Elliptical Trainer / Crosstrainer

OrangeBabelfish

So recently I have been reading up on this and asking some of my fitness friends their thoughts on this.

It seems a lot of people rubbish the effects of this machine on weight loss - I mean most of my friends do just go on the "do weights instead" option, but for example my weight loss stalls when I do weights and my body just responds better to cardio.

I use the crosstrainer a fair bit, and generally up the resistance quite a bit (apparently if you don't it's all just momentum and not muscle) and the machine estimates the MET at approx 10-10.5, which is the same as the treadmill estimates when running at 10, 10.5km/h.

Is it really that useless? Yes, I know weights are good to incorporate but I'd like to know whether I am wasting my time on it....

Anthonyrodier

Cross trainer is one of the best cardio machines. It is low impact and incorporates work of the whole body. You will burn more calories than a stationary bike. Weight training is best thought of as a strength building activity.

joolsmd

Its my machine of choice when doing cardio. I like to put on a HIIT podcast and just go for it and, because I have a dicky knee, its very kind impactwise. Obviously if I get too used to it I'm happy to do some static cycling, but cross trainers help my weightloss very well.

dougpconnell219

I love the eliptical. Some of them even give me a glute burn like squats do. Easier on the knees. I like to do intervals on it.

ruggedshutter

I love the elliptical machines but my feet often go numb after 15 mins on them. I have tried shifting my weight, which helps a little, but doesn't get rid of it.

cwolfman13

weight control is about energy consumption. you're going to burn more calories doing cardio than lifting weights in a given session so this will help you increase your body's energy requirements which in turn allows you to eat more while still accomplishing the same goals. It doesn't matter if it's the elliptical or treadmill or bicycle or whatever....

Look at it this way...I train like a mo-fo and I can lose weight, maintain, or gain weight all while training like a mo-fo...the difference between the three outcomes is my energy (calorie) consumption.

I primarily cycle, but I do use the elliptical from time to time for something different as unfortunately I can't really run anymore...but I'm not losing weight...because my consumption is in line and balanced with my activity...if I wanted to lose weight, I'd just cut a few hundred calories out of my diet EZ-PZ, I wouldn't change a thing about my exercise.