It seems that every time you go to the gym, you see people flocking to the elliptical machines. And it’s no wonder why these people are so attracted to this particular workout equipment. After all, elliptical machines provide a great cardio workout that can help you burn a lot of calories in a short period of time.
But what many people don’t realize is that elliptical machines can also be great for toning your legs and thighs. So, if you’re looking to slim down your thighs, then you should definitely consider incorporating elliptical workouts into your routine.
Not sure how to go about doing this? Then check out this guide on how to use elliptical to slim thighs. In it, we’ll provide tips and tricks on making the most out of your elliptical workouts so that you can achieve the toned thighs you’ve been wanting.
Table of Contents
Performing Aerobics with Your Elliptical Trainer
It’s a must that you start performing aerobics exercises as soon as you step onto your elliptical. Performing aerobics exercises will work on your muscle and raise your heart rate. Your muscles will also get firmed and tightened. If you keep performing this type of exercise on your elliptical on a regular basis, your thighs and hips will get thinner gradually.
Activating The Muscles
Multiple lower and upper body muscles will get activated through an elliptical workout. Certain muscles in your thighs and the hips are the tensor fascia lata, hamstrings, glutes, and the quadriceps. All these muscles will get a tighter and more toned look if you keep working on the elliptical. If you keep working out on your elliptical, the triceps muscles of the back of your arms, the latissimus dorsi muscle in the back, and the deltoid muscles on the shoulders will also get activated.
Elevating Your Metabolism
After you are done performing the exercise on your elliptical, your metabolism will remain elevated. The more elevated your metabolism will be, the more you will burn your calories around the clock, and your thighs and hips will get further slim. Your metabolism will get boosted depending on how hard you are training on the elliptical.
Disciplining Yourself
It is important to have discipline while trying to burn fat. Working out on your elliptical irregularly will not help you burn much fat on your thighs and hips. It’s better to follow a dedicated schedule for your elliptical workouts. It is recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine to carry out physical activities for at least 30 minutes, and that too for five days per week. If you are looking forward to losing weight, you’ll need to double the exercise time and workout 60 minutes daily.
Working Out With Intervals
An important method for your elliptical training is interval training, which will involve your high to low back and forth intensity. If you keep doing this on your elliptical, it will speed up the process of losing fat. You can try starting your workouts with light warm-up sessions, and then you can follow a 1:2 ratio of high to low-intensity workouts for the remainder of your session. For instance, you can try gliding fast for about 30 seconds at first and then try gliding slowly for another 60 seconds. Ellipticals come with a resistance adjustment that you can turn up for high-intensity bouts and back down for low-intensity bouts.
Keeping Good Form
Suppose you can’t keep a good form while working out on your elliptical. In that case, it will compromise the chances of getting your desired results and increase the chances of developing muscle imbalances. While gliding on your elliptical, ensure that you keep your shoulders back, your abs tight, and your eyes are looking forward. Also, ensure that your hands are kept about the height of your chest on the poles and that your leg muscles are fully activated.
Not Overeating
To lose fat on your thighs and hips, it’s also important to have a look at the food you are having and maintain a specific diet. If you keep overeating continuously, all the hard work that you did on your elliptical will be ruled out. The best approach you can go for is reducing the daily calorie intake so that you can create a deficit in your body. You can lose about 1 pound weekly if you reduce your calorie intake by 500 daily.
Keeping Your Feet Flat
Make sure to pay attention to your feet when you are on your elliptical. You will need to push through the pedals through your whole foot, including your heel, so that more muscles can get activated throughout the legs. It’s important for both burning calories and building muscles. If you push through just using your toes, it won’t help much in burning calories.
Final Words
Nothing can help you more in getting your thighs slim the way you want than working out on the elliptical. You can use your elliptical to slim your thighs in your desired manner, but you will need to follow certain rules while doing so. If you fail to take these certain measures into account, you won’t be able to get your desired results. So, ensure that you follow the abovementioned guidelines properly while using the elliptical to slim your thighs. This way, you’ll also be able to burn more calories and boost your metabolism in an adequate manner.
