Elliptical Exercise Benefits
Elliptical machines are one of the most desirable gym and at-home exercise machines at the moment. But why are they regarded with such esteem and reverence? It is simply because they offer a ton of amazing health benefits! This cardio machine may be what you need to improve your overall health. Check out these amazing health benefits of using an elliptical machine to understand how this fantastic exercise equipment can change your health status for the better.
8 Must-know Health Benefits of Using an Elliptical Machine
1. Provides Low-impact Exercise
One of the winning points of using an elliptical machine is that they exert minimal impact on sensitive body parts such as the bones and joints. It is typical for exercise machines to send waves of pain to your body joints after a session or two, but the elliptical machine is an exception to the norm. It is specially designed to lift pressure from these delicate body locations so users can maximize their workouts and derive awesome benefits with minimal injury risk.
It is this unique attribute that makes elliptical machines a top choice for injured and pain-susceptible exercisers. In fact, history has it that many runners with achy joints and long-standing injuries jubilated at the advent of elliptical machines in the 1990s. One can resonate with their excitement because who doesn’t want a pain-free exercise! Besides, high-impact exercises like running maximize injury risk and can cause long-term damage to your knees and joints.
2. Strengthens Leg Muscles, Stamina and Cardio Capacity
There’s nothing quite like an elliptical machine to strengthen your leg muscles for improved stamina. Elliptical machines have the special ability to reinforce several leg muscles including the hamstrings and quadriceps. To buttress this point, several scientific studies have proved that elliptical machines have a stronger effect on the hamstrings and quadriceps than cycling, jogging, or treadmill-associated running.
While running and spinning indoor are great forms of exercise, they have a hard time working the glutes and outer hip muscles, leaving them weaker than the rest of the legs (thus, creating muscle imbalance). So if your leg muscles are weak and you want to give them a boost, give an elliptical machine a try. Further to this, elliptical machines provide effective aerobic exercise (cardio). Cardio exercises are an essential part of a workout routine as they boost blood and oxygen supply to the muscles. Hence, it strengthens the heart, lungs, and muscles which enhances stamina and endurance capacity.
3. Burns Calories and Belly Fat
Excess calories are bad for both the physical and physiological functions of the body. If you want to lose calories within record time, hop on an elliptical machine. You can burn up to 270-400 calories in 30 minutes, depending on your BMI (Body Mass Index). Individuals weighing about 125 pounds can burn between 300 to 400 calories, while those weighing higher (up to 185 pounds) can burn about 250 to 270 calories. In a nutshell, those weighing less can burn more calories than those with a higher weight.
Contrary to popular belief, resistance training isn’t the sole activity that burns belly fat as elliptical machines can also eliminate unwanted belly fat when combined with bodyweight training. It is imperative to get rid of redundant belly fat as it can lead to several health consequences like heart disease, diabetes, and an increased risk of cancer. Elliptical machines can burn large amounts of fat because they incorporate many motions in one. While using the machine, your abdominal cavity maintains an upright position which is key to burning fat and unnecessary calories.
4. Improves Musculoskeletal Health
Elliptical machines are excellent at boosting musculoskeletal health! This means it is your best bet to achieving stronger, healthier, and denser bones. Weight bearing exercises are known to strengthen the bones, and there’s no better weight bearing exercise like elliptical workouts. It is a weight bearing exercise because you have to be on your feet all through a workout session.
As such, the user exerts a constant weight on their muscles and bones which in turn strengthens them. This, combined with the movement that pulls the muscles onto the bones leads to more bone mass and cell growth. Hence, each time you get on an elliptical machine, your bones get denser and stronger. And having strong bones translates to healthy and blissful aging devoid of joint and bone conditions like arthritis, brittle bones, broken hips, and the like.
5. Combines Upper and Lower Body Workout
Few exercise machines offer a full body workout as an elliptical machine ( with integrated handles). With an elliptical machine, you get to work both your upper and lower body with minimum effort. However, you have to use the machine accurately to achieve this. While working the lower body is quite straightforward, the upper body workout isn’t as simple.
The best way to make the most of upper body elliptical workouts is to evenly distribute your weight and resistance. In simple terms, work your arms and legs simultaneously using the same pace. If you figure this out correctly, the elliptical will effectively engage the muscles of your hamstrings, glutes, quads, back, biceps, triceps, chest, and core.
6. Improves Balance and Mobility
Weight bearing exercises don’t just strengthen the bones, they also improve balance and mobility. Fitness enthusiasts with hip damage, injury, or who have had surgery stand to benefit from a weight bearing machine like the elliptical machine. This is because the machine replicates natural walking and running motion. Because our physical activities are induced by muscle memory and brain information, the repeated natural motion will be processed by the brain, and soon you’d be able to maintain your balance and familiarize yourself with the natural motions of walking.
Additionally, an elliptical machine works to restore full hip motion which translates to improved balance and mobility. Due to its low-impact orientation, it gradually builds the leg and hip muscles with minimal injury or re-injury risk. This is why most medical experts recommend using an elliptical machine for recovery training following major surgeries.
7. Decreases Chronic Inflammation and Reduces High Blood Pressure
5 minutes on an elliptical machine equals a dose of serotonin! Serotonin, a feel-good hormone is released by cardio workouts such as those performed on an elliptical machine. This hormone is believed to have antihypertensive and blood pressure lowering effects. Thus, performing low to moderate intensity workouts on an elliptical machine every day can considerably reduce blood pressure for hypertensive patients. Still and all, you should get authorization from your doctor before attempting workouts on an elliptical machine.
Exercising on an elliptical machine can also have a positive effect on chronic low-grade inflammation. The condition which is caused by a sedentary lifestyle and poor food choices leads to unhealthy weight gain. Because elliptical workouts help burn calories and fat, one can lose inflammation-related weight, thus improving the condition. As an additional benefit, it decreases mental stress by reducing the body’s stress hormone levels, namely; cortisol and adrenaline. A workout session on an elliptical machine can stimulate the release of endorphins, which are brain chemicals that work as mood elevators and natural painkillers. So if you are feeling blue or mentally stressed, an elliptical workout can jumpstart your happy hormones!
8. Perfect for Post-Injury Training
Not being able to work out after sustaining an injury is equally parts frustrating and detrimental to health. Thankfully, elliptical machines are to the rescue. You can maintain your fitness routine post-injury without further damage to the injured body part. Again, this is all thanks to its low-impact design.
Unlike walking, running, and jogging that makes it next to impossible to exercise with an injury, an elliptical will have you fit as a fiddle in no time. The settings on an elliptical machine mount zero to little pressure on injury-susceptible parts of the body like the bones and joints. Also, using an elliptical machine while recuperating from an injury will help restore your full range of motion. Your muscles and joints will gain significant improvements at no cost to your injury.
Final Thoughts
Using an elliptical machine can strengthen your aerobic, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal health. It improves the function of the heart, lungs, muscles, and bones for improved stamina, balance, and calorie burn. Additionally, elliptical workouts improve blood circulation which maintains sufficient oxygen supply to all parts of the body. As a result, the body’s immune system becomes enhanced, reducing the risk of chronic diseases and illnesses. Proper blood circulation also maintains the function of the body’s key organs, maintains hair and skin health, and improves sleep quality.
Elliptical machines are also the go-to option for persons with joint problems, injuries, or those who have undergone major surgery but retain their desire to keep fit. This is because It is unbelievably low-impact and gentle on the joints and other injury-prone areas. No doubt, this exercise machine has incredible health benefits that reflect positively on an individual’s lifestyle. For best results, combine elliptical workouts with other exercises — and your body and bones will forever be in your debt!