Calorie burn for elliptical at different resistances

Options
jasveersingh925
jasveersingh925 Posts: 50 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I regularly use the elliptical for cardio at my gym. I notice that the machine says that I will burn more calories when using a higher resistance setting, 1-20. Naturally, when you use the machine at higher resistance, you pedal much slower. I pedal at 40 rpm versus 65 with no resistance. Do you still burn calories at the level that the machine estimates when you are doing the lower speed of 40 rpm? It would require extreme exertion to use the machine at higher speeds at higher resistance so my guess is that the calories being burned is in relation to the speed of 40 rpm.

Thanks!

Replies

  • thatsillyshana23
    thatsillyshana23 Posts: 106 Member
    Options
    I think of it like using weights. Yeah, you can probably do 100 curls with 5lb weights, but doing 20 with 25lb weights would feel differently and maybe better. So when I use the elliptical I try to increase the resistance and focus on what I feel and try to get faster then I increase it again.

    Idk if that helps because I'm not a pro or anything. :]
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,643 Member
    Options
    It's both speed and resistance (and in some cases incline). That's why I like to use a HR monitor on the elliptical to control my workout. I'm trying to get to a certain % of my HRmax. I can get there by either pedaling faster which lowers the resistance or pedaling slower which increases the resistance. Doesn't matter which one.

    Ultimately though it's best to increase the resistance to get a little bit of strength building in addition to cardio. This is also why the calories burned are usually more with more resistance (if you maintain the same speed).
  • JCC1987
    JCC1987 Posts: 10
    edited October 2014
    Options
    I think the machine does part of the work on lower resistances, with the momentum its built up pushing it along a bit. It doesn't do that on the higher resistances, it really does take a lot of work to move those peddles.

    I only use lower resistance to warm up, and then I cycle up and down from mid to highest load, trying to push my RPM, including some sprints at maximum resistance. It's worked wonders for my legs and core, even without being too careful with my diet - now I'm cleaning up my diet to lose more body fat and show off the results some more.

    If you want to build up/tone your leg muscles, 40 RPM at higher resistance (pushing it further with time) is the way to go. 65 RPM at no resistance won't really do much for you beyond the calories you burn on the machine, and those would be skewed with the machine's momentum anyway. The higher resistance will lead to muscle growth, and that ultimately leads to more calories burned overall.

    Just speaking from my experience.

    Edited to add: I use the machine almost always hands free, hence why I just talked about my legs and core.

Categories