Elliptical Workouts for Beginners

T he simplistic nature of the elliptical makes it one of the most popular pieces of gym equipment for beginners and seasoned fitness practitioners alike. Even feature-packed models have an intuitive design. Moreover, seeing how it’s a low-impact cardio machine, it’s a viable choice for a wider range of users, including those who have gone through injury or who are in recovery.

Maybe you recently made a gym membership or you bought an elliptical cross trainer online to set up in your little home gym. If you’re just starting your adventure with this workout equipment, you first hate to grasp how to use the cross trainer and get familiar with some training routines suited for your skill level.

The purpose of the article we prepared for you today is to initiate you into the world of cross-training by presenting a few simple yet effective elliptical workouts for beginners and providing useful guidelines on what concerns your training program overall. Let’s stop wasting time and move on to our topic of interest!

Exercising on Elliptical Trainer at Home

How Long Should a Beginner Work Out On an Elliptical

One of the poorest lifestyle choices you can make is to sit too long. The lack of physical activity negatively influences your health overall, but it puts the most strain on your cardiovascular system. According to a 2019 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 20 to 40 minutes of aerobic exercise per day are pivotal for diminishing perils related to sitting. If you are out of shape or haven’t worked out in a while, 30 minutes on the elliptical for starters is more than enough. Furthermore, seeing how this is a cardio workout machine, it’s guaranteed to keep your ticker healthy if you stick to this routine for the least.

Alternatively, you can take up under-desk elliptical workouts that effectively engage the lower body muscles to a degree. We recommend that you get one if you work at the office to put your feet in motion during your 9 to 5. Two 30-minute workouts while you mind your usual work tasks are sufficient to reach your recommended active time. We recommend double the active time because you will be sitting on your office chair in the process, so this workout is more lenient.

How Many Times a Week Should You Use the Cross Trainer

A 2003 paper by the University of Colorado Hospital recommends that you do “aerobic training 3 to 5 days per week” to see results when it comes to cardio fitness improvement. Beware that overexertion leads to injury, so if you plan on working out 6 days per week, then you must integrate another fitness workout that engages different muscles and movements. Therefore, you can’t stick with the cross trainer from one end to another.

To avoid overusing the X-trainer, we recommend that you alternate with rowing machine training since it engages arm and core muscles too. It does indeed work your legs too, so if you want to avoid lower body workouts as much as possible on the days when you’re not on the elliptical, another option we recommend is doing pull-ups. These isometrics focus strictly on the upper body muscle groups.

Best Beginner Elliptical Workouts of 2022

This stationary cardio exercise machine simulates walking, sprinting, or stair climbing. It comprises the functionality of high-end stair climber machines and treadmills in a single apparatus. This already gives you enough versatility when it comes to the isometrics you can take up even without any guidance in terms of reps and series. However, to get the most from the machine, especially as a beginner who is just discovering the full potential of the cross trainer, we recommend that you rotate through the following routines.

#1 – 30-Minute Full-Body Elliptical Workout

#2 – 20-Minute HIIT Elliptical Workout

#3 – 20-Minute Hill Climbing Elliptical Workout

#4 – 30-Minute Hill and Sprint Elliptical Workout

#5 – 20-Minute Upper Body Push

Young Woman Stretching Before Workout

Best Warm-Up Aerobics to Do Before Using the Elliptical

Stretching your muscles is necessary before you start any serious workout drill to avoid injury. Think of warm-up exercises this way – they play the same role your cup of coffee does. If you start the workday without first getting your dose of caffeine, you likely won’t be as well prepared to confront the upcoming tasks. Let’s go over some basic warm-up exercises that will help with your performance and that don’t require the use of any special equipment:

1. Trunk rotations: Lay down facing up with the knees curved and the feet flat on the ground, straighten the neck and with the arms to the flanks, press the shoulder blades together. Only move and rotate the legs to the right, keeping the rest of your body still. Switch sides after a few minutes.
2. Pike stretches: With your feet at shoulder-width distance, reach down and touch your hands in front of the toes. Walk forward while in this position, keeping the knees straight.
3. Wall stretches: Sit in front of a wall. Bring your right foot after your left foot and hold it straight. Press onto your heel while you bend the left knee in a lunge position. Then, flatten your legs until you feel the back of the calves extending. Maintain the pose for half a minute and shift sides when you repeat.
4. Step stretches: Sit on a step. Hold your right foot to the back and the ball of the foot on the platform. Press your right heel toward the floor and curve your left knee. Reprise for the opposite side after half a minute.
5. Butt kicks: Curve your knee and kick your lower leg behind so that the heel touches the glutes. Replicate the motion for the other knee.

Asking the Real Questions – Can a Cross Trainer Get You in Shape?

Getting in shape consists of two key elements – weight loss and toning muscles. So, the question arises – can the cross trainer help you achieve that mean, lean physique you always dreamt of? It’s a cardio machine, so the answer is yes. At moderate effort, a cross-training session can help you burn approximately 250 calories. With time, when you get better accustomed to the machine and your fitness level advances, you can take up high-intensity interval training routines that are more substantial calorie burners than the workouts we presented above. More calories burned translates to more pounds shed, so you are guaranteed to slim down.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states in their 2nd edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans that in order to lose significant weight or maintain prior weight loss results, more than 300 minutes of moderate-intensity body workout are necessary. What you should take away from this is that serious weight loss outcomes require effort and commitment. So if this is your fitness goal when training with the elliptical, try to reach this 300-minute workout plan or even exceed it to reshape your body.

The Takeaway

Staying active and eating right are mandatory lifestyle choices for health improvement, lifespan prolongation, and overall life quality boosting. If you’re looking for a means to exercise regularly that is simple even for the uninitiated and that doesn’t put a strain on your body or cause injuries, the elliptical trainer can prove to be the most useful tool to turn to. So, whether you go online and buy one for your home gym or get a membership at a local workout venue where they have this low-impact cardio machine, what’s important is that exercising with it becomes an integral part of your routine considering the benefits an elliptical provides.

With the simple beginner-level elliptical workout programs we presented in this article, you reach your health-boosting and weight loss goals in the most proficient manner possible with this fitness gear. Follow the advice we provided here, pick the routine you prefer, or rotate through all of them so that you won’t get bored, and you’ll be on your way to a new and improved you. To end on a positive note and encourage you, our team wishes you the best of luck on your fitness journey!