Elliptical training for weight loss - exercise program for men and women

What is an elliptical trainer

An elliptical for weight loss is useful because it is a cardio machine on which you can get complex loads. During training, the legs move along an elliptical path to reduce damage to the joints. Hence the name of the device.

At the same time, training on an elliptical for weight loss is equivalent to running. The use of an elliptical trainer is available to people of any age. It is often used in rehabilitation techniques after injuries to the musculoskeletal system. The display of the device helps you adjust the resistance of your feet and the consumption of kilocalories (kcal).

The benefits of the elliptical trainer

Since the elliptical provides primarily cardio exercise, it is often used in the process of fat burning. The benefits of an elliptical trainer for weight loss are high. With a large range of loads, you can change the intensity of the workout. Athletes can exercise even at home, and the effect will be the same as during grueling skiing or cross-country. Beginners have the opportunity to start with light exercises and gradually increase the load.

Visually, the exercises seem easy. However, training on an elliptical for weight loss provides a warm-up of the whole body after only 5-10 minutes; it is useful in accelerating metabolic processes. When exercising with an elliptical trainer, your legs, arms, shoulder muscles, back and buttocks are used.

In addition to losing weight, the cardio machine is effective in strengthening the cardiovascular system. The lungs begin to work better, metabolism accelerates, and the removal of fat and toxins accelerates.

Benefits of the Elliptical Trainer

It is worth listing the following advantages of the ellipsoid:

Exercises on the simulator repeat the natural load on the hips, knees, and ankles, as when walking. This minimizes the impact on the joints. Such training is suitable for the older generation.
The number of calories burned is equal to those burned during running training, this is an excellent option for cardio to increase your heart rate for fat burning.
Metabolic processes are accelerated, so weight loss and toxin removal occurs even after training.
Cardio exercise strengthens the main muscle - the heart, which reduces the risk of disease.
The endurance of the body and the tone of the whole body increases. This helps to continue the effect of training, increase its intensity and lose weight.
Due to the design of the simulator, training on an ellipsoid for weight loss involves all parts of the body (lower and upper at the same time). It is possible to change the position of the body and direct the load on a specific muscle group.
The dimensions of the device are smaller compared to a treadmill, which makes it possible to use it at home. An additional advantage is ease of maintenance.

Elliptical trainers for home as an effective means for sports activities

When choosing sports activities, you should think about what results you want to achieve. As a rule, everyone wants to comprehensively develop the whole body, achieve harmonious development of all muscle groups. The most effective exercise machines for this are elliptical trainers for home, training on which is safe and enjoyable, and results are often achieved faster than when exercising on other sports equipment.

On this simulator, the legs move along an elliptical path, which minimizes the load on the knee and ankle joints; it combines the capabilities of a stepper and a swing. Each leg is on its own floating platform, the hands hold movable levers. The student moves with adjustable force with his legs and arms, while the feet do not move up and down like on a stepper, not back and forth like on a treadmill, but describe an elliptical trajectory.

Doing exercises on a stepper

Since, unlike a treadmill, the elliptical trainer completely eliminates the shock loads on the spine and joints that occur when running when the heel touches the surface of the treadmill, people can exercise on it even with a very large body weight.

How to use an elliptical trainer to lose weight

The effectiveness of training depends on the correct approach and organization of classes. Each person has their own approach to how to lose weight on an elliptical trainer. Determine the training time that suits your case. People in satisfactory physical shape and without blood pressure problems are allowed to exercise in the morning before breakfast. Others, in order to lose weight, are advised to start exercising only after eating, when 2 hours have passed.

It is worth getting a heart rate monitor, which is necessary to regulate the load. As a rule, it is attached to a finger. Check out your maximum age-related heart rate (AHR). When exercising at home, you can simultaneously watch a movie, video or your favorite show, but experts advise that at first you control your physical sensations by adjusting the intensity.

How much do you need to do on the elliptical to lose weight?

The duration of the training depends on the level of preliminary preparation. For beginners, it is recommended to exercise for 20-30 minutes every other day. The load cannot exceed 70% of the MEP (maximum age-related heart rate).

The recommended step frequency is 50 per minute. The goal of the first training is to get used to the load and further increase the level of activity. This program usually lasts 6-8 weeks.

During the intermediate stage, it is important to repeat the lesson 3-5 times a week (20-45 minutes) with an intensity of up to 80% of the MEP. The permissible speed is 50-60 steps. This program is designed to consolidate your results and maintain healthy physical shape. Increasing the intensity of exercise is only suitable for physically strong people or athletes.

Types of positions for training on an elliptical

The distribution of the load and which muscles work depends on the position of the body during training.

Basic position. The body is positioned straight vertically, hands are on movable handrails. The feet are pressed against the surface of the pedals. The load is distributed evenly across all muscle groups. When you straighten your leg, the quadriceps muscle is activated, and when you press the pedal, the calf muscle is activated. Leg curls train the hamstrings.

Simulating ski walking, the elliptical trainer also places stress on your arms. The role of sticks is performed by movable levers. But for the effect, you need to not just “roll” the arms on the levers, but actively bend and unbend, as if pushing off with ski poles. These movements train the arms and chest. The triceps work when straightening, and the biceps when bending.

Reverse movement. In this position, the body is also vertical, but the pedals rotate backwards. This exercise allows you to work your hamstrings particularly intensively. It is believed that no simulator trains them better than the elliptical. Reverse rotation is also necessary for the development of the calf muscles.

! Including reverse rotation fragments in your training helps to cope with numbness in the feet, which often occurs when exercising on the elliptical.

"Slope". The hands are fixed on a fixed pair of levers, the body is tilted forward approximately 45 degrees. The main load falls on the quadriceps, gluteus maximus and calf muscles. By the nature of the movement, the exercise resembles the “attack” position used in spinning on exercise bikes.

Leaning back. Legs bent at the knees to a half squat. The hands are located on fixed handles. This exercise is for training the gluteus maximus muscles and lumbar back.

An accurate idea of the positions on the ellipsoid is given from video tutorials and instructional photos.

engages the press

Elliptical training program for weight loss

It is necessary to start any exercise with a warm-up: it will help to avoid injuries. For this, a load level of 1-3 with an incline of 5-6 (simulator parameters) is suitable. To warm up, just push the pedals forward for 5 minutes, holding the handles.

If you are stable on the machine, you can simultaneously turn your neck, shoulders, and do arm lifts. And the training program on the elliptical trainer for weight loss is selected taking into account the characteristics of the body structure, sports training and goals.

For burning fat

A tempo five-minute fat-burning workout on an elliptical is suitable for combating unwanted calories. Initial load 6-8 with an inclination of 10.

After 4 minutes of fast pace, remove the incline and reduce the load to level 3. Next, move at a moderate pace for one minute and gradually even out your breathing. After this type of workout, stretch your leg muscles a little - stretching is mandatory.

Interval training

The built-in program allows you to alternate periods of high load and medium intensity. This is especially valuable because interval training on the elliptical is more effective in the process of losing weight and strengthening muscles.

Work according to the 5/40-60/5 principle, where 40-60 is the duration of the main exercises in minutes, and warm-up and cool-down are 5 minutes each. During your main workout, alternate between 30-60 seconds of intense intensity followed by 1-2 minutes of moderate intensity.

Cardio training

The program is important not only in the fight against fat deposits, but also in improving the functioning of the respiratory system, heart and blood vessels. The body becomes more resilient. The muscles become elastic and toned, which will especially please the female sex. Cardio training on an elliptical is available even to those for whom increased stress on the joints of the feet and knees is contraindicated. The main thing is to choose your own rhythm.

Example workout

You can include elliptical training at the end of your regular workout, or do it daily. As a rule, the simulator program already contains several dozen different training methods that are adjusted to a specific goal and level of training.

The best way to lose weight is to use interval training. What they mean is that you should work at full strength for a short period of time, then rest for the same period of time, reducing the load to a minimum. For example, it might look like this:

Sessions of 45 seconds at maximum power, then 45 seconds at minimum. The training continues in this style for 30 minutes.
The maximum heart rate that is not recommended to go beyond is: 220 – your age. If you go beyond this indicator, then reduce the session time.
Long-term training aimed at burning fat should be carried out at around 60-70% of the maximum heart rate. This workout lasts 40-50 minutes.

At home

If you have purchased an ellipse for your home, then you can devote 40 minutes to training every day. This will help you always keep your body in good shape, as well as quickly get rid of excess weight.

The best option would be interval training - alternate between brisk walking with low resistance and measured steps at high resistance.

In the gym

If you work out in the gym, then you should devote time to the ellipse after strength training. This is effective for two reasons.

First, you will be able to effectively strength train. Doing cardio before aerobic training will deplete your body's energy reserves and prevent you from performing at your best.

Secondly, if you do cardio after strength training, then you will increase the amount of calories burned. In other words, you will spend almost all the energy in the first part of the workout, and for the elliptical the body will have to extract it by burning its own fat.

Contraindications

The reasons for urgently interrupting exercises are any symptoms of a sharp deterioration in the condition! Before training, it is worth considering the contraindications of exercising on an ellipsoid.

It is not recommended to load the body on people:

those suffering from hypertension, cardiovascular failure, heart rhythm disturbances, edema;
those suffering from asthma, thrombophlebitis;
with severe stages of cancer;
with diabetes mellitus;
during periods of exacerbation of infectious diseases;
pregnant women.

Source

How to prepare for classes on the ellipse

If there are no medical contraindications for training, we proceed to preparation. This stage is no less important than the training itself. Give it insufficient attention, and problems will inevitably arise.

Therefore, for optimal results, consider:

What time to start classes. Larks are most productive in the morning, owls - in the evening. Also note that it is better to wait a couple of hours after sleep before starting your workout. And it must be completed no later than 3 hours before departure to the side.
How will you eat/drink? If you have recently eaten, you can start training only after 2 hours. After completing your workout, refrain from eating for at least an hour. It is also recommended to take a break of an hour to an hour and a half between training and taking alcohol or medications. If you feel very hungry or thirsty while exercising on the elliptical, take a sip of water. But don’t get carried away, otherwise you risk overloading your kidneys and liver.
What will you wear? Choose light, breathable clothes for training, and comfortable shoes. Be sure to collect long hair in a high ponytail or bun to prevent it from getting caught in moving parts of the machine. Take off your jewelry; during class you will start to sweat and it will chafe your skin.
Where will you warm up? If you don’t want your whole body to hurt in the morning, you can’t ignore warming up. When performed correctly, it allows you to warm up all muscle groups, so there should be enough space to wave your arms, jump, and perform exercises in a lying position.

Also, do not forget about hygiene products. During training, people sweat quite intensely, so it doesn’t hurt to have a towel on hand during classes, and afterward, take an extra 15-20 minutes to take a shower.

Be sure to read: Effective abdominal exercises for burning fat. Calorie counting

Information for those who want to develop their own program

Unfortunately, universal exercise on an elliptical trainer for weight loss does not help everyone get rid of extra pounds. If you have studied your body well, it is better to try to develop your own training program, which will be completely adapted to the characteristics of your body and metabolism. The following information will help you with this:

When which muscles tense?

If you have ever worked out on an elliptical trainer, you should have noticed that the muscles do not tense constantly during exercise, but only when the body takes certain positions. It looks like this:

The hamstring muscles are stressed when the leg is bent;
The medial and anterior thigh muscles are involved in straightening the leg;
The calf muscles tense as much as possible when pressing the pedals;
The abdominal muscles work during most exercises, and are especially effective for working on balance tasks (where you don't hold onto handrails);
The chest area works best when you use ski pole-style handrails;
The back muscles move when the body is leaned forward (as when riding a bicycle), or when you pull the handrails towards your body while performing an exercise;
The biceps tenses when bending the arms, the triceps - when extending.

See which zone is most important to you. And you will be able to correctly adjust the program based on the information received.

Basic exercises performed on an ellipsoid

All training elements performed on an elliptical trainer can be divided into 5 main groups:

Standard walking. During this exercise, you pedal as if riding a bicycle, only you are not in a sitting position, but in an upright position. It allows you to work out most of the leg muscles and is great for those who are using the exercise machine for the first time.
Walking backwards. It is performed in the same way as classical walking. Only the legs move not forward, but backward, and the knees rise slightly higher, which allows you to better work your buttocks and back.
Simulation of movement on uneven terrain (hills, mountains and similar irregularities). Maximum loads all muscle groups, and therefore is recommended mainly for athletes and people with excellent physical fitness.
"Bike". When performing exercises in this category, you tilt your body forward by 40-45 degrees. Since the upper body is close to the handrails, there is practically no load on it, but the muscles of the thighs, abdomen and buttocks are worked with double power.
"Seated" walking. Exercises from this group provide an excellent load on the muscles of the abdomen, buttocks and thighs, but are extremely difficult to master. To perform them, you will need to extend your arms straight, straighten your back and squat down (so that your thighs are parallel to the floor). And then perform elements of other exercises (step forward or backward) without changing posture. Beginners cannot do this. Therefore, don't even try until you gain enough experience. Otherwise you may get seriously injured.

Be sure to read: Features of running in the mornings and evenings for weight loss