3 Reasons to Avoid Elliptical Machines
Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog
Wow, did the latest Men’s Health magazine ever “give it” to elliptical machines! Here are 3 reasons to avoid elliptical machines…
On page 52 of the December issue, Men’s Health warns…
“Never trust elliptical machines”
They quote a study that found elliptical machines over-estimated the number of calories burned in a workout by 31%!
Ouch.
So if your “elliptical cardio workout” burned 400 calories, the truth is you really burned closer to only 300 calories.
But as shocking as that is, there’s something even better…and fits what I’ve been saying about elliptical machines for years - that they are a joke for fat burning.
Reason #2 to Avoid Elliptical Machines:
Biggest Loser Knows the Elliptical Machine is a Joke
Later in the Dec. issue, Men’s Health magazine interviewed Biggest Loser contestant Ed Brantley. Ed lost 73 pounds on the show, but had this to say about elliptical machines…
“I hated the elliptical. It was too easy, I didn’t feel like I was doing anything.”
Exactly.
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
But that’s EXACTLY why elliptical machines are so popular…
Reason #3 to Avoid Elliptical Machines:
The third reason elliptical machines are inferior for fat loss is because they fail my “human nature” test.
Put it this way…
Take 100 people and put them in a gym with 100 treadmills and 100 elliptical machines.
Tell them they have to exercise for 30 minutes at a hard pace, and they have the choice to use either the treadmill or the elliptical.
Guess where 90% of folks are going?
The elliptical!
Why?
Because it is human nature to take the EASY WAY out. And that is why elliptical machines are so busy at the gym and you rarely see anyone doing intervals on a treadmill or bodyweight circuits in the corner of the gym.
Using the elliptical machine allows us to say we “worked out”, but without getting any REAL work done.
So if you are stuck at a fat loss plateau, and you’ve been counting on the elliptical machine to help you out, then forget it.
That’s the hard truth,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
PS - Men’s Health also featured a 3 exercise workout from me in the December issue…
…just head to page 64 to check it out. It contains one of my favorite bodyweight exercises that you’ll also find in the new Turbulence Training Bodyweight Fat Burning Solution package.
=> Click here for the Bodyweight Cardio DVD’s
Dump the elliptical and try bodyweight cardio instead.
