Interval training on elliptical

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Fit_Britt
Fit_Britt Posts: 35 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I need some advice on interval training on the elliptical. I'm trying to slim down my thighs and tone up all over. Basically I just want to burn fat. Right now I just do 60 min on the elliptical and I burn about 600 calories.

Tips please?

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  • Alysgrma
    Alysgrma Posts: 365 Member
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  • My1985Freckles
    My1985Freckles Posts: 1,039 Member
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  • tiedye
    tiedye Posts: 331 Member
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    I do interval training on the elliptical too. I think it's supposed to be good because it keeps changing intensity so your muscles have to adjust.
  • HoopFire5602
    HoopFire5602 Posts: 423 Member
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    HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). 30 seconds all out fast as you are comfortable, 90 seconds recovery to catch your breath. Repeat. Do for as long as you can handle it. :)
  • GorillaNJ
    GorillaNJ Posts: 4,052 Member
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    Try HIIT on the elliptical. Basically I warm up for 5 -10 minutes and then do 5 sets of sprints. Each sprint is 45 seconds long and followed by 90 seconds of recovery time at a steady pace. (You can change that to 30 second sprint and 60 seconds recover if you want) From there I ride out another 5-10 minutes as a cool down.
  • 81carmen
    81carmen Posts: 2
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    My elliptical has 2 programs on it. A 20 min and a 30 min. The 20 is quite a bit easier, it only reaches a max of 6 on the resistance scale. The 30 min goes up to 8. When I do the 30 minute, I burn up to 615 cal (says the machine)..... I think the elliptical becomes a lot more efficient when you do a variety of resistance levels. ie. 2 min warm up on level 2, 3 min on level 4, then push yourself to do 3-4 min on level 8, then back down to level 4 for 2-3 min, then back up to 8... etc.... if your elliptical doesn't have a program in it, try increasing and decreasing the resistance to force your muscles to work a bit harder.... I know when I do longer amounts of time with little to no resistance, I barely work up a sweat, but when I do the machine's pre-programmed workouts, I am sweating for the entire 30 mins! Hope this helps a bit.
  • Gallinagordita
    Gallinagordita Posts: 26
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    HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). 30 seconds all out fast as you are comfortable, 90 seconds recovery to catch your breath. Repeat. Do for as long as you can handle it. :)

    What if it takes you longer than 90 seconds to recover? I've been trying this lately as I hear it's great, but sometimes I need 2-3 minutes between intervals so I don't feel like I'm going to pass out. :) Am I still getting the benefits? Thanks.
  • HoopFire5602
    HoopFire5602 Posts: 423 Member
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    ooo also if you want to burn fat....are you lifting weights? And I don't mean 1-3lbs either. Weight lifting is proven to be crucial in burning fat and weight loss. I do HIIT and weights. :)
  • LeeKetty1176
    LeeKetty1176 Posts: 881 Member
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    there are a few Apps you can try for HIIT on the iphone...........

    as you get fitter increase the TRAINING time and reduce the WALK time.......... Work out what your resting hear beat is and you want to be working at about 70% for Fat buring
  • HoopFire5602
    HoopFire5602 Posts: 423 Member
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    HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). 30 seconds all out fast as you are comfortable, 90 seconds recovery to catch your breath. Repeat. Do for as long as you can handle it. :)

    What if it takes you longer than 90 seconds to recover? I've been trying this lately as I hear it's great, but sometimes I need 2-3 minutes between intervals so I don't feel like I'm going to pass out. :) Am I still getting the benefits? Thanks.

    You may be going too all out. :) Take it down a notch and build up on your endurance.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,701 Member
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    Warm up for 5 minutes at a good setting ( for most ellipticals this is level 5), then bump the resistance up to 12-20. For 20 seconds BLAST as fast as you can through it. Don't lower the resistance. Recover till your heart rate stabilizes. Then BLAST it again. Do this at least 8-10 times. Then finish off at about level 8-10 with some moderate cardio.
  • Fit_Britt
    Fit_Britt Posts: 35 Member
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    Thanks guys! I do weights 2-3 times per week (body pump).

    What apps are there?
  • AHealthierRhonda
    AHealthierRhonda Posts: 881 Member
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    I do 30 - 45 minute workouts on my elliptical. I use either the weight loss mode or terrain mode. I jog the firsts 5-8 minutes depending on how I am feeling. Then I do a 2 minute recovery and alternate every 2-4 minutes with jogging and fast walking for the rest of the time. I ahve definitely been noticing a difference in my legs since I started doing this.
  • Ging07
    Ging07 Posts: 21 Member
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    Hoopfire, I believe (although I am just getting familiar with it so take this with a grain of salt), that the point is that you don't completely recover during the rest periods. This causes your body to have to work harder (burn calories) because your body hasn't had the chance to get used to the rest speed. I think the point is to keep your body in an "inefficient" mode so that it works harder, thus burning calories and staying in an anaerobic state to burn fat.
  • PippaJo_
    PippaJo_ Posts: 233 Member
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