One of the newest trends in home gym equipment is to purchase an elliptical trainer for your cardiovascular workouts, rather than simply purchasing a treadmill or jogging outside like many people choose to do. Unlike “pseudo-equipment” that promises considerable exercise but does not stand up under research scrutiny, elliptical trainer benefits are extremely well documented by major research labs and universities, and their ability to mirror the effects of jogging on a treadmill without any of the harsh impact pains is well known.
Still, the question remains – who is the elliptical trainer best for? Because these cross trainers can benefit anyone looking for aerobic training, they are a fairly effective choice for anyone that is trying to improve their cardiovascular health and weight loss. But there are some groups that ellipticals are especially beneficial for, including the following:
- Overweight Men and Women
When you are overweight, jogging can be very beneficial towards shedding pounds. But it also means that your weight puts a great deal of extra pressure on your legs and muscles, making it very, very hard to exercise without considerable pain. Ellipticals do not have this pressure, so they are a safer and less painful option for overweight men and women.
- The Elderly
As you age, keeping your heart health high is important, but various joint, muscle and bone problems can make running almost impossible. Ellipticals reduce that pressure, so they are able to provide you with the heart health benefits you are looking for without risking breaking a bone or badly hurting your legs or feet.
- Rehabbing Patients
Similar to the benefits of the elliptical with the elderly, when you are in the later stages of rehabbing (able to run again, but with some injury risk) the elliptical may be a better alternative. You should first check with your physical therapist to make sure your body is ready to handle the elliptical, but if so, it is a safer option for those whom tripping, falling or impact can make it more difficult to recover.
- Non-Aerobic Athletes
The truth is that almost everyone can use an elliptical in place of a treadmill. They are simply a better choice for burning calories and improving cardiovascular health without considerable impact on your legs and feet. It is also useful for conditioning the muscles on the lower half of your body.
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