Beginning Elliptical Workout

by Susi May 0

Love it or hate it, a major plus to sweating it out on the elliptical is that you can work your body in a variety of ways using this machine. Pedaling forward works your quads while going backward targets the hamstrings and booty. Focus on pushing the handles gets your chest, and pulling them focuses the work in your upper back. And letting go of the handles while keeping your pace steady challenges your core stability. Plus, the elliptical is joint friendly making it the perfect machine for a recovery workout or starting your fitness routine if you're new to aerobic workouts and cardio machines.

I consider this to be a beginning workout for the elliptical; it's mellow while working your entire body. If you're beyond a beginner level, this workout is a great complement to a strength training session — I use it as my warmup.


To see the workout, just keep reading.

*SPM = Strides Per Minute
Incline = 20 percent

Use this workout as a guideline and adjust the resistance and the strides per minute to your level. Click here for a printable version this workout to take to the gym.