You’ve seen them. Rows and rows of people at the gym, staring blankly at a TV screen while their legs move in a rhythmic, effortless circle. Most of them are doing it wrong. Honestly, if you’re just coasting along while reading a magazine, you might as well be sitting on the couch. Learning how to use an elliptical properly is the difference between burning 200 calories and burning 600 in the same thirty-minute window. It looks easy. It’s not—or at least, it shouldn't be.
The elliptical trainer was originally designed to mimic the motion of running without the bone-jarring impact. Precor debuted the first commercial version, the EFX 544, back in 1995. Since then, it’s become the go-to for anyone with "bad knees." But because the machine helps you out with momentum, it’s incredibly easy to cheat. You have to be intentional.
The Setup Most People Skip
Don't just jump on and press "Quick Start."
First, look at your feet. Your feet should be flat on the pedals, centered, not jammed against the front rim. If you push off with your toes, you’re going to end up with numb feet or "sleepy foot syndrome," which is basically just compressed nerves. It's annoying. It stops your workout early. Keep the weight in your heels.
Posture is everything. If you’re leaning on the handles like they’re a walker, you’re cheating yourself out of core engagement. Stand tall. Imagine a string pulling the top of your head toward the ceiling. When you slouch, you restrict your oxygen intake. That makes the workout feel harder than it actually is while producing fewer results. It's a lose-lose.
Hand Placement Matters
You have two choices: the moving handles or the stationary ones. If you use the moving handles, actually push and pull. Don’t just let your arms go for a ride. According to a study by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), using the upper body components increases heart rate and caloric expenditure significantly compared to just using the legs. But—and this is a big but—don't white-knuckle the grips. A tight grip can spike your blood pressure and tire you out prematurely. Keep it loose.
Why How to Use an Elliptical Correctly Starts with Resistance
Resistance is the "secret sauce." Most people keep the resistance at 1 or 2 and pedal as fast as humanly possible. This is called "spinning your wheels." If the machine is rocking or you feel like your legs are "running away" from you, the resistance is too low.
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You need a baseline.
Set the resistance to a level where you actually feel like you’re pushing through something—kinda like walking through thick mud or wet sand. Your RPM (revolutions per minute) should stay between 40 and 60. If you’re flying at 90 RPM, you’re using momentum, not muscle. Gravity and physics are doing the work for you. That's not why you're at the gym.
The Incline Illusion
Not all ellipticals have an incline feature, but if yours does, use it. But use it wisely. Increasing the incline doesn't just make it harder; it changes which muscles you’re targeting.
- Low Incline: Targets the quads and calves.
- High Incline: Shifts the focus to your glutes and hamstrings.
A common mistake is cranking the incline to the max and then leaning forward. When you do that, you're basically negating the incline by changing your body angle. Stay upright. Feel that burn in your butt? That’s the gluteus maximus actually doing its job.
Going Backward: Is It Actually Useful?
You see people doing it occasionally. They stop, wait for the machine to settle, and start pedaling in reverse. It looks a bit silly.
It’s actually great.
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Pedaling in reverse on an elliptical targets your hamstrings and glutes more intensely than forward motion. It also challenges your coordination. However, don't spend the whole 45 minutes going backward. Use it as an "active recovery" or a specific interval. Reverse pedaling for two minutes every ten minutes keeps your brain engaged and prevents your muscles from hitting a plateau.
Monitoring Your Intensity
Stop looking at the "Calories Burned" calculator on the screen. It’s lying to you.
Most elliptical machines overestimate calorie burn by as much as 20% to 30% because they don't account for your specific body composition or how much you’re leaning on the handrails. Instead, use the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale. On a scale of 1 to 10, a solid workout should feel like a 7 or 8. You should be able to say a few words, but you definitely shouldn't be able to belt out a karaoke song.
Common Blunders to Avoid
- The "Death Grip": Hanging onto the stationary bars for dear life. This transfers your weight to the machine and reduces the calories you burn.
- Repeating the same workout: If you do the "Weight Loss" program every day for six months, your body becomes efficient at it. Efficiency is the enemy of weight loss. Your body learns how to spend fewer calories to do the same task. Mix it up.
- Noisy machines: If the machine is squeaking or clunking, stop. It usually means your stride is uneven or the machine is unlevel.
The 20-Minute "No-Boredom" Interval Plan
If you're short on time, don't just plod along. Try this instead. It’s simple but brutal.
Start with a three-minute warm-up at a resistance of 3 or 4. Just get the blood moving. Once you're warm, bump the resistance up to a 7 or 8 for one minute. Go hard. Not "sprinting" hard, but "pushing a heavy cart" hard. Then, drop back to resistance 4 for one minute of recovery. Repeat this cycle for 15 minutes. Finish with a two-minute cool-down.
This type of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has been shown to boost metabolic rate for hours after the workout ends. It’s much more effective than an hour of "steady state" cardio where you never break a sweat.
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The Role of the Elliptical in a Total Fitness Plan
The elliptical is a tool, not a cure-all. It’s fantastic for recovery days when your joints need a break from the pavement. It’s also great for people dealing with plantar fasciitis or stress fractures because it eliminates the "flight phase" of running—where both feet leave the ground.
However, it doesn't build bone density as well as weight-bearing exercises like walking or lifting weights. If you only use the elliptical, you might be missing out on strengthening your skeletal system. Pair your elliptical sessions with some basic strength training—squats, lunges, and overhead presses.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Session
Next time you head to the gym, change your approach.
- Ditch the phone. If you're watching a movie, you're probably not working hard enough.
- Check your stance. Keep your shoulders back and your core tight.
- Increase the resistance. If it doesn't feel challenging, it isn't.
- Incorporate intervals. Even a 30-second "sprint" every few minutes makes a massive difference.
- Reverse it. Spend at least 5 minutes of your workout pedaling backward to balance out your leg strength.
Focus on the quality of the movement rather than the duration. Twenty minutes of high-intensity, proper-form work is worth double what an hour of distracted, low-resistance pedaling provides. Stop being a passenger on the machine and start being the driver. Your knees—and your fitness goals—will thank you.
Key Takeaways for Immediate Improvement
- Keep your heels down to prevent foot numbness and engage the posterior chain.
- Let go of the handles occasionally to force your core to stabilize your body.
- Ignore the calorie counter and focus on your heart rate or RPE.
- Adjust the ramp and resistance every few minutes to keep the body guessing.
- Maintain a steady RPM of 50-60 rather than "freewheeling" at high speeds.
To get the most out of your training, try alternating your elliptical days with functional strength work. Focus on maintaining a straight line from your ears to your hips during the entire session. By treating the elliptical as a serious training tool rather than a mindless cardio box, you transform a boring routine into a high-performance workout.