Getting the most out of your cross-trainer

A cross-trainer is favoured by individuals aiming to enhance their cardiovascular fitness and tone both upper and lower body muscle groups, offering a comprehensive whole-body workout.

The cross-trainer is efficient, achieving more in less time and with reduced effort. Notably, it avoids excessive strain on your joints, courtesy of its smooth elliptical motion. Compared to other exercise machines like the treadmill, a cross-trainer can provide a more intense workout, burn additional calories, and better facilitate interval training to reinforce the strength of your lower body muscles.

The muscle groups targeted by a cross-trainer include:

• Glutes
• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Calves
• Biceps and Triceps
• Chest
• Back
• Core

Using a cross-trainer is intuitive since it simulates the motion of walking and running. Here are the basic steps for beginners:

1) Start by positioning one foot on a footrest — bring one of the pedals to the base and step onto it, then place your other foot on the opposite pedal.

2) Hold onto the handles to stabilise yourself, which will also help engage your core.

3) Initiate a gliding motion with your feet, ensuring they remain on the footrests at all times.

4) As you move, push and pull the handles simultaneously.

5) Once you're comfortable, explore adding resistance and trying out HIIT workouts.

6) Aim to sustain a workout on the cross-trainer for at least 15 minutes with your selected resistance or HIIT routine.

How you use a cross-trainer depends on your goals, the muscle groups you aim to target, and your fitness objectives. Below, you’ll discover optimal workouts for beginners, high-intensity enthusiasts, and those focusing on resistance training.

How long should you spend on a cross-trainer? Like many fitness queries, the answer varies based on individual circumstances.

For most beginners, a good starting point is 15 minutes daily, excluding the cool-down period. However, if you aim to achieve your weekly recommended cardio exclusively through the elliptical, you should target 30 minutes on the cross-trainer for five consecutive days.

Keep in mind that the duration might differ based on the resistance level and the interval training type you're incorporating. It's advisable to start gently during the initial days. This approach lets your body acclimate to the exercise and helps you gauge your fitness level more accurately.

For beginners, the most crucial aspect to master is posture. Ensuring correct posture can prevent unintended strains or injuries. Always keep your back straight, looking straight ahead without hunching. If your cross-trainer is equipped with a heart sensor, use it as a guide for hand placement to avoid tilting excessively in any direction.

It's essential to understand that your starting point might vary from the levels and durations mentioned elsewhere. Tailor your workouts to align with your unique needs and fitness level. Start gradually and maintain that intensity for a few days, allowing your body to adjust. This approach minimises the risk of injury and ensures you're pacing your progression appropriately.

A HIIT workout is a popular style of training and is known for its efficiency and effectiveness. It centres on intervals of exercise, typically ranging from 10 seconds to 8 minutes, ensuring you operate within your target heart rate for about 80-90% of the workout.

Choosing a HIIT workout can be both fun and challenging, offering a refreshing change from maintaining a steady pace and resistance. It's a dynamic way to see results more quickly. The essence of HIIT on the cross-trainer is interspersing short bursts of fast pedalling. Here's a guide:

1) 5-minute warm-up at a moderate pace and resistance (around level 4).

2) For one minute, pedal as fast as you can.

3) Allow 2-3 minutes of recovery by pedalling at a normal pace (around level 5).

4) Repeat steps 2 and 3 for 2-5 times.

5) If the routine becomes too comfortable, you can either increase the resistance level or extend the duration of the fast pedalling segments.

6) Finish with a 5-minute cool-down at level 3.

Always remember to include a cool-down after high-intensity workouts to help prevent cramps and sprains.

Resistance training is another way to increase the intensity of your workout using the elliptical. By increasing the resistance, your heart will work harder to supply more oxygen as you’re working harder. This will build your cardiovascular strength and upper and lower body muscles.

Generally speaking, your workouts are around 40-50% of your maximum effort, which usually equates to 60-70% resistance on the elliptical. This is a great place to start if your focus is on strength training. But you can vary the level of resistance a great deal; here are a few more ways how to maximise your elliptical workout:

• Manually increases resistance level
• Select more challenging training programmes stored in your elliptical console
• Increase the incline
• Pedal faster on higher resistance levels

Resistance training is a great way to build muscle strength and tone as well as protect your joints from injury.