But are what are the real benefits it has to offer? We bring you our top three most frequent questions about the cross trainer.
Generally speaking, when you use a cross trainer you are working your arm and leg muscles (quadriceps, calves, hamstrings), and your glutes. You can tone the whole of your body when combining a cross-trainer session with muscle strengthening exercises.
The effectiveness of your cross-trainer session can often be measured by the number of calories you burn. The first thing to be aware of is that the more you work your muscles, the more energy you will expend.
Your workout will be more effective if you keep your hands on the moving handles rather than the fixed handlebar, because that way you'll be engaging your biceps and triceps.
You also need to choose your cross trainer carefully because the scale of the elliptical movement your machine makes impacts on the muscle groups it works and therefore on the number of calories burned in each session.
Unfortunately, there's no way of working specifically on any one part of your body that you might be unhappy with.
What you can do, though, is try things like back pedalling. It's been shown that it works the arms, and the triceps brachii in particular, harder.
It's also important to get in the right position on the cross trainer. The more you keep your back straight and engage your muscles, the more you will work your abdominal muscles right the way through your sessions.
If you want to target the internal abdominal muscles and the thighs, try pedalling with your knees bent at 90°.
You now know everything there is to know about the benefits a cross trainer can have for your body. Don't forget, though, that the key to success is being consistent. Two 45-minute sessions a week, leaving a couple of days in between, are recommended to achieve genuine results. We can also offer you a four-week training programme to help you stay motivated.
