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How many of you use the elliptical trainer without using the arm levers? I've used ellipticals for 10 years and increasingly just put it on a high resistance level and forego the arms. When I do this it gives a much better lower body workout. I've always felt the arm workout with the machine is weak and ineffective anyway.
The elliptical is a cardio machine and not really meant for a lower body workout. Of course using it will tone your lower half, but not as effectively as weight training. Using the arms with the elliptical is a much more efficient workout overall because you are engaging more body parts and that will up your overall heart rate and calorie burn.
I strongly disagree that the Elliptical is not intended to be a lower body workout, especially if you don't use the arm levers (which provide almost no upper body toning). The Elliptical mimics the Stairmaster almost exactly when one dispenses with the arm levers and you put it on its highest intensity level.
The prominent muscle grouped worked by an elliptical trainer is the lower body; most of the work is executed through the legs, glutes and core. As such, your legs dominate the energy exertion.
The workout is far harder without the arms being used and the heart rate goes up higher, at least in my experience. I generally do 90 minutes on the Elliptical and I find it less effective than running or the Stairmaster, but it has its positive elements too. No impact is a plus.
I see your point. But as far as getting a good lower body workout I would get off the elliptical and start doing some resistance training which will improve that area much better. Also making the body able to do a more difficult elliptical workout.
I don't use elliptical levers, and I get a great cardio workout doing 30 minutes, shuffling my feet at around 180 - 200 steps per minute, using low resistance and low incline. My final step count after 30 minutes is around 5000 - 5500, and calories burned is around 300.
While doing the above, I get my heart rate up to 125 - 135 during the entire 30 minutes.
For me, I just use the elliptical for cardio health, since I have no need to lose more weight. I reached my goal weight a long time ago.
And always following the elliptical, I do approximately one hour of weight training, using around 8 - 10 different machines, 3 - 4 sets per machine, 10 reps per set.
I view elliptical trainers as whole body cardio machines and not lower body development devices. This is why if I do use one, I'll use the handles because I want the whole body workout instead of just a lower body one.
I don't care about the experts. This AMT precor is like a more advanced elliptical. I put it on level 20, and do half the 50 minute work-out hands free. I alternate, 10 minutes using hands and 10 without the hands.
You are using your whole body to push the legs and the entire emphasis is on the waist, glutes, quads and calf muscles.
Killer work-out. Gives me about 800 real calories burnt on one sitting. Hands free on level 20 is really damning but over the months I have mastered it by practice.
Another of my maniacal hands-free exercise routine.
Hands free on the stepmill for 60 minutes. Level 12 to 14. I pushed it over level 14 once and came close to physically collapsing - like going giddy or blood coming out of my eyes and mouth, that's how I felt it
My workouts are intense.
I saw a video where a British dude says you lose 35% of the effort when you place hands on the bars of the stepmill. Once that idea set in, that was it. I suffered the first few weeks, and then adapted to it. These days I complete it, I still suffer through the hour but I complete it without chickening out and using the hands. It's very intense, folks. Try 20 minutes hands free on the stepmill and tell me how you feel. It kills you.
Not to be attempted by some, but I'll use my eliptical at times without the handles while closing my eyes. It seems to take more energy to stablize and balance during the workout. I don't do this for more than a minute or two at a time. May sound strange but it seems more effective for me.
Antlered, I agree with you. The people here advocating using the arms have obviously never tried it without it. When I put my machine on the highest level with no arm levers, it's INTENSE. Far harder than running uphill at a 12% incline for 4 miles. I am in excellent shape but am shredded at the end of 70 minutes with no arm levers. Good to hear someone else is doing this same workout!
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