If you’ve been to a gym or looked into home workouts, chances are you’ve seen an elliptical trainer. These machines are popular for good reason.

Ellipticals are easy to use, gentle on your joints, and a good fit for people of all fitness levels. These can boost heart health, burn calories, and strengthen muscles, especially in your legs and core. It’s also a smart choice if you’re dealing with joint pain or recovering from an injury.

Curious about all these elliptical trainer benefits? Keep reading to learn why elliptical training is worth adding to your workout routine.

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Why Choose an Elliptical Trainer?

An elliptical cross trainer is an excellent pick if you want a full-body workout without putting too much strain on your joints. It moves your arms and legs at the same time (like skiing in place), so you get both upper and lower body exercise in one motion.

Whether you’re new to fitness, getting back into shape, or just want something gentle on your knees, the elliptical is a solid choice. It’s easy to use, low-impact, and adjustable to your fitness level—perfect for beginners, older adults, and everyone in between.

Check out the next sections to discover even more elliptical trainer benefits you might not know about.

1. Cardiovascular Fitness Boost

Using an elliptical is a great way to improve your cardiovascular health. When you move your arms and legs together, your heart rate goes up, which helps make your heart and lungs stronger.

With regular elliptical workouts, you can lower your blood pressure, boost blood flow, and reduce your risk of heart disease. A study even concluded that compared with treadmill workouts, an elliptical cross-trainer produced greater cardiopulmonary responses among patients with coronary artery disease.s.

Benefits of Elliptical Machines and Weight Loss

2. Better Weight Management

If you’re looking to lose weight or keep it off, an elliptical machine can really help. Elliptical workouts burn a lot of calories, sometimes even more than an exercise bike. They can also burn nearly the same calories as you would on a treadmill, but with less impact on your joints.

Depending on how much you weigh, using an elliptical machine can burn about 270-400 calories in 30 minutes. The best part is that you should start seeing results in a month by doing this weekly for 3 to 5 days.

Using an elliptical trainer with higher intensity during workouts can help burn more calories and fat. Give it a go by doing these recommendations:

  • Adjust the resistance. Crank up the resistance level of your machine for toned muscles.
  • Increase your speed. Pedal at a faster pace to switch from walking to running to stair climbing.
  • Change the incline setting. Adjust the incline of your cross trainer to low or high to match your skill and fitness capacity.
  • Use the preset programs. Choose a different elliptical workout daily to combat boredom and the fitness plateau.
  • Do exercise variations. Pedal forward and back, stride slowly or quickly, and push or pull the arm handles.

Also, pair your elliptical exercise with a low-calorie, high-protein diet to create a powerful combo for weight loss and staying fit long term.

3. Muscle Strengthening and Toning

Aside from cardio, elliptical trainers also work your muscles.

When you use both the foot pedals and the handles, you’re exercising your legs, arms, back, and core all at once. You’ll feel it in your quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, biceps, and more.

By changing the resistance or incline, you can target different muscles and build strength gradually. With regular elliptical workouts, you get a fun, low-impact way to tone your body and boost endurance without lifting weights.

4. Low-Impact Exercise

The smooth, gliding motion is one of the best elliptical exercise benefits. It’s gentle on your knees, hips, and back, which makes it perfect if you have joint pain or you’re recovering from an injury.

Unlike high-impact exercises like running or jumping, which can strain your knees, hips, or back, the elliptical lets you work out with less strain. You can exercise longer without feeling sore or worn out, which is great for staying active and for safe recovery.

Young man wearing blue top with headphones around his neck working out on his elliptical cross trainer in his home

5. Improved Balance and Coordination

Balance and coordination come from a term called proprioception, or your body’s ability to know where it is in space. Working out with an elliptical improves this by making you control steady movements with your arms and legs. It can also improve balance by engaging core muscles during use.

To get the most out of these elliptical trainer benefits, try working out without holding the handles (just be careful!) or changing the resistance. This technique helps your body stay balanced and coordinated, which is helpful in everyday activities like walking or climbing stairs.

With regular use, you’ll feel steadier and more in control.

6. Workout Versatility

With an elliptical, you can customise your workout by adjusting resistance levels or incline and choosing from preset programs. That means you can make your workout easier or harder depending on your fitness goals and how you’re feeling that day.

For example, you might do a steady, low-resistance session for endurance, or try a high-resistance interval workout to build strength and burn more calories.

This flexibility helps keep your workouts fun and effective, no matter your fitness level. Check out our 20-minute elliptical workout ideas for inspiration.

7. Injury Recovery

Elliptical machines are a safe and effective way to stay active while recovering from an injury or managing joint pain. They’re often used in rehab settings because they help increase blood flow, improve balance, and build strength without putting too much pressure on your body.

The smooth, gliding motion mimics running, so it’s a brilliant choice if you can’t run but want similar benefits. A recent study even found that elliptical training helps reduce pain and stiffness in patients with grade 1 and 2 knee osteoarthritis. If you have pre-existing conditions, be sure to check with your doctor before using the elliptical. Remember to start slow and always listen to your body.

Elderly woman exercising on an elliptical cross trainer in the gym

Start Reaping Elliptical Trainer Benefits Today

Elliptical machines offer plenty of benefits: better heart health, more calorie burn, stronger muscles, and low-impact movement that’s easy on your joints.

They also help with balance, coordination, and even injury recovery. Whether you’re new to fitness or getting back into it, an elliptical can help you feel stronger, healthier, and more confident.

Start your elliptical training today! Check out our list of the best elliptical machines in Australia to find the perfect one for you.

1. How much is an elliptical machine?

A good elliptical machine costs $1000 to $1500 on average. This price range should give you exercise equipment with the essential features for an effective and comfortable workout. But more expensive models are also available. The choice depends on your budget and needs.

2. Is a rear-drive elliptical better?

If cost and space are your priority, then the less expensive, more compact front-drive elliptical is best for you. It’s a better option if you are a beginner or casual elliptical user. However, if performance and longevity are more important, consider spending more on a rear-drive elliptical. This choice is also best for more experienced users.

Infographic of 6 Benefits of Elliptical Machines

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