Elliptical Machines - What All The Fuss Is About

Treadmills have been around long enough that most of us know someone who has one gathering dust in their garage somewhere. Treadmills are good for what they're good for, but lately a new workout machine has come along that leaves treadmills in the dust. These are called elliptical machines, and they are causing quite a stir. You hear about them everywhere you go, so what's it all about?

Elliptical machines are a step up from your regular treadmill. You may have seen an elliptical trainer at the gym. These are the machines with the steps that move around in an oval formation when you run on them. These machines make use of elliptical motion to give a more natural workout than a treadmill.

So, what advantages does an elliptical machine have to offer?

Elliptical Machines Are Nice To Your Feet

Running, jogging and step training are weight bearing exercises. With these, you are putting stress on your feet and legs to carry your whole body. This is a completely different workout than cycling or aerobics.

Because your feet never leave the elliptical trainer, you put less stress on your joints. One of the downsides of treadmills is that you put stress on the joints in your ankles, knees, feet and legs as you walk on them. Elliptical trainers give you a smooth workout without the extra stress on your joints.

Your Whole Body Gets Fit

Treadmills work out only certain parts of your body. After a long run on a treadmill, you'll feel the stretching in your legs and torso. Treadmills are great for working off the extra pounds around the middle of your body. But, they don't do much for the rest.

Elliptical trainers use a motion that works out your shoulders, arms, back, abdomen and legs. Unlike treadmills, elliptical trainers offer you a full body workout.

Excellent For Cross Training

Elliptical machines offer a great cardio-vascular workout without the extra stress. This can be a great tool to use along with a weight lifting routine. Ellipticals give you a pure cardio workout, so a routine that alternates the elliptical with a weight regiment can be a great overall cross training schedule.

Lots of athletes who need a well-rounded workout routine to keep their entire body in shape use the elliptical as a supplement to their training.

The Disadvantages

In all honesty, there are a few downsides to elliptical machines as well. First off, you don't burn quite as many calories with an elliptical as you do with a treadmill. You can burn quite a lot of calories, but a treadmill will take off more weight in a shorter period of time.

Ellipticals are also pricey. They haven't quite become affordable enough for most casual exercisers who could really benefit from them. That's why they are so popular at gyms. But, you can always pick up a cheap elliptical to use as a test drive until you decide it's for you.

It's also easy to overdo it with an elliptical. Ellipticals offer a nice, smooth workout, but you still have to do all your stretching and warm-ups before you hop on. Ellipticals are not for everybody. Still, every year more and more people are giving elliptical machines a try, and the reviews have been outstanding.