Fitness 101

Elliptical Machine

Benefits of using the Elliptical Machine

Aerobic Capacity

You can burn easily between 600-800 calories in 1 hours on the elliptical trainer. Aerobic capacity is a very important aspect of fitness. If it is high, then you will be able to perform activities for long periods of time without getting out of breath. One of the benefits of an elliptical is that it helps increase your aerobic capacity. This can be achieved by simply working out on it for 20 to 30 minutes 3 or more days a week. As a side benefit, weight loss can also occur.

Whole Body

When you are running either outside or on a treadmill, you are burning calories and building a lot of leg muscle. But when you use the elliptical, you can work the upper and lower body at the same time. This works your legs, chest, shoulders, back and arms at the same time. This can make it possible to get a full-body workout in as little as 20 minutes.

Cardiovascular Benefits

Since the elliptical equipment works both upper and lower body simultaneously, the heart rate is quickly elevated, allowing for a great cardiovascular workout. Through consistent training on an elliptical, the heart muscle is strengthened. Thereby, the risk of heart attack, heart disease, or stroke is highly reduced.

Efficient for Weight-loss

Once that heart rate is increased during an elliptical workout, the body’s metabolic rate is also increased. And, before you know it, you’re burning those calories and working towards melting the fat away! The good thing about jump-starting your metabolism with exercise is that, even when the exercise session is over, your body will continue to burn calories at an accelerated pace throughout the day.

How much should you exercise a day for Optimum health?

Scientific studies suggest that on average we should conduct at least 30 minutes of any type of physical exercise a day. Thirty minutes of exercise every day? And in some cases, even more? While it might not be music to your ears, it is health to your body. Therefore, those of us that are looking to shed some extra pounds should try and go past the 30 minute threshold and aim for 45min-1hour of physical activity a day.

Recommended Tips:

-Choose activities that are fun, not exhausting. Add variety(Walking,Running, Jump Roping etc). Develop a repertoire of several activities that you can enjoy. That way, exercise will never seem boring or routine.
-Use music to keep you entertained.
-Don’t overwork yourself. Do low- to moderate-level exercises, especially at first. You can slowly increase the duration and intensity of your activities as you become more fit. Over time, work up to exercising on most days of the week for 30-60 minutes.
-Keep a journal of your workouts. Reward yourself when you reach a certain goal. Nothing motivates like success!

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