Elliptical trainers are becoming quite popular compared to the conventional treadmills for 2 distinct reasons. Firstly, elliptical trainers are low impact exercisers. The smooth motion of the trainer ensures that there isn’t any form of pressure or shock on the joints of the body. This makes the trainer ideal for those worried about joint pains after a run on the treadmill, which is a high impact exerciser. The second reason is that elliptical trainer helps you train muscles of upper part of the body as well as the lower part. This versatility makes it even more useful.

Buttocks and Thighs

The elliptical trainer helps you target the muscles of the lower body very effectively. For example, you can go with a greater incline and exercise your gluteus maximus. This provides a butt firming effect and is a very good exercise for the buttocks. You can engage the glutes whenever the legs are straightened in the reverse direction too. This firm bottom is something wanted by women everywhere and is something very achievable with an elliptical.

The quadriceps or the front of the thighs and the hamstrings or the back of the thighs can both be exercised on the elliptical trainer. Although not very noticeable initially, you will start feeling the heat with an intensive workout. In fact, by increasing the incline you could work the hamstrings even harder. There is more emphasis on the hamstrings also when you are going reverse with the elliptical trainer. Simulating conditions like climbing up the hill will prove really effective too. Maximum pressure is applied when your shoulders are parallel to the machine.

The Lower Part of the Legs

Not only does the elliptical trainer provide workout for the thighs, but it also helps you to exercise your gastrocnemius referred to as calves. A good way of doing it is by putting more pressure on the calves through front and backward movement even as you hold on to the handlebars very firmly. These are an important muscle to workout and exercising normally on an elliptical will workout these muscles naturally to some degree.

You can also workout, emphasizing on the lower shin comprising of the tibialis anterior. Overall, the elliptical trainer comes with many different settings and programs targeting specific calf muscles and leg muscles. Beneath the calf muscles is the soleus, which is also targeted by some of these programs. Same with the calves doing a normal workout will exercise the shins too. These form an important part of the overall strength and health of your leg muscles.

Back and Abdomen

Many people focus too much on the visible muscles like biceps and triceps, which add to your good looks. However, strength of the back is very important, especially for those who work out regularly. The elliptical trainer helps you enhance your core strength by working out the muscles of the back and abdomen. For the muscles of the back, you can use the arm bars, focusing on twisting and thereby putting emphasis on the longer back muscles, which are known as the erector spinae complex.

The elliptical trainer is also good for the oblique muscles, which are present along the sides of the abdomen. As part of this exercise, the oblique muscles contract even as the hips are alternating in either direction as you pedal on the trainer. These give the oblique muscles that attractive look in men combined with the six pack and in women they help combat the overall size of the waist.

Upper Part of the Body

Using an elliptical trainer, you can also work out the upper part of your body including muscles like the pectoralis major of the chest, the triceps, biceps and deep core muscles. The chest muscles and triceps work together in pushing the handle of the trainer even as you are pedaling. Similarly, the biceps are exercised along with the back muscles as you pull the handles towards your body.

The elliptical trainer is an effective piece of equipment using which you can target muscles all across your body. Given that muscle workout helps in burning calories quickly, the trainer helps you lose weight fast without really putting your joints or heels under pressure as in case of a treadmill. This is the overall advantage of the elliptical trainer. It will burn calories as well as toning both the upper and lower body.