Enjoy the Elliptical: Why You Need These Machines in Your Gym
Cardio equipment will always be a staple in any gym. The two most common cardio pieces in a gym are treadmills and ellipticals. While treadmills are a definite “must-have”, there are many benefits to having ellipticals in your gym too.
1) Low Impact
The elliptical has a very low impact on lower body joints (ankles, knees, hips). Even very experienced runners can sustain impact or overuse injuries when increasing running frequency. The elliptical greatly limits the impact on the lower body because there is no “landing”—the user’s weight remains on both feet at all times.
2) Easy To Use
Ellipticals are relatively easy to use. Not every person is the best runner, but nearly every person who can walk can use an elliptical. These cardio machines are all self-generating and will move with the person, no matter what their fitness goals are. Using an elliptical is as easy as putting each foot into the footpads and holding on the handles and just walking, running or jogging.
3) Burn More Calories
Ellipticals use both the upper and lower body. Therefore, it has the potential to increase the amount of muscle mass being used, which increases the amount of calories users burn. This is essential for those clients who are looking to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.
4) Exercise Variety
On an elliptical, you can do a wide variety of exercises to keep the workout fresh and avoiding a fitness plateau. For example, clients can emphasize exercising their arms, their legs, or both. They can also push the foot pedals forward or backward, another way to add variety to a workout.
Some ellipticals are built with a place to stand off to the sides of the foot pedals, allowing users to only use their upper body by holding onto the arms of the elliptical. This variety is an important part of keeping clients compliant on their exercise journey.
5) Easily Adjustable
Most ellipticals have a resistance setting to help increase the resistance to the pedals, making users push harder with their legs and push and pull harder with their arms. This is important because both novice and advanced users can use the same piece of cardio equipment and simply adjust it to their ability level.
Safe to Use
The elliptical is a very safe machine to use, even though it may look difficult at first. Unlike a treadmill, an elliptical does not have a belt, so the exerciser is responsible for how they step on and use it. However, as mentioned previously, these types of cardio machines only move when the user does.
Ellipticals have multiple benefits for all types of individuals wishing to have a good cardio session at the gym. An elliptical is ultimately going to be easier on the joints while still providing a killer workout. These types of machines are also a great way to ease back into a fitness routine or take it easy on your body. A good, successful workout on an elliptical to increase aerobic exercise only takes about 30 minutes, so it’s easy to work in some cardio into your routine on it.