If your regular routine when you go to the gym involves an elliptical workout— meaning you hop on the elliptical machine, pop in your headphones, and pedal along for 30 minutes at the same incline and pace — you could be getting a lot more for your time.
There are a handful of reasons so many people enjoy the elliptical machine at the gym: It’s non-impact, meaning the pounding you get from running doesn’t exist here.
Everything is just one smooth motion. It’s also great to help you recover from injuries. If your knee aches when you do some type of running or jumping, you can get on an elliptical and mindlessly move.
As with any other workout, however, it can get old right away If you don’t know how to push yourself to your limits, you might see your results plateau.
We pulled together the top tips from trainers across the country to help you find the oomph you need to get the most out of your next elliptical workout.
1. Keep Your Feet Flat On The Pedals
The correct form will help you avoid the aches and pains that can creep up when your body isn’t in alignment.
Your feet go on the pedals, and your hands hold the bars alongside the machine or at the base of the monitor, depending on the type of elliptical.
Make certain you keep a micro bend in your knees and elbows, and remember to keep feet flat against the pedals, as opposed to standing on your toes. Clench your core to keep it engaged, and keep your back straight so your spine is long.
2. It’s Always A Great Idea To Mix in Some Core Exercises
You may not feel your core throughout your elliptical session, but to keep good form and get the most out of each workout, you want to be sure to keep your abs engaged.
To test that, stepping off the elliptical and dropping down to hold a static plank can help remind you how to really engage your abs.
Adding some core exercises is also a simple way to mix up your time on the elliptical. Every three minutes, we suggest you get off the machine and perform a 30-second plank or side planks.
3. Vary The Incline to Really Hit Your Butt Muscles
The higher the incline, the more you work your glutes (butt muscles). You can manually adjust the incline every other minute to go up or down, just to start to get a great feeling for it. Incline generally ranges anywhere from one to 20, so try going up in increments of two each time.
Start at zero for a minute, then move up to two, then four, then six, and then come back down. You can vary this ladder, and go all the way up to 20 if you’d like, or even alternate by fives.
4. You Can Go Backwards On the Elliptical Without Turning Your Body Around
Going backwards on the elliptical will specifically target more of your hamstrings (back of thighs), which are usually weak in most individuals.
How do you actually do it? When you get on the elliptical and start rotating your legs, it’s more than anything in a clockwise direction.
Slow your feet down and reverse them, to start moving in a counter-clockwise direction. Once you attempt it, you can drastically feel the difference.
5. Use the Pause Button As An Interval Timer
When you are on the machine and hit pause, it gives you a minute count down, so we suggest you do a combo with the elliptical and specific upper-body work. Do the elliptical for one minute and then try and jump off and do 15 to 20 push-ups.
Now, depending on how much space is around the machine, you can pull over a mat, or stick with other body-weight exercises such as lunges or squats.
We suggest you rest for the remainder of the minute, then hop back on the elliptical. Next, do 10 intervals for a full-body 20-minute workout that fits in strength and cardio.