The Skinny On Elliptical Machines

By Suzanne Holman • August 13th, 2009

Physical exercise is one element that has absolutely been proven to improve our brain functioning. This is due to the increased blood flow to the brain, giving it the nutrients needed for optimal performance.

Outdoor hiking is great when the weather is wonderful. And to make it easy to be consistent with exercise, we need to have something that is possible no matter what it is like outside.

If it is possible to go to a workout facility, it is a wonderful influence to have others all around you also working out….keeps me going!

My favorite machine at the gym is the Elliptical Machine…

I love doing group classes such as yoga, kick boxing, pilates, aqua aerobics (with ankle weights), salsa dancing, and even Zumba!

But when there isn’t a class scheduled, I enjoy using the elliptical machine because it is easy on my knees and doesn’t take a whole lot of concentration to keep moving on it since your feet don’t leave the pedals. What really makes the time go faster is listening to a good audio book, watching a TV show with a head set, or just great music.

Jillian Michaels, one of the coaches with the Biggest Loser TV show has some thoughts about ellipticals that she shared recently in her newsletter.

It’s a great alternative to running because it’s much easier on the joints.
Elliptical machines usually have a lot of variables built in and movable handles so that you can work your upper body as well.
Some of the machines have adjustable ramps so that you can target different leg muscles by varying the degree of the incline. You can pedal either forward or back, allowing you to work totally different muscles. If the ramp is inclined and you’re pedaling forward, you’re working the muscles on the backs of your legs: the hamstrings, glutes, and calves. If the ramp is at a lower incline and you pedal backward, you’re training the muscles in front: the quads and dorsiflexors.

Some cautions about using the elliptical machines:

Do not hold onto handles other than the movable ones that allow you to get your arms and heart rate pumping.
Keep the intensity high, at 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. (Subtract your age from 220 to find out your maximum heart rate.)
Increase the resistance so that gravity isn’t doing all the work.
Don’t trust the electronic readout to tell you how many calories you are burning.

Follow these suggestions so that you are not wasting your time by not using the machine for your best workout. Vigorous exercise is the key to our better brain functioning. This is reassuring to those of us who have Alzheimer’s in the Family!

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