How to do HIIT on elliptical trainer

We have already written about how to do HIIT on the treadmill and how to do HIIT on the rowing machine, and now is time to give some tips how to do the same using an elliptical trainer.

As you probably know, HIIT or high intensity interval training is probably one of the best cardio exercises that one can do. This type of physical activity manages to boost the fats metabolism and to keep it raised for up to 48 hours after a workout. Therefore, it isn’t surprising why this is one of the most effective forms of cardio training for dropping excess pounds.

However, to get the most of your HIIT session, you have to be familiar with the correct way of doing these exercises. As their name implies, high intensity interval trainings are intervals done at high intensity, meaning high-speed and short breaks.

Anyone can do these intervals, regardless of their fitness level and endurance. You just need to adapt the length of these workout sessions to your physical abilities. The best about these exercises is that you only need 15-30 minutes a day for noticeable results.

How to do High Intensity Interval Trainings

To prepare your body for the demanding cardio routine that will follow, start with a 5-minutes warm-up session. Many people don’t enjoy doing the elliptical workouts at a steady pace, but you can’t miss this step. Alternately, you can warm up using an exercise bike or a treadmill, if you have one in your home gym. The goal of the warm-up session is to increase thermogenic by raising the internal body temperature. So, make sure to keep up a rhythm that will keep your heart pumping fast enough to speed up this process.

Once you are done with the warm-up, increase the resistance level and the pace progressively and alternate incline, going from a steady pace to the maximum level you can sustain. Do 2 minutes at a lower speed, then 2 minutes at the maximum speed you can sustain. Use a lower incline for the first interval and the maximum you find comfortable for the second interval.

Repeat this for 12 minutes, then switch to 1 minute of active resting and 3 minutes of high intensity interval and keep this rhythm for the next 12 minutes. Finish your workout session with 3 minutes of moderate intensity workout and 2 minutes of low pace interval to cool down your body.

For faster results, you should exercise on the elliptical two times a week if you are a beginner and three times a week if your fitness level allows you to. However, make sure to give your body time to rest and recover properly between HIIT days. These workouts are really demanding and your muscles may not recover if you do high intensity intervals each day.

In addition, to make sure training does not get boring, you can vary the length of intervals and of the recovery periods. Make sure to hydrate properly before and during the workout and wait for your heart to cool down if you feel the rhythm is too rapid and you start feeling dizzy.

As said, these workouts are strenuous, so you risk overtraining your muscles if you don’t pay attention to these aspects.

Is the elliptical trainer good for HIIT?

Unlike some other home gym machines for cardio workouts, the elliptical has the advantage of being a low-impact machine offering full body workouts without putting your joints, bones and muscles at risk.

Exercising on elliptical trainer involves both your upper and lower body, so beside speeding up the metabolism for a more rapid fats breakdown, it will help you to tone your muscles in legs, arms, but, abs and shoulders. However, elliptical is basically a cardio machine, which means that you won’t be able to increase your muscle mass by doing only elliptical exercises.

The elliptical trainer is an excellent choice for those who feel frequent pain in knees and ankle joints while running on the treadmill. In addition, elliptical trainer can be pedaled in reverse in case that you want to target different muscle groups.

Some models have preset programs that allow you to do HIIT by simply selecting it from a list. Choosing a quality elliptical trainer has many benefits, so carefully choose the one that will help you achieve your fitness goals in the best possible way. A prerequisite for achieving fitness and weight loss goals is the purchase of high-quality fitness equipment.