Duration exercise

Elliptical form, muscles worked, and workout tracking

The elliptical is a low-impact cardio machine that moves the legs through a smooth gliding stride while the arms push and pull moving handles, working the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and upper body. Exercisers use it for joint-friendly aerobic conditioning and calorie burn, and it is a common choice for cross-training or cardio during lower-body injury recovery because there is no ground impact.

Elliptical illustration

How to do Elliptical

  1. 1Step onto the pedals, grip the moving handles, and select a resistance that lets you move smoothly.
  2. 2Stand tall with your core braced and your weight centered over your feet rather than leaning on the console.
  3. 3Drive through your whole foot and coordinate the arm push-pull with each stride.
  4. 4Breathe steadily and hold a pace where conversation is possible for aerobic work, or raise resistance in intervals for harder sessions.
  5. 5Avoid letting your heels float or your hips rock side to side; ease the pace for the final few minutes to cool down.

Track Elliptical in Plates

Save this movement to a workout template, log sets and rest periods, and keep your training history in one focused gym tracker.