It is typical today for all gyms to have elliptical machines. These machines are stationary devices that enable the athlete to burn aerobic calories. Elliptical machines include gliders, bikes, and cross trainers. Each machine is designed to simulate the activity that could be produced in normal exercise situation including biking, running, skiing, and climbing.
The elliptical machine is a machine that contains both a lower and upper body rotary motion device. The lower half of the machine includes pedals or walking pads, which are used for simulating walking, climbing, or pedaling. The upper half contains two poles that can be used for a pulling and pushing techniques for the upper body. Elliptical machines have the ability to switch between an upper- and lower-body workout during an exercise program.
Elliptical machines are considered good for low-impact exercise. The elliptical machine is one of the few pieces of gym exercise equipment that allows the athlete to burn as many calories as he would if he were running. Because it is a low-impact exercise, these calories do not come at the expensive of injuries to the back, feet or hips.
Elliptical machines come in two primary versions. These are seated elliptical trainers or standing trainers. The machines are designed to create a constant rotary motion during the exercise routine. With this design the athlete’s feet never leave the pedals, which creates a low-impact exercise.
An elliptical bike combo is a stationary bike that includes poles for the upper body. Most stationary bikes only have hand rails, which produce no upper body workout. The elliptical bike also includes poles that can be pushed or pulled with the arms. This upper body workout is a good exercise routine for the back and shoulders.
The foot pedals and hand poles of the elliptical machine can be used in a forward or reverse direction. This direction will target different muscle groups on both the upper- and lower-body areas. The intensity level can also be adjusted on most elliptical equipment to fit specific training goals. As the resistance is increased, the rotary motion becomes more difficult to turn, which creates a more difficult workout.
One of the best features of an elliptical machine is the upper-body exercise. Most treadmills and standard stationary bikes only focus on the lower-body during an exercise routine. An elliptical machine has an entire upper-body component that provides an additional workout blast during exercise.
