Total Body Transformation Training Blog

Elliptical Machines

Go to most any well equipped gym and you'll see a "cardio area" -- one or more rows of treadmills, exercise bikes, and elliptical machines. At my gym, the ratio of treadmill to elliptical machine is 1:1 and the ellipticals are almost always filled and taken. Elliptical machines first appeared only 10 years ago but in that time they have become a favorite aerobic training tool.

Elliptical machines work. They are not a gimmick at all. The movement and position of the exercises using elliptical machines is natural with no impact. They burn just as many calories and work the thighs, butt, and hamstrings as other machines. The benefits of elliptical machines are easy to understand

Elliptical machines are excellent for burning calories

Elliptical machines utilize the natural walking movement of the body

lliptical machines strengthen the bun, thighs and leg muscles

There is no impact when using Ellipticals

Elliptical machines are suitable for all fitness levels

When we walk, our legs follow a natural, elliptical path. This smooth cycle is interrupted whenever the feet touch the ground to take the next stride. When the foot strikes there is impact on the knee and hip joints, and on the back. Using an elliptical machine, the legs follow continuous path without any jarring or impact. Elliptical machines provide a natural movement, an excellent cardiovascular workout, and no impact. You get all the benefits of walking or jogging, but without the risk from the constant jarring on a hard surface like a street or roadway. What more could you ask for?

If you are shopping elliptical machines, be sure the machine’s movement is smooth and flowing without any sticking points. Better ellipticals allow you to move forward and backward. Variable resistance is important, usually done by changing the incline. And many elliptical machines allow an upper body workout using poles that move back and forth with the jogging motion.

I've started incorporating elliptical machine workouts into my aerobic zone training and have noticed something -- shin splints. While this may partly be due to working out in the gym in my cross trainers and not my running shoes, I don't think that explains it totally (although I admit to needing new x-trainers). with the elliptical trainer there is little to no foot strike through the range of motion and with me this puts enough extra and constant pressure on my ankle and shins to cause splints. Pre-stretching the ankle helps as does remembering -- really forcing -- my foot movement to include rolling onto my ball of my foot and down. So the notion of "no impact" isn't enough. Elliptical training is an effective and can be safe and fun. But it isn't running and you still need to understand what the biomechanics involved are to avoid common overuse and tightening problems.