Top Five Benefits of an Elliptical Trainer

Elliptical trainer fitness equipment sales are gaining on the popular treadmill for good reasons. While a treadmill gives a solid aerobic workout, it has its limitations. Want to learn why the fitness trend is shifting away from treadmills? Look at the top five benefits of an elliptical trainer, and you'll quickly see why an elliptical trainer will reward you with more than just an aerobic workout.

1. A low-impact workout. One of the downsides of running or jogging on hard surfaces, including a treadmill, is that the constant pounding on knee joints and lower back areas can cause injury over time. Low-impact means almost no risk of injury to your back, knees, ankles or other joints. Baby boomers find the low-impact feature appealing, because it makes the fitness equipment more forgiving to their aging joints and arthritis. Your feet never leave the pedals, and the movement almost makes you feel like you are walking on air. Some models even offer "articulating" foot pedals. This means that the pedals adapt to match the angle of your personal elliptical stride.

2. More exercise for less time. If your days are a busy blur of activity, an elliptical trainer can give you more bang for your exercise time. Because of the way the handles move along with the elevated foot pedals, your upper and lower body get a workout at the same time. Twenty minutes spent on this piece of fitness equipment burns more calories than most other aerobic options. You also will notice that your arms and leg muscles will be better toned, because your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, chest, back, triceps and biceps get a workout, too, from your elliptical trainer. All machines have adjustable programs with different resistance levels, and the pedals easily move backward as well as forward to work all of your muscle groups.

3. Helps your heart. An elliptical trainer's double benefit of working out your upper and lower body at the same time means your heart rate elevates more quickly. By strengthening your heart muscle, you reduce the risk of heart attack, heart disease and even a stroke.

4. Aids weight loss. As you consistently work out on an elliptical trainer, your heart rate increases along with your body's metabolic rate. In no time, you are burning extra calories and getting closer to your weight-loss goals. Remember, when your exercise session is over, your body continues to burn calories at an accelerated rate all day.

5. Easy to master. Anyone can learn how to use an elliptical trainer correctly and effectively. Just place your feet firmly on the foot pedals, hold on to the moving handlebars, and slowly learn the proper rhythm of the fitness equipment. Most machines come with a digital panel that shows you how fast you are going, how many calories you are burning, and can be set for a specific type of program depending upon your workout goals.

Another less obvious benefit of an elliptical trainer is reduced maintenance. As a low-impact piece of fitness equipment, it has fewer moving parts and is less likely to require repairs because there are no belts or motors to break down.