How long should a beginner use the elliptical trainer?

Start with 15 to 20 minutes at a steady, moderate effort, 2 to 3 times a week, using the moving handles to bring the upper body into the work. Add 5 minutes per session before you add resistance, and save interval work for once steady sessions feel easy.

What can you do instead of the elliptical trainer without one?

A stationary bike or stair climber delivers a similarly low-impact cardio stimulus if an elliptical is not available. Brisk walking or an incline treadmill walk works with the least equipment of all.

What is the elliptical trainer good for?

It gives you a low-impact aerobic option that still lets you bring the upper body in through the moving handles, which makes it a good fit for warm-ups, recovery days, or anyone easing back from an injury. It is a poor choice if your goal is bone-loading impact work, since the feet never leave the pedals.

Beginner

Elliptical Trainer

The elliptical offers a fluid, low-impact stride that keeps your feet in contact with the pedals, making it gentle on the joints while still driving a solid aerobic effort. The moving handles bring the upper body in, but the legs do the bulk of the work. It is a reliable choice for steady cardio, warm-ups, and recovery days.

Equipment: Machine
Body part: Glutes, Quads
Type: Cardio
Browse by muscle: Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Gluteus Maximus

How to do it

1
Step onto the pedals and hold the moving handles or the fixed center bar.
2
Begin striding in a smooth oval, keeping your feet flat on the pedals.
3
Stand tall through the torso rather than leaning on the handles.
4
Push and pull the handles in time with your stride to add the upper body.
5
Increase resistance or incline to raise the challenge as you warm up.
6
Slow your stride gradually to cool down.

Tips

Keep your weight centered over the pedals instead of hanging on the arms.
Push through the heels to keep tension in the glutes and quads.
Add resistance rather than just striding faster once the motion feels too easy.

Variations

Common mistakes

The heels lift off the pedals with each stride instead of staying flat, turning a smooth glide into a bouncy, calf-dominant shuffle.
Gripping only the fixed center bar for the whole session skips the arm drive the moving handles are there to add, so the upper body coasts through the workout.
The stride shortens into a small, choppy circle as resistance climbs, instead of the same full oval you started with, quietly cutting range of motion out of the workout.
Standing with the hips shifted back behind the pedals instead of centered over them puts more strain on the knees with every stride.

Frequently asked

How long should a beginner use the elliptical trainer?: Start with 15 to 20 minutes at a steady, moderate effort, 2 to 3 times a week, using the moving handles to bring the upper body into the work. Add 5 minutes per session before you add resistance, and save interval work for once steady sessions feel easy.
What can you do instead of the elliptical trainer without one?: A stationary bike or stair climber delivers a similarly low-impact cardio stimulus if an elliptical is not available. Brisk walking or an incline treadmill walk works with the least equipment of all.
What is the elliptical trainer good for?: It gives you a low-impact aerobic option that still lets you bring the upper body in through the moving handles, which makes it a good fit for warm-ups, recovery days, or anyone easing back from an injury. It is a poor choice if your goal is bone-loading impact work, since the feet never leave the pedals.

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