Remember the shake weight? Remember how ridiculous its claims were and remember how even more ridiculous someone looked using it? Even through all of its ridiculous antidotes, it still was a hit. People will try just about anything it seems. Remember the Thighmaster and Sketcher’s Shape Ups – geez, don’t even get me started on the Shape Ups. Seriously, one of the worst ideas ever.
Well, there is something even more common around the fitness world that people use the wrong way causing a lot of wasted time spent using this piece of equipment. Maybe you already know what I may be referring to as it has come up in conversation before about effective ways to use this piece of equipment to its full advantage while at the gym.
Sporteluxe sat down with celebrity personal trainer and holistic nutritionist Kara Griffin, who shared how and why most people are going about their cardio all wrong.
‘If I could toss out any exercise or piece of equipment it’d be the elliptical. If you want to use it to catch up on your favorite magazines or TV shows then all the power to you, but if you’re looking to it for an intense workout it’s going to be less effective. Even when the resistance is up for more intense cardio and muscular endurance, users frequently misalign their upper body to accommodate the extra lower body work. If the resistance is low, you might as well be taking a walk on flat ground!’
-Kara Griffin
“Noted: If you want to catch up on Scandal, hit the elliptical. But if you actually want to get a workout in, ditch it. Many people are attracted to the elliptical because it’s touted as a low-impact cardio option. Here’s the thing: Unless you have some serious injuries and joint pain, your body actually needs high-impact exercise in order to improve bone density and strengthen skeletal muscle. If you’re injury-free, go for a jog or run on the treadmill instead.
If you have chronic joint pain, try the stationary bike and play with the resistance and speed (just like you would in a spin class). Or, opt for a no-impact HIIT workout using weights and resistance exercises—studies show that dynamic weight lifting is just as good for heart health as cardio!”
Check out some very effective EBOOST workouts here and here.
