Have you been getting out of shape due to a lack of outdoor activities during the pandemic? Have you thought about a way to tackle this? Did you buy a piece of new equipment that guarantees fitness? But you’re having a hard time with it? If all these questions check out, you’re in the right place!
Any exercising equipment can be tough when you have zero experience beforehand. More so, if that machine happens to be an elliptical which is notorious for being a bit on the difficult side. But in most cases, it’s the users’ fault as they haven’t figured out how to use it properly. To start things off, you need to make sure that you’re not distracted or impatient.
Once you’ve figured out how this whole hunk of junk truly works, you’ll finally understand why is the elliptical so hard for beginners. But before all that, let’s just go through some of the mistakes that you’ve been making while using the equipment.
Reasons Why the Elliptical Seems So Hard to You
There are several reasons why beginners find the elliptical so hard to use. Below I have listed a few of those reasons.
It’s the only equipment you’re exercising with
This is a big no. Using the same equipment over and over again will just lead to monotony and boredom. It will also disrupt your skills and abilities thus you won’t be able to run towards your goal. Having the same workout routine for a long while can and will overuse some of your body parts. This may also result in injuries in the long run.
This way, you’re just making your body only skilled in one specific thing and that will not benefit you overall, as there will be a lack of versatility and your body will just get accustomed to only one set of exercises.
So, make sure that you’re doing proper cardio and even going for a jog every day to make your body gain stamina so that your muscles don’t fall short while using the elliptical.
You’re probably doing it wrong
Now, this makes much more sense. Maybe you’re just slacking off or being too lazy to go through the manual or even give effort to proper exercising. This happens when you’re not serious about your journey towards fitness. There are so many things that you can do wrong while using an elliptical for the first time.
Instead of being bummed out about it, you should start by going through a few videos and even checking out the manual to see just how to use this equipment properly. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll find it 10 times easier to use.
You forget to breathe
If you’re a newbie, you might feel like you can go the extra mile for that added adrenaline rush. While it may seem like a good idea, you’ll end up facing dire consequences the day after. Severe muscle pain isn’t something you’d want to wake up to.
So, before you decide to overexert yourself, make sure you remember to take a deep breath and think things through. Take it nice and easy as you’re only beginning and once you have a routine that you can keep up with daily, that is when you start to push yourself further. And remember to breathe into your lungs, not just the chest.
Your main priority should be to build stamina and lung capacity, not just muscles. And once you get this far, you’ll be able to handle things better on your own.
You get distracted
Distractions are everywhere. And they won’t let you stay concentrated no matter what you do. So, before you start your workout on the elliptical, make sure you get rid of all the itty bitty nooks and crannies that will facilitate your distraction.
If you feel like you HAVE to have an external source of entertainment, just turn on an audiobook or listen to your favorite album. Anything that will help you with your exercise.
You don’t enter your personal info correctly
Even if the elliptical can calculate your calorie burn and give you an estimate, you still need to make sure that you’re entering your personal information correctly. Don’t just leave it up to the machine.
You yourself need to be aware of how you’re progressing while working out. So, the next time you’re on that elliptical, enter the proper information even if it’s just an estimate.
You find yourself leaning on the static handles
Leaning on the static handles is the most basic form of mistake that beginners make. If you’re using the handles as support while working out, your body will not work as hard because the handles are giving you support. Moreover, you’re slouched over while leaning, which affects your posture as well.
Avoid doing this and make sure that you’re always standing straight and upright for more efficiency while you exercise.
So, the next time you’re on the elliptical, instead of the static bars, use the swinging handlebars so that you can work your arms and shoulder muscles as well.
You don’t maintain the right speed and balance
Even if this is your first time on an elliptical, I’ll assume that you’ve been on a treadmill before. Two of those pieces of equipment are excellent for getting in shape but the difference is that you can control the speed on a treadmill while the elliptical does it for you.
While using the elliptical, you will have to keep your balance and have a steady pace. But the chances are that you won’t be able to juggle between those two if it’s your first time on an elliptical. So, the advice would be to take it nice and easy until you’ve gained enough experience. You wouldn’t want to overexert yourself.
Your weight is not being evenly distributed
While using the elliptical, it’s very important to make sure that you’re evenly distributing your weight throughout your lower half; especially the feet. You should not be putting all the weight on the bottom of your feet as that will put a lot of pressure on the knees and will eventually lead to an injury in the midst of your workout.
Ellipticals are ideal to mimic a run or a morning jog. Thus, when you’re using the elliptical, you should move your body the way you would while going for that early morning jog. Just take it easy in your initial days.
How to Make the Elliptical Not So Difficult?
In order to make sure that you’re not making any of the basic mistakes, it’s crucial that you go through your elliptical routine with caution. With its reputation being one of the hardest pieces of exercise equipment out there, you should be extra careful while using it for your own gain.
- Take lots of breaks in between your workout to lessen the impact of the burnout that you will face afterward. Too many breaks will not be an issue if it’s your first time on the elliptical.
- If you’re hesitant in taking too many breaks, reverse the motion of your feet. This will provide you with more relief on the muscles without having to stop your routine.
- Try increasing the resistance to see if it goes well with your control. With a bit of an added resistance, you might get a slight push which will help you to last longer on the mighty elliptical.
Staying in shape is crucial if you want a long and healthy life. Thus, an elliptical is a great choice to accommodate your fitness journey. It may seem difficult at first and even fitness experts will tell you that it takes a while to get used to it. But it’s not an ineffective tool once you know how to use it properly.
Just make sure that you’re following the beginner tips I’ve provided and you’ll be a pro on the elliptical in no time. That is, it for this article and I hope you were able to understand why is the elliptical so hard for beginners. It really isn’t; you just have to use it properly.