Cross Trainer Workouts

suze1984

I purchased a cross trainer a few weeks ago with the manual settings 1-8.

I used to love using the cross trainers in the gym but these had things like hill settings where you just put the time in and it adjusted the levels you were working at on its own. Since my cross trainer is more of a manual one I was wondering how you guys managed to get some sort of consistency in your training? Id love to be able to print something off the net but cannot find anything

Thanks, Suzanne x

jenniewb

I do interval training on the elliptical machine (what I call a cross trainer).

First find your max level where your keeping up a speed of 130 rpm and find this difficult. This we will call level X.
Next half level X (we will call this level Y). If that feels too easy, increase this.

Repeat the following.

2 mins level X, 1 min level Y. Repeat for 15 mins. If you find it gets easier, increase the levels, if you find you cannot keep up- this is what you need to aim for.

Another form of interval training is done with speed. Find a level which feels hard but not impossible. It wouldn't be as easy as level Y above but not as hard as level X. Somewhere inbetween. (e.g my level X is 16, my level Y is 10. For this exercise I'd go for either 11 or 14 depending on how I felt that day.)

Start at a speed of between 120-130 rpm and do this for 1-2 mins (depending on how you feel)
Then go for 40 seconds to 60 seconds at a speed of above 180. If you can get this above 220 your away! You may find you want to reduce a level at this point but dont! The point is to go as fast as you can, it will vary from person to person and if your not able to get to 180rpm then this is something to aim for, but if your not able to go above level 15 then maybe reduce the level until you can.

You can play about with intervals as much as you want- build your own hill, this is also a specific type of training but you have to be on the ball as I'd imagine its possible to slip into taking the easy way out like this! I used to put on some music and at the chorus, speed up as much as possible then come back to a normal speed with the verses. (This worked very well 'til, I remembered I had a long, long DJ'd song on an it was an hour long...! kept thinking to myself 'it will finish soon' and it just went on and on...! I got a good workout though )

A little note though- make sure you are properly hydrated and if you find something impossible or feel any physical pain which is new, get it checked out. You only get one body!

And another- machines vary as to how they are made. In one gym I go to, the machines (Techno Gym') measure per each foot. So I move at 130. But at another gym the machine ('Life Fitness') does measures differently and my 130 speed becomes 65. Its really about knowing which maching you have and what it advises as to speed and pace. This should be in the handbook.

suze1984

Thanks for that! Ill sort the old ipod out tonight then start tomorrow night ill try and get some sort of consistency going as it sounds like its a better idea!

Thanks again