The elliptical is one of the best pieces of gym equipment for completing aerobic workouts and strengthening your legs. However, it is easy to get bored with the elliptical if you don’t switch up your elliptical workouts from time to time. Adding a few new challenging elliptical workouts to your regimen will significantly improve your fitness and will increase your motivation. The following five challenging elliptical workouts are great for adding variety to your fitness regimen.
1. Interval Workout
Alternating high intensity levels with periods of lower intensity helps you burn extra calories quickly. During high intensity periods, you will increase the elliptical resistance until you are working at a higher level than usual. Begin this workout by setting the elliptical to a low resistance level, such as level one or two. Keep the resistance low for the first five minutes. Then, increase the resistance to level 5 for one minute, and then to level 10 for two minutes. Continue alternating between resistance level 5 and resistance level 10, always spending one minute on level 5 and two minutes on level 10. Repeat this cycle 10 times. The 10 repetitions should last a total of 30 minutes. Cool down by setting the resistance to level 1 for 5 minutes.
2. Endurance Workout
This longer workout will help you improve your cardiovascular endurance. Warm up for 5 minutes at resistance level 3. Increase resistance to level 5 for five minutes, and then increase again to level 6 for 5 minutes. Then, keep the resistance steady at level 8 for 60 minutes. To cool off, spend 5 minutes at level 6, 5 minutes at level 5 and the final 5 minutes at level 3. The total workout will last 90 minutes.
3. Core Workout
This one is simple: do a 5 minute warm-up at a low resistance level. Then increase to a medium resistance level and stay there for 5 minutes. After that, you’ll spend 10 minutes at the same resistance, but without using your hands. This will force you to work your core muscles. Then, go another 5 minutes at the same resistance with hands, and end with a 5 minute cool-down.
4. Strength-building Workout
During this elliptical workout, you will keep the resistance level high the entire time. Warm-up for 2-3 minutes on level 2, and then increase to at least level 10. Work at this high level for 10 minutes, and end with a 2-3 minute low resistance cool-down.
5. Circuit Training Workout
This should be saved for the days when you’ve really grown weary of the elliptical machine. After a 3 minute warm-up on a low resistance level, choose a medium resistance. The elliptical will remain at this resistance throughout the entire workout. However, every 5 minutes, you will get off the elliptical to do a short burst of calisthenics. Rotate between doing push-ups, lunges, squats, crunches and holding the plank position. You can continue this workout as long as you have the energy to keep going!
Photo via irina slutsky
