How Ellipticals Work

How ellipticals work can be summed up in two words: easy running. If you are one of those people who don't like the pounding your back, hips, knees, ankles, and feet take while running you will love an elliptical machine workout. But be advised, some cheap ellipticals will lead you to think that you can't get results like you can with a treadmill or other cardio exercise machine.



That's because cheap ellipticals don't provide these essential features you need in an effective machine:

• Stability. A machine that moves around on the floor while you're trying to exercise is frustrating, unsafe, and does not provide an effective, fat-burning elliptical machine workout. I weigh over 200 pounds so stability is very important to me when I use an elliptical machine.

• Large foot platforms. I once got on an elliptical in a gym and my shoes completely filled the platforms. It was so uncomfortable I didn't stay on the machine very long. You can't results that way.

• Long stride. Some cheap ellipticals are notorious for having stride lengths as short as fourteen inches. The stride length depends on how tall you are but the ones with up to 21 inches are usually preferred.

Once you've covered these bases and found your elliptical trainer you'll be able get some results. The Schwinn elliptical trainer has a great reputation. Schwinn has been making exercise equipment for a long time and it is definitely worth investigating the Schwinn elliptical trainer such as the Schwinn 430 Elliptical Trainer.

Elliptical trainers work in the same way that other cardio exercise machines work. They cause the large muscles of your legs to work! That makes means these muscles need more blood. That makes your heart work harder. The result is that you have a healthier heart. It also means that you are calling on stored fuel in your body to keep the movement going. Stored fuel is fat. So, you're burning fat while making your heart healthier.

This is how ellipticals work: just get on and start running slowly. Don't move the handles in the beginning. Get used to the gliding leg motion first. Once you feel stable you can then enjoy the benefits of an upper body workout by moving the handles with your chest, back, and arm muscles.

Probably the biggest difference you'll notice when using an elliptical will be the next day. You won't have the sore joints that you do with running. The low impact exercise you get will preserve the health of your joints while still giving you a great workout. I have an elliptical machine workout several times each week as a part of my cardio exercise program. I recommend you give it a try!

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