Elliptical Trainer is one of the usual cardio machines at the gym, in addition to the
treadmill. For you who like active, and so
boring treadmill, elliptical trainer can be one alternative. This exercise is also good for
those who are prone to joint injuries, because unlike a treadmill, where our
feet move 'against the' plain, elliptical trainers at our feet silent on the
pedals, and precisely the engine that will get our feet moving swing (when the
pedals swinging up and down, like the elliptical trainer's movements). Treadmills are exercises that
can strengthen bones, elliptical trainers are more 'soft' on the bones and
joints.
You
could say the movement elliptical trainer is a combination of road and climb
the ladder. If on the treadmill, only the
lower body is active, then the elliptical trainer you can choose to activate
the upper body lower body all at once, or only the lower body only.
There is
a handle to the hand, then there is the pedal for the foot. If you want to train both parts
of the body, move your hand together with your feet stroke. When you're tired, you could
just put a hand on the handle it just to hold the body (without moving it on
purpose).
Elliptical trainers also can be
run both ways, forward and backward. Both have benefits to train
different muscles. Rocking the pedal to the rear
will provide a contraction in the quadriceps muscle. You could say elliptical trainer
is one of the machines fitness as well as train many muscles at once.
The
muscles are stimulated when you exercise elliptical trainer are:
Quadriceps (front thigh muscles)
Hamstrings (rear thigh muscle)
Glutes (butt muscles)
Chest (pectoral muscle)
Back (back muscles)
Triceps (upper arm muscles
inner-rear)
Biceps (the muscle on the
outer-arm front)
The main
function of this exercise is to help tighten the muscles, not build muscle. Build muscle is only possible
with weight training. And of course, you can burn
calories and fat with these exercises. Especially if you put a heavier
load (pedal stroke can be heavier)
Personally, I think the exercise
really good elliptical trainer for cardio exercise as well as warm up before
weight training, or in other words as an alternative to aerobics or the treadmill.