Victor Forge
Ellipticals are a popular choice for cardio workouts, providing a full-body workout that targets a wide range of muscles. They are particularly effective for engaging the lower body, including the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. By adjusting the incline and direction of the elliptical, users can target different muscle groups and increase the intensity of their workout. Additionally, ellipticals provide an upper-body workout for the chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, and back muscles. The elliptical's versatility makes it a valuable tool for fitness enthusiasts of all levels, offering both high-intensity interval training and steady-state cardio options.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of exercise | Aerobic, cardiovascular, low-impact |
| Muscles targeted | Glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves, chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, abs, obliques, lower back, hip flexors, anterior deltoids, lats, rhomboids, traps, serratus anterior, pecs, adductors, abductors, core, spinal erectors |
| Muscle contractions | Concentric, eccentric, isometric |
| Benefits | Strengthens heart, lungs, and muscles, builds stamina and endurance, improves balance, helps with weight-bearing, provides full-body mobilisation, can be used for high-intensity interval training or steady-state cardio, can help with range of motion after an injury, can be used as a warm-up or stand-alone fitness trainer |
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What You'll Learn
Upper body
The elliptical machine is a full-body workout that targets the major muscle groups of the lower body, triceps, and upper back. It is not the best way to build muscle, but it is excellent for endurance training and improving cardiovascular health. Depending on the intensity, elliptical workouts use slow-twitch muscle fibres, which are meant for endurance. This makes it better for burning fat than building muscle.
The upper body pushing muscles consist of the chest, anterior deltoid, serratus anterior, and triceps. The chest muscles, or pectorals, are activated when you push the handles forward, providing a workout for the front of your upper body. The triceps work concentrically when pushing the handlebar away from you and eccentrically when pulling it towards you.
The upper body pull muscles include the traps, rhomboids, lats, and biceps. The traps, or trapezius, work along with the rhomboids to make up the upper back. During the pulling portion of the elliptical motion, the traps retract and depress the scapula. The rhomboids, which originate from the cervical vertebra and attach to the inside of the shoulder blades, also retract the scapula during the elliptical pulling movement. The lats, or latissimus dorsi, are the broadest muscle of the upper body. They are engaged when you pull the handles towards you.
By pushing and pulling the handlebars mindfully, you can use more upper body muscles during an elliptical workout.
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Lower body
The elliptical machine is a great way to work your lower body, especially your legs. The movement of the elliptical is similar to cross-country skiing, with your legs and arms moving simultaneously. This provides a full-body workout, but you can also choose to work your legs only by placing your hands on the centre console or additional handles.
The main muscles targeted in the lower body during an elliptical workout are the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. The quads, or quadriceps, are made up of four muscles on the front of the thigh: rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and vastus intermedius. During the elliptical stroke, the quads work concentrically along with the hips to provide downward power, and they lengthen slightly during the upward phase of the stroke.
The glutes are a group of three muscles: gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. They form the pelvis or buttocks region. During the elliptical pedal stroke, the glute max contracts concentrically to create a hip extension and a little hip hyperextension. The hamstrings are also used to push down the elliptical pedal to assist the glutes with hip extension, and they work concentrically during the upward phase of the stroke.
The calves are made up of two main muscles: the gastrocnemius and the soleus. The gastrocnemius is the larger and most visible of the two, and the soleus lies underneath it. The calves assist the quads in the downward power of the elliptical stroke through plantar flexion, which is the movement of the foot down and away from the body.
In addition to these primary muscle groups, the lower body stabilizers, including the hip flexors and core muscles, are also engaged during an elliptical workout. The core muscles, including the abdominals and obliques, work to stabilize the spine and maintain good posture.
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Core
The elliptical machine is a great tool for a full-body workout, targeting both the upper and lower body, as well as the core. The core muscles play a crucial role in stabilising the trunk, maintaining good posture, and powering the arms and legs during an elliptical workout.
When we say "core", we're not just referring to the abs. The core encompasses all the muscles that work together to stabilise the spine, including the abs, obliques, and lower back. Contracting these muscles around the spine to create a rigid midsection is known as abdominal bracing, which protects the spine from potentially harmful positions. This is similar to a standing plank, where the goal is to maintain a strong, stable posture through the spine while the arms and legs move.
The erector spinae, a group of muscles running from the hips to the base of the skull, is an important component of the core. This group includes the iliocostalis, longissimus, and spinalis, which are responsible for straightening the back and working with the glutes to stabilise posture. Additionally, the hip flexors, glutes, and psoas major also contribute to core stability by working together to stabilise the pelvis.
To maximise core engagement during an elliptical workout, it's important to maintain proper form. This includes keeping an upright posture, bracing the core, and focusing on engaging the core muscles actively. By incorporating core-stabilising exercises into your elliptical routine, you can improve your overall stability, balance, and posture.
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Calf muscles
The calf muscles are made up of two main muscles: the gastrocnemius and the soleus. The gastrocnemius is the larger and most visible of the two, and the soleus lies underneath it. During the elliptical stroke, the calf muscles work together with the tibialis anterior to contract and stabilize your legs. As you push through the ball of your foot on the downward part of the pedal stroke, the calves perform plantar flexion to assist the quads.
The elliptical machine is a popular choice for gym-goers and runners as it offers a low-impact workout that is easy on the joints. It is also a versatile, easily adaptable, total-body workout that can target a wide range of muscle groups. The calf muscles are just one of the many muscle groups that can be targeted during an elliptical workout.
To effectively target the calf muscles during an elliptical workout, you can try a few different techniques. Firstly, consider increasing the level or incline of the machine, as this will work your leg muscles in a more dynamic way. Additionally, you can try interval training by varying the direction you pedal, such as pedaling backward, which will help engage different muscle groups.
Another way to isolate the calf muscles during an elliptical workout is to focus on your foot placement and movement. As you press through the ball of your foot during the downward part of the pedal stroke, you will feel the contraction in your calves as they perform plantar flexion. This movement not only targets the calf muscles but also strengthens your feet, ankles, and lower legs, which are essential for supporting your weight and maintaining balance during everyday movements.
Overall, the elliptical machine is a great way to target the calf muscles and improve your lower body strength and stability. By incorporating different techniques and focusing on your foot placement, you can effectively work the calf muscles and experience the benefits of a low-impact, total-body workout that is easy on the joints.
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Quadriceps
The elliptical trainer is a low-impact, predominantly cardio-focused machine that can be used for full-body mobilisation. It is designed to provide a movement pattern most closely related to cross-country skiing. The legs and arms move simultaneously, giving you an upper and lower body workout. The machine allows you to perform both high-intensity interval training and steady-state cardio workouts.
The amount of work done by the quadriceps can be adjusted by altering the incline during the elliptical session. A lower incline will trigger greater quadriceps engagement, while a higher incline will call on the posterior chain more intensely.
The elliptical workout is an excellent way to strengthen and train your glutes and thighs in their totality. It is a comprehensive exercise that requires a revving up of not only your glutes but also your adductors, abductors, and hip flexors.
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Frequently asked questions
Ellipticals target a wide range of muscles in the body, including the legs, core, back, chest, shoulders, and arms.
Ellipticals target the quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and hip flexors.
Ellipticals target the triceps, biceps, chest, anterior deltoid, and serratus anterior.
Yes, ellipticals target the abs, obliques, and lower back.
Yes, you can adjust the resistance, speed, and incline of an elliptical workout to target specific muscle groups. For example, increasing the incline can help target the hamstrings and glutes, while lowering the incline can increase the workload on the quads.
