Using Resistance And Incline On An Elliptical

Resistance versus incline many elliptical users wonder which is better at producing results. In reality both are equally effective at helping you meet your fitness goals, though they do work in different ways. Being able to adjust the resistance and incline levels will make it easier to boost the intensity of your workouts, but it is important to understand the differences between them before you start making any changes to your daily exercise routine.

Elliptical Resistance

Increasing the resistance on an elliptical will require more force from you to move the pedals, even though their position doesn’t change. This will cause your muscles to work harder, which means you are toning and strengthening them. Having to apply more force also burns more calories, and this is always a good thing when one of your goals is to lose weight. Since this also boosts your heart rate, increasing the resistance on an elliptical can also improve cardiovascular health.

When it comes to deciding where to set the resistance level there are a few things to consider. Your current fitness level and health will determine where you start out at. If you are used to working out and are in good health, you can usually start off with a higher level of resistance. Otherwise you might want to begin using an elliptical at the lowest setting, gradually increasing resistance as you go.

If price isn’t a concern you can find elliptical machines that will automatically adjust the resistance level for you. These models track your heart via sensors in the grips or a chest strap monitor and adjust the resistance to keep your heart rate in the optimal range. This type of elliptical is ideal for anyone that wants to improve their cardiovascular health. If you are on a budget but still want to track your heart rate throughout your workout, you can find effective wrist monitors at an affordable price.

Elliptical Incline

Not all elliptical machines allow you to adjust the incline since this function is typically only found on higher priced models. If you can adjust the incline, it might be something that you want to consider to ensure that you are getting the most from your elliptical. Adjusting the incline changes the amount of the slope, which in turn increases the intensity of your workout. Since it requires more effort when the elliptical is set at a higher incline you are safely increasing your heart rate. This not only helps you burn more calories, it is also an effective way to strengthen hamstrings and tone your glutes.

If you want to see maximum results from your elliptical workouts try adjusting the incline and resistance simultaneously.

One important tip to remember according to the American College of Sports Medicine is that if you find that you are using the handles to support your weight, you will want to decrease the intensity of the workout. As always, you should always get approval from your primary health care provider before you make any changes to the intensity level of your elliptical workouts. It is easy to overdo it on an elliptical, and the last thing you want to do is sideline your training.