainers, athletes, gym enthusiasts, etc.

Elliptical machines could help you perform multiple cardio exercises; hence, it is well-known as a cardio-machine.

But, besides cardiovascular benefits, the elliptical machine offers several other health benefits.

Therefore, this article will cover all the possible benefits of using an elliptical machine.

Benefits Of Elliptical Machine

Various benefits of the elliptical machine include-

  1. May Help Burn Calories Faster

    You may boost your calorie-burning abilities by doing multiple elliptical workouts on the elliptical machine.

    The machine is designed such that it may help you burn sufficient calories in a short span.

    Depending upon an individual’s weight, the elliptical machine could help[1] burn calories between 270-400 in 30 minutes.

    But, the calories burnt may fluctuate depending on other factors like age, body-mass index, gender, etc.

    For example, a young and muscular individual could burn extra calories than an older person.

    You may prefer using elliptical machines while losing weight. But, you should consider increasing the intensity to burn more calories than you consume.

  2. Could Help Train Both Upper And Lower Body

    Elliptical machines work as versatile gadgets which may comfortably train the whole body.

    Thus, exercising the whole body or working out, in general, could increase[2] blood flow and improve circulation throughout the body.

    The elliptical machine with attached handles could be the best cardio machine to build a strong upper and lower body.

    But, you should maintain the coordination right to get the desired results. Generally, people fail to match the leg’s movement with their hand while using the machine.

    Hence, in such cases, you would fail to train the upper and lower body simultaneously.

    You should distribute the weight and resistance evenly to get the highest upper body benefits.

    The best method to attain such perfection is to start moving your arms and legs at a similar speed.

    People doing exercises perfectly using an elliptical machine may efficiently train their glutes, quads, chest, hamstring, biceps, tricks, core muscles, and back.

  3. May Boost Your Cardiovascular Health And Stamina

    The elliptical machine is widely used to improve cardiovascular health and stamina. Hence, you may find the machine in almost all training areas.

    People looking to strengthen themselves should consider building better stamina and cardiovascular health.

    They should start performing aerobic exercises which boost[3] your heart and lungs’ abilities to pump more blood and oxygen.

    You could perform multiple beneficial cardio exercises using the elliptical machine.

    The machine allows you the flexibility to perform[4] both HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and normal aerobic exercises.

    Hence, you could quickly strengthen your heart, lungs, and other vital organs.  Simultaneously, you start increasing your stamina and endurance to perform different tasks.

  4. Allows Performing Low-Impact Exercises

    The elliptical machine could be a great workout tool for different low-impact exercises.

    In short, it would help burn calories and build muscles without stressing vital joints and muscles.

    Hence, you could consider using an elliptical machine at an older age.

    Moreover, you may prefer using the machine for different purposes like recovery, rehabilitation, and curing medical conditions[5] like arthritis, osteoporosis, etc.

    You could efficiently perform high-calorie burning exercises without getting injured as an elliptical machine puts gentle pressure on the knees and shoulders.

  5. May Improve Balance And Mobility

    People find improving balance and mobility highly comfortable using an elliptical machine.

    You may consider using the machine after undergoing serious surgeries that may have restricted your motion for an extended period.

    Hence, multiple medical and recovery centers recommend the usage of elliptical machines to train your body with minimum injuries and re-injuries.

    The human body moves and functions based on muscle memory. Hence, repeating the same activity for a stretch may create fresh muscle memory.

    You could easily repeat or mimic the natural walking motion on an elliptical machine to improve your balance and stability.

    On the other hand, an elliptical machine allows your hips and legs to get their full range of motion.

    Thus, you could quickly get better[6] mobility with regular exercises done on elliptical machines.

  6. May Help Burn Excess Fat

    Using an elliptical machine, you could quickly burn excess fat, especially belly fat.

    The elliptical machine allows you to burn more calories than other workout machines like stationary bikes.

    Thus, burning away excessive[7] belly fat could be possible with a proper diet coupled with elliptical machine exercises and may aid in weight loss.

    Hence, using the elliptical machine, you should focus on doing quality and beneficial exercises.

    The amount of fat burnt primarily depends on the duration and intensity of the workout.

    People looking to lose weight and burn excess fat should always focus on intensifying the workout.

    Hence, you may consider adding high-intensity interval training to your workout routine.

    You should start interval training by distributing workout and recovery duration in a 2:1 ratio, i.e., 30 seconds workout and 15 seconds recovery.

    But, you may consider paddling during the recovery period for better results.

  7. May Comfortably Target Different Leg Muscles

    The elliptical machine is one of the best machines for training particular muscles or muscle groups.

    The elliptical machine contains a pair of foot paddles that you could use to target different leg muscles. Training leg muscles could enhance[8] overall fitness. 

    You could change the foot paddle’s resistance and incline to get your desired results.

    You could increase the incline to train the lower body, especially the back muscles of your leg.

    Moreover, lowering the food paddles would help you build strong quads. Some people prefer reverse padding to train their hamstring and glutes.

    Hence, a slight change in orientation and incline would effectively train muscle groups like calves, quads, hamstring, etc.

  8. May Help Strengthen Bones

    Generally, people suggest[9] weight-bearing exercises like weight lifting to strengthen bones.

    But, you may not know that an elliptical machine could help you strengthen your bones.

    While using an elliptical machine, your entire body weight is on your feet; hence, you experience stress on your feet throughout the time.

    Thus, experiencing whole body weight on the feet for an extended period may help increase bone density and strength and make them healthier.

    Moreover, eating nutritious food along with exercise may help[10] in reducing the risk of bone-related issues when you grow older.

    Due to constant movement on an elliptical machine, you could feel the stress on both muscles and bones.

    Moreover, the muscles put a pulling force on the bones, resulting in increased bone mass and cell growth. Thus, you start getting thick and highly-dense bones with time.

  9. May Help Lower Stress

    Excessive stress could harm the body more than it could do any good, leading[11] to various health issues.

    The elliptical machine could help you lower stress. Exercising for a few minutes on the machine would help release the feel-good hormone, i.e., serotonin.

    Moreover, serotonin could help[12] lower blood pressure, and it may show anti-hypertensive effects.

    Serotonin levels could be adjusted[13] by going outdoors and with regular exercises. 

    Exercising on the elliptical could also make you feel happy by releasing all the happy hormones.

    People exercising regularly on the elliptical machine may easily tackle problems[14] like hypertension, anxiety, and stress.

    Moreover, daily exercise for a few hours would help stay positive in difficult situations resulting in reduced stress.

    Due to high-intensity exercise on the elliptical machine, the lungs would release more oxygen into the bloodstream.

    Thus, arteries could supply sufficient blood to different parts with controlled blood pressure.

  10. A Versatile Machine

    One of the significant advantages of an elliptical machine is it offers versatility to users.

    The elliptical machine could be easily used, irrespective of the experience. Hence, it could be a perfect machine for beginners to start.

    The machine has preinstalled workout routines like hill climbing, interval training, etc., making it easier for beginners.

    Moreover, experienced users could use customizable options to intensify or increase the difficulty levels of the workout.

    With the elliptical machine, people could comfortably mimic external tasks like hill climbing, cycling, etc.

    You could change the speed and inclination to simulate the task and prepare yourself for better performance.

  11. Comfortable To Learn And Use

    The elliptical machine is excellent for beginners to carry out their workout routine. You could comfortably learn the methods to use the machine.

    Moreover, the digital interface allows you to navigate different pre-programmed exercise routines.

    If you haven’t used any elliptical machine, you may ask the trainer to help you learn the basics.

    Moreover, they would help you learn different possible exercises you could perform using the elliptical machine.

    But, handling or balancing while using the elliptical machine would be difficult at the beginning; hence, you should be cautious.

    You may start using the foot paddle to learn the movement of the machine and then attach handles for proper use.

  12. A Highly Compact And Reliable Machine

    You may have seen multiple gym equipment and machines taking up large spaces. But, an elliptical machine is just a compact gadget that you may keep in any place.

    You don’t require a dedicated space or place like a gym to have an elliptical machine as several people keep it in their bedroom, basement, balcony, etc.

    Besides being a small portable workout machine, an elliptical machine is also known for convenience.

    People having an elliptical machine don’t require many workout gadgets to train their bodies.

    An elliptical machine is enough to train the whole body and prepare you for different physical activities.

Conclusion

The elliptical machine could be great for your crucial organs like the heart, lungs, etc.

It could also help you strengthen your bones and muscles to make your older life strong and injury-free.

Moreover, you could quickly get yourself into the desired shape by burning excessive fat. You would find numerous benefits in using an elliptical machine.

Hence, you should consider getting the machine for your fitness-related goals.

References/Sources

Working4Health prefers using primary and verified references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and our primary references include peer-reviewed research, academic, and medical institution studies.

  1. Calories burned in 30 minutes for people of three different weights. Available from https://www.health.harvard.edu/diet-and-weight-loss/calories-burned-in-30-minutes-for-people-of-three-different-weights.
  2. Benefits of Exercise. Available from https://medlineplus.gov/benefitsofexercise.html
  3. Exercise and Physical Activity. Available from https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/exercise-physical-activity
  4. Shigenori Ito. High-intensity interval training for health benefits and care of cardiac diseases – The key to an efficient exercise protocol. World J Cardiol. 2019 Jul 26; 11(7): 171–188. Published online 2019 Jul 26. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v11.i7.171
  5. Arthritis, Osteoporosis, and Chronic Back Conditions. Available from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/Arthritis-Osteoporosis-and-Chronic-Back-Conditions
  6. Benefits of Physical Activity. Available from https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/index.htm
  7. Devon A Dobrosielski, Bethany Barone Gibbs, Sameer Chaudhari, et al. Effect of exercise on abdominal fat loss in men and women with and without type 2 diabetes. BMJ Open. 2013; 3(11): e003897. Published online 2013 Nov 25. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-003897
  8. Strengthen Your Legs. Available from https://hr.duke.edu/wellness/runwalk-club/training-education/strengthen-your-legs
  9. Yonatan Kaplan, Yannai Barak, Ezequiel Palmonovich. Referent body weight values in over ground walking, over ground jogging, treadmill jogging, and elliptical exercise. Gait Posture. 2014;39(1):558-62. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2013.09.004. Epub 2013 Sep 16. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24095267/
  10. Healthy Bones Matter. Available from https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/kids/healthy-bones
  11. Stress and your health. Available from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003211.htm
  12. Omar A. Bamalan; Marlyn J. Moore; Yasir Al Khalili. Physiology, Serotonin. Last Update: July 9, 2022. Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK545168/
  13. What is serotonin? Available from https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/serotonin
  14. Nicola Mucci, Gabriele Giorgi, Stefano De Pasquale Ceratti, et al. Anxiety, Stress-Related Factors, and Blood Pressure in Young Adults. Front Psychol. 2016; 7: 1682. Published online 2016 Oct 28. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01682

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