Interval Training Elliptical Workout is great for training your lower body and increasing your muscles' endurance, as well as your heart's endurance. You can choose your own intensity, by setting the resistance, speed and incline you want to work with.
Beginners are advised to start with a moderate warm-up period. So, when you start your training, set a low level on your elliptical machine (usually, it is advised to set it to level 2) and work like this for about two minutes. The end of your training should also have a moderate intensity, no matter how much your workout has lasted. Work out at the second level for the last two minutes of your training. This way you will cool down and recover your strength after an intense training.
After the slow start, once you feel your muscles are working well, you should increase the level on your machine. Depending on your strength and endurance, set a level between level three and level five. Work like this for the next two minutes. After that, start the high-intensity period, which will last between one and two minutes. Now, your interval training elliptical workout should be done at a higher level - between level five and level eight.
It is time to give the best you can, because this is the key of any interval training - pushing your limits for a short period of time and then recover for the next period of time. The high intensity period should be followed by a slow-down period, when you must select a lower level on your elliptical machine (level four or five will be excellent). Work like this until you feel your heart rate has come back to normal. This will take about 2-3 minutes.
Repeat the sequence above during your whole interval training elliptical workout. Try increasing the difficulty level you reach during your high intensity session. Beginners will start with level five, but they should step up to level six the next time they begin a high-intensity session. However, when increasing intensity, you should decrease the period of time correspondent to that session. So, if you have been working out at level five for two minutes, you should work at level six for only one minute. Your performance will improve gradually, and then you will be able to work at higher levels, for longer periods of time.
When increasing the speed of your interval training elliptical workout, check if your machine is set to the right endurance level, otherwise you will be pedaling without control. You should pedal at higher speeds for about half a minute, and then return to the lower speed and paddle for the next minute. The whole process should last about half an hour, while you will be alternating between higher speeds and lower speeds.
Elliptical machines' ramps allow you to focus on different muscle groups; you may want to select an interval session involving incline. Start with a one-minute workout in the regular position and then raise the incline and work like this for half a minute. The whole training session should last for half an hour.
As you can see, the interval training elliptical workout allows you to train your body in different ways and it will work great for you, as long as you increase your efforts gradually.
