As with any cardiovascular exercise, warming up before beginning your elliptical workout may aid your muscle recovery. Stretching before elliptical workouts could also help to maximize your performance.
This would apply even more to overweight people or those recovering from injuries. In both cases, the muscles and ligaments likely have tightened due to non-use. Stretching becomes even more critical as it may help prevent injury and further damage in those cases.
As an exercise, using a heavy-duty elliptical provides an excellent, low-impact exercise. Still, it’s essential to do stretches before elliptical workouts.
For athletes or those who are fit, don’t think the elliptical won’t provide an effective workout.
While the elliptical gives you a low-impact workout, it’s well-known to improve stamina and cardio capacity. This depends on the intensity at which you work–a personal goal, if you might. Another advantage of the Elliptical is that it strengthens both the upper and lower body.
Still, for anyone from an overweight person working out for the first time to a professional athlete, stretching before elliptical workouts will enhance your performance and give you the edge you need to push yourself to your maximum.
Benefits of Stretching
It’s long been known that stretching before and after cardio workouts helps with post-exercise muscle recovery. And stretching before elliptical workouts is no exception. In addition, this will improve your flexibility and enhance your range of motion.
A study conducted in 2021 shows that this applies during exercise as well. Although the study was performed on recreational runners, it would likely hold for any cardiovascular exercise.
For recreational runners, stretching during warm-up lowers the running energy cost. This means the training session is more tolerable. (Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Aug)
You should perform dynamic stretches before cardiovascular exercises. These are a series of low-intensity exercises that mimic the upcoming workout. Static stretching, though, is done after your warm-up and after your workout.
Performance may be further improved if you walk while stretching. (Sports Medicine 48(Pt 1), 2018 Feb)
Evidence suggests that high-velocity stretches before elliptical workouts may affect subsequent muscular performance. They’re characterized by exercises that initiate spring-like action within the muscle. However, they’re better suited to professional athletes.
Since stretching for elliptical workouts can release any tightness in the hips, thighs, and buttocks, it reduces the likelihood of injury.
Read on for advice about some excellent pre-elliptical stretches.
Top 5 Pre-Elliptical Stretches
1. Step Stretch
Both the calves and the shins are targeted with this motion. To do a step stretch, stand on a step with your right foot to the back and only the ball of your foot on the platform. As you press your right heel toward the ground, bend your left knee. Before repeating on the opposite side, hold the posture for 30 seconds.
2. Wall Stretches
Because an elliptical workout requires you to use your legs, it’s important to make sure they’re fully warmed up before you start. This motion is easy to do anywhere, anytime and is one of our favorite methods to stretch the calves. Wall stretches are an easy method to do this. To execute a wall stretch, stand before a wall and position your left foot behind your right.
Keep your left leg straight and press your heel into the floor while bending your right knee in a lunge position. Next, straighten your legs until you feel a stretch at the back of your calves. Hold this posture for 30 seconds before switching sides and repeating the stretch.
3. Trunk Rotations
Trunk Rotations increase leg, shoulder, and core strength and flexibility while also raising body temperature. Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor to perform trunk rotations. Place your arms at your sides and press your shoulder blades together while flattening your neck to the floor. Rotate the legs to the left, twisting the body while keeping the right shoulder blade and forearm flat on the floor. Hold the position for 5 minutes before switching sides.
4. Pike Stretch
This exercise focuses on the hamstrings and calves. Reach down and touch your hands in front of your toes while standing with your legs shoulder-width apart. Maintain your hands shoulder-width apart as you walk forward, and keep your knees straight as you make an inverted “V” with your body. This is quite similar to the “downward dog” yoga stretch. Maintain the stretch for 30 seconds with your feet on the floor.
5. Butt Kicks
Butt kicks are one of the most effective ways to warm up your leg muscles while also raising your core body temperature. Butt kicks also warm up the legs while increasing body warmth. Butt kicks are performed by bending your knee and kicking your lower leg behind you such that your heel touches your glutes.
Stretching Before Elliptical – Summary
Although elliptical machines decrease impact damage to your leg joints, you still work out using muscular strength. Muscle injuries may result as a result of this. Stretching improves flexibility, and stretching the right muscle groups is crucial for guaranteeing your safety when using an elliptical trainer.
Warming up properly helps you to run faster and leap higher by increasing muscle temperature, endurance, and speed. It also improves your range of motion and emotionally warms you up, boosting drive and attention.
Related Articles:
- How to Burn More Calories on the Elliptical?
- How Much Does an Elliptical Weigh?
- How to Disassemble an Elliptical Machine? [Easy Steps]
