Elliptical Cross TrainerWhat Elliptical Cross Trainer Will Do For You?Lose weightCross trainers are a very effective way to burn calories without stressing your body. They work arms and legs at the same time, in addition to flexing your stomach and sides with gentle twisting movements. This leads to an all-over workout and burns calories more effectively than exercising arms or legs only. So cross trainers are an ideal way to lose weight. Become more flexibleStaying flexible helps maintain muscle tone, keeping all your muscles active - which means fewer mobility problems as you age. The range of movements on a cross trainer - side to side, up and down, and forwards and backwards at the same time - are called ellipticals, because they move your body in ovals. As well as burning calories, elliptical movements build flexibility without risk. Increase everyday fitnessA few sessions a week on a cross trainer will improve your aerobic fitness - the basic conditioning that lets you walk, run, or swim without getting out of breath too quickly. Better aerobic fitness means more energy and enthusiasm for everyday life. Know Your EllipticalIf you'd like toned and supple limbs but don't like the high-impact, muscle-building effects of lifting weights, look into an elliptical cross trainer. Perhaps you must have seen them in a gym: those two-handed and two-footed pieces of equipment that mimic the actions of ski-ing. Cross trainers are ideal if you want to lose some weight, become more flexible, or increase your everyday fitness. Features to look for in a cross trainerThere are two types of cross trainer. Choose a belt cross trainer if you want a basic workout and don't expect to vary your fitness routine much; they are excellent value for money and don’t take up much space. However, they usually offer just one level of resistance (the amount of effort it takes to move the pedals and levers). For more variety, consider a magnetic cross trainer. These use magnets to create resistance to your pushing and pulling, so usually have a range of training levels you can build up to as you get fitter. They also tend to be quieter than belt cross trainers. Use this list of features to recognise the parts of a cross trainer. Defining the partsThe levers are the vertical 'handlebars' where you hold the machine while cross training. The grips move backwards and forwards in oval shapes as you use the machine; this range of movements helps build flexible limbs. The pedals are where you put your feet when using a cross trainer. They're usually large pads with a non-slip surface like rubber. The flywheel is inside the cross trainer. As you push and pull it creates momentum so you can build up pace smoothly without overstressing your muscles. A heart rate monitor detects your pulse, usually through touching the grips, so you can see how hard your heart’s working. Remember, the most effective heart rate for most people while exercising is 70-80% of maximum. A display is useful if you want to record your performance, to make sure you're reaching your fitness goals. It's an LCD digital readout giving information such as speed and distance covered (as if you had been ski-ing), calories burned, time and so on. The controls, usually surrounding the display, let you switch the display to the numbers you are most interested in and enter or change the programme. What's on the display?
Some of the numbers on a cross trainer;s display can be confusing. Here a key to what they mean.
A note on programmes/progs
Programmes or 'progs' give you a planned workout based on total distance you want to reach or total time you want to work out for. Different programmes may include varying speeds or inclines to add variety. Example programmes include downhill and cross country.
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