What Muscles Does the Elliptical Work?

Key Takeaways

• The elliptical provides a comprehensive full-body workout, simultaneously targeting glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves for optimal lower body strength development.
• Upper body engagement includes chest, shoulders, biceps, triceps, and back muscles through proper handle utilization, creating balanced muscle activation.
• Core stabilization muscles including rectus abdominis, obliques, and erector spinae are continuously activated to maintain proper posture and balance throughout your workout.
• SOLE Fitness ellipticals feature advanced engineering with flywheel weights up to 32 lbs and up to 40 resistance levels, delivering superior muscle engagement compared to standard home ellipticals.

What are the Benefits of Using Ellipticals?

Ellipticals combine the benefits of running, cycling, and stair climbing into one low-impact cardiovascular exercise. These versatile fitness machines feature dual-action handles and foot pedals that move in an elliptical pattern, creating a natural gliding motion that mimics walking or running without the joint stress. 

The simultaneous upper and lower body movement makes ellipticals exceptional for full-body conditioning while remaining gentle on knees, hips, and ankles. Ellipticals are a popular choice for both cardio and muscle engagement, offering a full-body workout that targets a variety of muscle groups. 

Types of Muscles Ellipticals Work On

Upper Body Muscles

Chest

When you push the handles forward, you're working your chest muscles, which activates the pectorals, providing a good workout for the front of your upper body.

Shoulders

The shoulder muscles, including the deltoids, are engaged when you use the elliptical handles, helping to tone and strengthen the shoulders over time. Maintaining proper form ensures that your shoulders are engaged throughout the workout.

Arms

The back and forth movement of your elliptical machine handle engages your arm muscles. 

Your arms muscles get full engagement when using an elliptical. Your triceps and biceps also get a workout when you pull the handles towards you, your biceps are engaged. Conversely, pushing the handles away works your triceps. This dual action ensures that both muscle groups are activated.

Back

The rhomboids and latissimus dorsi muscles in your back are engaged when you pull the handles towards you. As such, you strengthen your upper back, improving posture and overall strength.

Elliptical machines help you build your back muscles through active motion during your exercise routines.

Lower Body Muscles

Glutes

The gluteal muscles, or glutes, are heavily engaged when you use the elliptical.

When you increase the resistance or incline of an elliptical, you actively engage your gluteal muscles. Pushing down on the pedals activates the glutes, helping to tone and strengthen this muscle group.

Quads

Your quadriceps, or quads, are the muscles at the front of your thighs; they’re activated every time you push down on the pedals. Increasing the resistance can further enhance the workout for your quads. For example, our SOLE ellipticals come with varying levels of incline and resistance that you can adjust to get the best lower body workout.

• E25: 20 lbs flywheel weight, 20 resistance levels, 20 incline levels
• E35: 25 lbs flywheel weight, 20 resistance levels, 20 incline levels
• E95: 27 lbs flywheel weight, 20 resistance levels, 20 incline levels
• E95S: 30 lbs flywheel weight, 20 resistance levels, N/A incline levels
• E98: 32 lbs flywheel weight, 40 resistance levels, 20 incline levels

Hamstrings

The hamstring muscles at the back of your thighs work in conjunction with your glutes during the elliptical motion. These muscles are particularly engaged during the pulling phase of each stride, helping to create the smooth, fluid movement that ellipticals are known for.

Calves

Your calves, or gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, are also activated when you use the elliptical.

Every time you push down on the pedals of an elliptical, your calve muscles are engaged, helping to tone and strengthen the lower part of your legs.

Other Core Muscles Engaged 

While the elliptical primarily targets the upper and lower body, it also engages your core muscles.

Core muscles are essential for maintaining balance and proper posture during your workout. (Image courtesy of Fitpage)

Rectus Abdominis

The rectus abdominis, commonly known as the "six-pack" muscles, are engaged as you maintain an upright posture, helping to stabilize your torso and improve core strength.

Obliques

Your oblique muscles, located on the sides of your abdomen, are also engaged during an elliptical workout. These muscles help with twisting and turning motions, contributing to a well-rounded core workout.

Erector Spinae

The erector spinae muscles, which run along your spine, are activated to help maintain an upright posture, strengthening your back and also improving overall stability and balance.

Tips for Maximizing Muscle Engagement

Proper Form

Maintaining proper form is crucial for engaging the right muscles; keep your back straight, shoulders relaxed, and avoid leaning on the handles. This ensures that your muscles are working efficiently and reduces the risk of injury.

Adjusting Resistance and Incline

One of the best ways to maximize muscle engagement is by adjusting the resistance and incline settings on your elliptical. Increasing the resistance makes your muscles work harder, while adjusting the incline targets different muscle groups. For example, a higher incline will engage your glutes and hamstrings more.

Incorporating Interval Training

Interval training involves alternating between periods of high intensity and low intensity, boosting your cardiovascular fitness and engaging different muscle groups. Try incorporating short bursts of high resistance followed by periods of lower resistance to keep your muscles challenged.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Poor Posture

Slouching or leaning on the handles can reduce the effectiveness of your workout and increase the risk of injury. Always maintain an upright posture with your shoulders relaxed and your core engaged.

Ignoring Resistance Settings

Using the same resistance setting for every workout can lead to a plateau, so it's essential to vary the resistance to keep your muscles challenged and to continue making progress.

Not Using Handles Properly

Failing to use the handles correctly can result in an incomplete workout.

When you use an elliptical, make sure to push and pull the handles to engage your upper body muscles effectively. Failing to do this would lead to an incomplete workout routine.

Experience Superior Muscle Engagement with SOLE Ellipticals

SOLE ellipticals provide the advanced features and customization options necessary to support your evolving fitness, from beginner-friendly settings to commercial-grade performance capabilities.

No matter if you choose our affordable E25 with its 20-level incline system or our premium E98 with 40 resistance levels and 13.3" touchscreen, you're investing in equipment designed to deliver maximum muscle engagement and lasting results. 

If you already have a SOLE elliptical, try incorporating our tips and techniques to maximize your muscle engagement and enhance your workout.

Transform your home fitness routine with SOLE Fitness, where innovative engineering meets your fitness aspirations.

Check out our ellipticals today!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is the elliptical effective for weight loss?

Yes, the elliptical is highly effective for weight loss. The combination of cardiovascular exercise and muscle engagement creates an optimal calorie-burning environment, helping you lose weight when combined with proper nutrition. 

To maximize weight loss, incorporate interval training and progressively increase resistance settings to maintain challenging workouts that prevent metabolic adaptation.

Can I build significant muscle mass with the elliptical?

While the elliptical primarily provides cardiovascular benefits, it effectively engages and tones various muscle groups throughout your body. The resistance training aspect helps develop muscular endurance and definition rather than bulk. 

For optimal muscle development, combine elliptical training with resistance exercises and ensure adequate protein intake to support muscle recovery and growth.

How many calories can I burn during an elliptical session?

Calorie burn varies based on body weight, workout intensity, resistance level, and session duration. Generally, a 155-lb person burns approximately 335 calories during a 30-minute moderate-intensity session, while vigorous workouts can burn 400+ calories. 

Using higher resistance, incorporating intervals, and engaging upper body handles significantly increases caloric expenditure and metabolic benefits.

Should I always use the handles during elliptical workouts?

Using handles provides comprehensive upper body engagement, working chest, shoulders, arms, and back muscles for a complete full-body workout. 

However, occasionally exercising without handles challenges core stability and balance while allowing focus on lower body muscle development. Alternate between handle and non-handle sessions based on your specific fitness goals and workout variety needs.

What makes SOLE ellipticals superior for muscle engagement compared to other brands?

SOLE ellipticals feature heavier flywheels (up to 32 lbs), more resistance levels (up to 40), and advanced incline capabilities that create superior muscle engagement opportunities. 

Our Worm Drive pedal adjustment system on select models allows personalized foot positioning, reducing discomfort while maximizing muscle activation. 

Additionally, our power-adjustable stride lengths accommodate different body types for optimal biomechanics and muscle recruitment patterns.