Elliptical

Letting go is hard to do, but it can really make the most of your time on the elliptical! Although the elliptical is a great way to work your arms and legs while getting your heart rate up, it can also be used to work your core and improve your balance. If this machine is a favorite of yours, then consider making the most of it by not using your hands — the benefits are many!

1. Improves balance: Balance is key if you're looking for better posture, body awareness, and muscle control. Because the elliptical uses shifting pedals on an incline, stability is needed, especially without the handles. Little steps toward improving your balance not only make the workout challenging, but will also help other forms of fitness, like your yoga practice! The next time you are on the elliptical, spend part of the workout going hands-free; make sure to engage the core, which will stabilize you in this position.
2. Works the core: Because you're challenging your sense of balance, you're working your core, too! Once you let go of the handles, just make sure not to sway from side to side. Place your hands on your hips to monitor your posture, and keep your abs engaged throughout the entire workout.
3. Strengthens legs: It's simple — by not using your arms, you let your legs do all the work. Try directing the focus to your feet. Pressing more with your heels will work your hamstrings and butt, while pressing more with your toes will tone your quads on the front of your thighs. Crank up the incline and resistance and feel the burn!

The line for the elliptical always wraps around the corner, but even so, this machine often gets put down as an easy alternative to other cardio options. Hopping on and pedaling slow isn't going to cut it if you want to burn major calories, but the powerful elliptical trainer can offer one kick-ass gym session — you've just got to be willing to do the work.

If you're committed to this piece of low-impact equipment, then the following tips will help you create the most effective calorie-blasting plan possible.

Pick up the pace: So often on the elliptical, I observe a sea of sweat-free women moving slowly, reading magazines, staring deep into the TV. These slow pokes are not getting the cardio they need, and their workout appears to be an afterthought! To get your heart rate up on the elliptical, you've got to look alive and move quickly. Other than your periods of warmup and cooldown, you should be moving at (at least) 140 strides per minute for a quality calorie-burning session.

Go for intervals: A fat-blasting technique for any cardio workout is to perform intervals, alternating between short periods of pushing your body to the max with recovery. If you've never done intervals on the elliptical trainer before, then this 30-minute printable is a perfect plan to bring to the gym. You'll definitely get your heart rate up with this workout.

Keep reading for two more ways to burn more calories on the elliptical.

You may feel like a champion when you move through your standard workout routine, but flying through the lowest incline settings on the elliptical isn't helping you achieve the best workout possible. If you're ready to push your body's limits and take your gym routine to the next level, these four tips will help you make the most of your workout time.

Have a plan: If you just hit "quick start" and don't switch up anything during your workout, you're not making the most of precious workout time. It may take another extra minute to input all your information, but when you do, you're putting yourself in the best position to get the best workout for your body's needs. Instead of going basic, customize a workout that is suited for your needs. Try this 40-minute elliptical plan to kick boredom to the curb or a 30-minute elliptical workout that works out your whole body.

Increase the incline: Kicking up the incline isn't just for treadmill time; it makes a huge difference on the elliptical, as well. Bumping up your incline on the elliptical helps target different muscle groups and forces your whole body to put in more effort and work out harder.

Keep reading for two more helpful tips to make the most of your elliptical workout.

Elliptical trainers are a gym favorite. Not only is this cardio machine joint friendly, it's incredibly versatile. You can go forward and backward, work your arms and legs, or focus on your core — all while getting your heart rate up. Here are some tips to help you maximize your minutes on the elliptical machine.

• If your focus is cardio: Watch your strides per minute. SPM is the number of times your legs go around in 60 seconds, a stat most ellipticals conveniently track for you. After warming up, aim to keep your strides per minute between 140 and 160. If you're doing intervals on the elliptical, make sure your "sprints" are above 160. Here's a great elliptical workout with sprint intervals so you can start practicing this technique.
• If your focus is toning your thighs: Pay attention to your feet. Pressing more with your heels will work your hamstrings and butt more, while pressing more with your toes will tone your quads on the front of your thighs. Pedaling backward on the machine is also a great way to tone your backside — hamstrings and glutes. Increasing the incline is another way to focus the work on your glutes. Do try this 35-minute workout that truly targets the backside.

Interested in a few more tips? Then read more.

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

By Lisa Hoehn, Prevention

As the weather drops, more and more people head straight to one machine in their gym — the elliptical trainer. According to a 2008 report from the International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association, the number of users of elliptical trainers in health clubs grew sevenfold from 1997 to 2007. And while you may be proud of yourself for making it to the gym and squeezing in some cardio, taking a lackadaisical approach to your elliptical workout and casually spinning your legs while reading a magazine or watching TV isn't going to blast away those holiday cookies. Here, 10 mistakes you frequently make on the elliptical and how to fix them so you maximize calorie burn while adding fun to your ho-hum routine.

Top Workout Ideas For When the Gym Is Too Crowded

1. You’re too lazy to enter your information.
Most machines are calibrated for a 150-pound person — but personalizing your stats will help you get a more accurate calorie read. Aim to burn around 100 calories per 10 minutes, says Jennifer Cassetty, an exercise physiologist.

2. Your resistance is zero.
You might feel like a million bucks spinning at a mile a minute, but without resistance, you’re not going to see results, says Röbynn Europe, a personal trainer at Chelsea Piers in New York City. Make sure that you’re using enough resistance to push and pull through the stride. Then continue at a moderate pace until you feel like you’ve done all you can do. "You shouldn’t feel like you have even five minutes left in you when you step off," she says.

3. You're a sloucher.
Standing up straight helps to lengthen your abs, giving you a chance to engage your core and even work your upper body muscles, Cassetty says. Certified personal trainer Neal I. Pire, MA, CSCS, president of Inspire Training Systems in New Jersey, recommends hopping on a machine with an upper body component so you can engage even more muscles — and blast more fat. Can't find a machine that lets you pump your arms? Let go: some research suggests that leaning on machine armrests during exercise reduces calorie burning.

How to Buy a Cardio Machine

4. Your machine sounds like it’s going to take off.
If you can hear the purr of the machine while you’re exercising, it means that you’re going too fast without enough resistance — which means you're not getting the most calorie burn out of your time, Cassetty says. Keeping a steady, moderate pace at a resistance that forces you to use your muscles will get, and keep, your heart rate up.

Learn four more fitness mistakes after the break.

Aside from saving your knees, the low-impact elliptical can be a time-saver too, mixing a little strength training into your cardio. Hopping on a machine with moving handles means you can work your upper body; push the handles to work your chest more, and pull the handles with focus more on your back. Skipping the handles altogether gives you a chance to focus on your core. Just place your hands on your hips and keep the movement as smooth and steady as possible. And pedaling in both directions means you work both the quads and the hamstrings nicely.

Here's a half-hour workout that does all that, while getting your heart rate up too! Want to check it out?

I always thought three was the magic number, but for celeb trainer Harley Pasternak there is magic in the number five. His 5-Factor philosophy of diet and fitness has helped Hollywood darlings from Jessica Simpson and Eva Mendes get fit. Although he currently works with Vanessa Williams and Alicia Keys, Pasternak will be accompanying Lady Gaga on tour. He's bringing snacks as well as workouts to keep the diva in shape while on the road.

We know you're busy too, so we asked Harley to create a holiday time-saver workout for FitSugar readers. His 30-minute workout gets your heart rate up and works your legs and abs — two areas I always want to tone. To check out his workout keep reading.