DO: Use the handles for a total-body workout.
"Power is shared between the upper and lower body on the elliptical," Weiner says. For the most effective workout, actively push and pull the levers while maintaining an upright posture, keeping the shoulders pulled back and the abs engaged—otherwise the arms are just along for the ride. Working the machine without holding onto the handrails at all is another option.
"In this case, most of the power is generated from the lower body, requiring more core activation and balance," Weiner says. "Stay upright, keep the abs engaged, and pump the arms forward and backward at a 90-degree angle—as if you were running."
DON'T: Repeat your routine.
Doing the same workout day after day may be effective at first, but it will eventually lead to a fitness plateau.
More from Greatist: How to Break Through a Strength Training Plateau
"Our body is an evolutionary machine that's programmed to adapt to new stressors in about four to six weeks," Weiner says. "It's important to constantly change exercise variables."
To reap maximum general fitness benefits, interval training is the way to go.
"You'll get better conditioning than from steady-state work," Cane says. "One of the nice things about the elliptical is that you have a few variables you can manipulate to make things more challenging, such as resistance, stride rate, and even elevation on some machines."
Not only will diversifying your elliptical workout keep your body in top shape, it's also more fun. Here are some ideas to change up your routine from Santa Maria:
- Do 5-minute intervals increasing resistance each time.
- Start and stay with a steady pace—the base-pace rate—and increase the machine's incline/decline setting.
- Move at base-pace for 2 minutes, then double the speed for 2 minutes (keeping incline steady) and recover for 1 minute. Repeat this pattern as many times as desired.
"Being creative keeps you from getting bored and phoning it in," Santa Maria says. "See if you can improve your distance or levels of endurance each time you get on the machine. Compete against yourself to get stronger and leaner."
DO: Put down the iPad.
Being distracted by a magazine, your Kindle, or a TV show on the elliptical is a workout killer, Santa Maria says. Focus on the workout, not a plot line.
More: Minimizing Gym Distractions: 8 Tricks to Have an Awesome Workout
