As many of you know, I've had two knee surgeries- most recently one surgery in May. When it comes to working out I'm slightly limited when it comes to running outside and even on a treadmill. The impact starts affecting my knee after 5 minutes running at a moderate pace. I needed to find an a machine that allowed me to burn calories as well as feel more active than just sitting on a bike. That is where the elliptical came into my workout regime.
The most thing to start out with when working out is getting your heart rate up to a certain level. The level does really depend on the individual. Most people rely on the treadmill to do that, but for me it's the elliptical. I can't get the same type of workout that I could get on a treadmill and it's all how you move the elliptical. How I start the elliptical workout is to begin slow and then move faster as I get used the stride/pace I'm going. Follow this list for the go to's on the elliptical and maybe you might switch your routine.
1. Start out with a plan on how long you want to do certain activities on the elliptical. When first starting out I would start on the lowest level in the first 3-5 minutes and build it up from there.
2. When on a treadmill, you always want to try reclining it to get an uphill workout. An elliptical can do the same thing! When reclining on the elliptical, it has very little pressure on the knees as well as the ankles.
3. Don't slouch while working out on the elliptical. Want to get good posture? Keep the shoulders back and the neck up. Also, when having handrails it makes it easier to slouch, which makes the workout not as difficult. I have noticed myself slouch sometimes while I'm on the elliptical and you definitely have a different workout experience when you don't slouch.
4. Use the handles to get a complete total workout. You just don't work out the legs on an elliptical. You can workout your arms as well by pushing on the levers with good posture still intact.
Here is a chart of how to schedule out a workout on the elliptical. You don't need to spend 30 minutes to an hour because you truly can workout the entire body.
Give the elliptical workout a try and let me know how you feel after. Looking for more insight on elliptical workouts? Check out these two websites: Elliptical Workouts for Beginners to Advanced and This Best Elliptical Machines.