An elliptical machine is a top choice for home exercise equipment. These low-impact machines are so popular due to the various benefits they offer. They assist with:
- Boosting stamina and cardio capacity;
- Burning lots of calories;
- Putting less stress on your joints while exercising;
- Serving as both upper and lower body workouts;
- Burning body fat;
- Targeting specific leg muscles;
- Improving your balance;
- Maintaining fitness after an injury;
- Providing a variety of workout options; and
- They are very straightforward to use.
But let’s dive a bit deeper into the most general elliptical questions that are there to assist you in making the correct choice when purchasing home gym equipment.
Is an elliptical trainer good for weight loss?
Indeed. An elliptical can help you lose body fat in a shorter amount of time compared to other cardio machines, such as a stationary bike.
Interval training during elliptical training is highly recommended. For instance, keep it at a 2-to-1 ratio, 30 seconds of high-intensity workout followed by 15 seconds of recovery or 60 seconds of high-intensity and 30 seconds of recovery. Tip: Keep moving your legs on the pedals during recovery periods.
Is the elliptical better than the treadmill?
This is a challenging question because it depends on individual needs. Ellipticals are highly recommended if you have a musculoskeletal or injury-prone condition. However, a treadmill will be a more suitable choice if you want to burn many calories and build up leg strength and speed.
Is elliptical better than walking?
What do you think is the answer? Don’t know? Let’s help you out. You burn more calories on an elliptical than walking. On average, a person exercising for an hour using an elliptical burns 365 calories compared to 314 calories burned while walking. Every calorie counts!
But, if you’re experiencing back injuries, you should stick to walking, as elliptical training places a tremendous strain on the lower back than walking because of how the muscles fire.
Are 30 minutes of elliptical enough?
If you’re warming up for a strength-training workout on an elliptical, you should ride for five to 20 minutes. If you want to maximise the machine’s cardio benefits, staying on for at least 15 minutes, or at most an hour, is best.
You could burn 270 to 378 calories in a 30-minute elliptical workout session, depending on your body weight and speed.
How long does it take to see results from elliptical?
Generally, you should start seeing some results between one and three months, but you must be committed to exercising regularly and gradually ramping up the intensity.
Let’s say you do a 30-minute elliptical training session 3 to 5 days per week; it could result in a 200 to 400 calorie deficit. Then you’ll start seeing results in a month, but it will be more noticeable at the 6th– or 8th-week mark.
Does elliptical affect knees?
An elliptical workout routine benefits your knees. Elliptical workouts protect your knees from stressful impact and is an excellent alternative to running or jogging. It offers a low-to-no-impact on the knees, called a ‘closed chain’ exercise – almost similar to bicycling – keeping your feet connected to the pedals, which requires less stabilisation around the joints and offers minimum impact.
An elliptical can strengthen other muscles that keep your knees healthy. It can increase blood flow to knee cartilage and strengthen the muscles around the knee, keeping knee joints healthy. Additionally, elliptical workouts strengthen your quads, hamstrings, and ankles.
If you’re looking to purchase an elliptical, browse Trojan’s Elliptical range and its features. Or visit your nearest Game or Makro store to see stock availability and pricing.
We wish you a fitter and healthier you!
