One of the reasons why I emphasize the use of elliptical workout machines is that anyone can burn a lot of fat and calories with minimal effort. Now you 
can always burn more calories street running if you’re willing and able…
But over time the street will wear you out. Besides it’s just plain harder to run than glide on a smooth moving elliptical machine. We have to not just think of the quality of our cardio workout but our back and joints too. It doesn’t do us any good to have a low percentage of body fat next year only to suffer from worn out knees or ankles.
Elliptical Machines are better for you
I have bad ankles as does my husband and so running on a hard surface is not an option. Yowza’s elliptical workouts have helped and ankle issues no longer keep us from finishing a high intensity elliptical workout program. The thing to keep you losing fat consistently on any elliptical trainer is that you have to keep from ‘falling asleep’.
Sometimes elliptical workouts and routines can get so smooth that you can almost ‘zone out’ of what you’re trying to accomplish.
I find elliptical training more efficient than the best treadmill workouts. But evens still there are ways you can further make a good 30-40 minute elliptical workout even better and doubly more efficient towards losing weight and fat.
Best Elliptical interval workout routine:
You can further improve the fat and calorie burning during your elliptical workout by using an interval workout routine. You do that simply by frequently increasing and decreasing the intensity levels frequently throughout the 40 minute workout (after warming up and before cooling down).
Some the best commercial elliptical machines in many family gym’s and YMCA’s will allow you to quickly pick fat burning programs that automatically adjust the intensity. Just make sure it does what we’re talking about here. But many elliptical machines don’t offer these add-ons because of the expense across many machines.
If your home elliptical machine or Gym doesn’t offer any pre-set programs that vary the intensity you can easily do it manually without having to
memorize anything. The goal is to keep pushing yourself in and out of your comfort zone. And ellipticals are notorious for lulling us to sleep almost.
You need to guard against that and push yourself in and out of your comfort zone.
So, what does that feel like?
It’s just short of you being unable to catch your breath. The best elliptical workouts burn a little. Don’t push yourself to the limit. Just keep your heart rate as high as “Athletic Conditioning” during
Keep Your Heart Rate Moving from Green to Red back to Green...etc.
your high intensity levels (90% of your maximum heart rate (MHR) and “Heart Healthy” ranges during your low intensity levels (60% of your MHR).
With any treadmill or elliptical workout how far you push is directly related to your current conditioning and your doctors recommendations.
Having said that the best elliptical workouts involve fluctuating the intensity levels about every 2 minutes not including your first 5 minute warm up and the final 5 minute cool down.
You can push the intensity by increasing the resistance level by increasing the ramp incline or even the resistance level depending upon what machine you’re using.
Do this and you’ll make your elliptical workout much more efficient than merely setting and forgetting it! One of the best elliptical trainers will enable
you to vary your training intensity on multiple different levels. Look into those type machines if you’re seriously looking for a quality elliptical.
