Welcome to the Get Fit Guys, quick and dirty tips to slim down and shape up.

I'm Ben Greenfield, the Get Fit Guy, and today you're going to learn about whether or not

an elliptical trainer is good for fat loss.

In the episode, which exercise machine burns the most calories, you'll learn that

even though most computers on an elliptical trainer vastly overestimate the number of calories

you actually do burn, you can still get a fantastic fat burning and fitness effect from one of these

things if you use an elliptical trainer that has arm resistance on it. Even better if you also use a

combination of a high cadence and a challenging resistance when using that elliptical trainer.

Now, in this episode, I'm going to give you six other reasons why I am indeed a big fan of the

elliptical trainer. Plus, you'll discover more about why an elliptical trainer is good for improving fitness or boosting fat loss.

Let's jump right in. Here's benefit number one of an elliptical trainer. You have lower joint stress compared to running.

The elliptical trainer was originally designed by an inventor who came up with the idea for the elliptical motion by filming his daughter running alongside

his car, then replicating that running motion in a machine that gave running benefits but put

way less strain on the joints. And he was right. A study at the University of Missouri measured oxygen

utilization, lactic acid formation, heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion

on an elliptical trainer as compared to a treadmill. And they found that the elliptical

exercise was nearly identical to the treadmill in every respect. But the elliptical created

far less joint impact. Benefit number two is the ability to fix weak muscles. Another study compared muscle

activity patterns of the quadriceps and hamstrings in walking on the ground, walking on a treadmill,

stationary bicycling, and the elliptical trainer. And the elliptical trainer produced significantly

greater quadriceps utilization and greater quadriceps

and hamstring coordination than any of the other modes of exercise.

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