| EllipticalFitnessMachine.com
- Want a Low Impact, Total Body
Workout?
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Avoid
Injuries While You Burn More Calaries...
Hi, I’m Tom.
If you're tired of the soreness and injuries that come from
pounding your joints by running on hard pavement, an elliptical
exercise machine will solve this problem.
Treadmills are great -
and certainly better than running on hard pavement - but an
elliptical machine will virtually eliminate stress on your joints while
giving you a total body workout. I created this page to give
you some information about exactly why you need an elliptical trainer
for the best workout ever.
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Elliptical
Exercise Machines - Gaining in Popularity
If you
spent any recent time at a gym or health club, you’ve no doubt noticed
that there are fewer treadmills and more elliptical exercise
machines. Although treadmills are still more numerous,
elliptical trainers are growing much more rapidly.
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So why
is this? Basically, there are two overriding advantages to an
elliptical training machine that is driving the popularity: (1) a
workout that is a lower impact on the joints, and (2) both an upper
body and lower body workout is provided.
Why a Low Impact Workout is Good
Most exercises require some sort of impact on your joints and/or a
reverse action. Both walking and running involve impacting
forces on your back, knees and ankles. And in fact, the
impact from running can be 2.5 times your body weight. This
constant pounding can cause strains and injuries over the years.
With an elliptical exercise trainer, the dangers of impact are greatly
reduced through an elliptical motion. You are doing the same
motions as you would walking or running but without the impact or
reverse action. And it’s still a weight-bearing exercise that
helps build muscle and bone density. It’s the best of both
worlds.
By “elliptical motion”, we mean motion that is like a flat circular
pattern. This greatly reduces the impact on your joints and
thus you’ll gave fewer long term injuries. This is why
elliptical trainers are so popular with people who have injuries and/or
older people. In fact, it is rapidly becoming the machine of
choice for our more “mature” citizens.
The Benefits of Getting Both and Uper and Lower Body Workout
A workout using an elliptical exercise machine engages the hamstrings,
quadriceps, glutes, biceps, triceps, back and chest. This is
the only machine that provides this type of a well-rounded
workout. Plus, many elliptical trainers today will let you
reverse the motion, thus giving a workout to even more and different
parts of your muscles.
This exercising of more muscle mass improves your “fat mobilization”,
which in turn burns more calories and builds muscle endurance more
efficiently, with less exertion.
The benefits of low impact, combined with an upper and lower body
workout, make a compelling argument for why elliptical trainers are
gaining in popularity. An added advantage, if you plan on buying one
for your home, is that they have fewer moving parts and thus require
less maintenance.
So get to your gym or fitness equipment store and try one
out. It will have a significant impact on your fitness and
health.
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What
to Look For in an Elliptical Exercise Machine
Okay,
you’ve made the decision to buy your own elliptical trainer but you’re
confused as to exactly what to look for in a good machine.
Here are some of the most of the important features and
things to consider.
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First,
you’ll find there are two types of elliptical machines: front wheel and
rear wheel. Which one is best? The answer is…they
both are. They provide exactly the same workout.
For heavier people, front wheel machines tend to feel more sturdy
because the flywheel is up front and helps to balance the forward
motion of an elliptical exercise. Also, bear in mind that the
larger the flywheel, the sturdier and long lasting the machine will be.
Look for magnetic brakes, which most newer elliptical machines
have. Stay away from the old friction-based brakes, as they
wear out quickly.
Be certain that the “stride” on the machine is at least 18
inches. Longer is better, but 18 inches should be the
minimum. Anything under 18 inches will be
uncomfortable. Most people find that a 20 inch stride is best
for anyone under about six feet four inches in height.
Make sure you get articulating footpads that flex with your
feet. Static footpads will cause numbness in your feet on
longer workouts because of the lack of circulation.
The above things are the basics – the must-haves. After that,
look for the nice extra things such as display screen with built-in
workout programs, heart rate monitors, calorie counters,
personal fans, etc.
One thing you may want to try is the feel of a side mount machine
versus a rear mount machine. Some people find the side mount
machines a bit more difficult than a rear mount machine, so be sure to
try them both to determine which one your prefer.
The best way to research elliptical trainers is to visit either your
local health club or local exercise machine retailer and give them a
test drive. It might be better to do your research at the
local exercise machine retailer, where you can try out low-cost home
machines as well as the higher priced commercial grade
machines. Your local health club will probably only have the
high-end commercial units and once you work out on these, it will be
hard to transition down to a home model, even though there are some
excellent home units that are priced well within range of most people.
Health club or home, an elliptical workout will improve your fitness
and your overall health.
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Elliptical
Trainer or Treadmill - Which is Better?
ITreadmills have been around
for years and appeal to both novices and athletes.
However,elliptical trainers are growing in popularity due to their low
impact, total body workout. So which is better?
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Treadmills
Treadmills are simple to use and provide an excellent cardiovascular
workout. They allow you to walk, jog or run and can simulate
hill climbing.
Most power treadmills offer a number of pre-set programs and intensity
levels from which to choose. Or, you can manually adjust the incline,
speed, and the time yourself.
The cushioned running surface of a treadmill provides less impact on
the joints than does running on pavement, resulting in fewer injuries.
Elliptical
Trainers
Elliptical trainers allow the user to burn a similar number of calories
as they would from walking or jogging - but without the risk of injury
to the back, knees, hips, or ankles. The difference in comparison to a
treadmill is your feet never leave the foot pedals. As a result, an
elliptical is very low-impact and significantly reduces the pressure on
your joints.
Elliptical machines mimic the normal elliptical motion of the foot, the
extension of the leg, and the rotation of the hip during walking or
running. This motion uses all the leg muscles, giving you a total
lower-body workout.
But one of the best things about an elliptical workout is the fact that
it also gives you a total upper body workout, unlike the treadmill,
which works only the lower body. As your feet go
through the elliptical motion, your hands grip the moving handlebars,
giving your arms a workout. As your legs are being
worked, the back, shoulders, chest, biceps, and triceps are also
working, which makes it possible to burn more calories in less time.
Another advantage of elliptical trainers are the foot pedals can be
worked in a forward or reverse direction. When you change the direction
of the pedals, you'll target your lower body in different ways.
An elliptical device is safe to use (i.e. it stops when you stop), it
uses very little electricity and maintenance is low.
And
the Winner Is…
Both give an excellent cardio workout. For a walking or
running devotee, the treadmill is the machine of
choice. A treadmill will reduce injuries since you
workout on a flat surface that is cushioned.
The elliptical gives an upper and lower body low-impact workout and is
better on those with knee or ankle problems.
So, they are both winners, based on your own situation and preferences..
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The
Advantages of an Elliptical Trainer Workout
With so many different
exercise machines now available at the local health clubs (not to
mention on television infomercials!), it can hard to sort out just what
is the best machine for your needs. A relative newcomer to
the world of exercise machines is the elliptical trainer.
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Elliptical
exercise machines offer some very specific advantages, so here’s a
recap.
Both Forward and Backward Motions
Virtually all elliptical trainers today provide what’s called “dual
action motion”. This means that you can peddle both forward
and backward, which works different sets of muscle groups in your
legs. You can thus burn more calories, develop
better muscle tone and get a better overall body workout
Since you can't walk backwards on a treadmill, nor can you peddle
backwards on a bike, this dual action motion is pretty much unique to
an elliptical trainer.
A Lower Impact Workout
A well-designed elliptical trainer will replicate the natural stride of
your body – in other words, the way your foot moves elliptically while
you are walking or running. You stand upright on an
elliptical trainer, striding forward or reverse, with you feet never
leaving the pedals.
As a result, impact on your joints is virtually eliminated and there is
much less overall stress on your back, hips and
knees. Of course, to get a properly designed
elliptical trainer you will need to avoid the low-cost models available
in many department stores.
Due to the low-impact workout on elliptical trainers, they are becoming
increasingly more popular with older people or those who have weak
joints or are easily prone to injury.
You Get both and Upper Body and Lower Body Workout
Most of today’s elliptical trainers offer moveable upper body arm
bars. This enables you to work both your arms and your legs,
which helps elevate your heart rate more quickly, which in turns
enables your body to burn calories faster and more efficiently.
It also results in what’s called a “lower perceived rate of
exertion”. Basically, this means you don’t feel like your
worked as hard as you really did.
Since you work your upper body with the arm bars, an elliptical trainer
workout will also help you to tone your arms, shoulders and back for a
more attractive overall body definition.
As you can see, an elliptical trainer has several advantages over other
exercise machines. It gives you an overall body workout that burns
extra calories at a low impact that minimizes injuries.
Just be certain you select one that is properly designed and meets your
needs.
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