History

• General Motors employee Larry D. Miller invented the original elliptical machine after he filmed his daughter running alongside his car and he noticed the elliptical-shaped motion in which her legs engaged. He later sold his invention to Precor, Inc. The company developed his idea into its hugely popular line of EFX ellipticals.
  
  The first elliptical involved the lower body only. The manufacturing company Smooth Fitness introduced the first total body elliptical cross trainer in 1997. Handles were connected to the pedals allowing the user to push and pull with all four limbs. Today, there are more than 100 different models of ellipticals in use.
  
  

Use

• Because there are so many different types of elliptical available today, it is impossible to say exactly which muscles are used. There are a few things to keep in mind. For example, if you use a model without handlebars, you activate only the muscles in your lower body. Or if you choose not to hold onto the handlebars of a model that has them, you engage your core muscles as well as your leg muscles, but your leg muscles will not receive as much of a workout. The reason for this is because you need energy to keep your body upright without any kind of support, energy that you would otherwise have used for your legs. And if you hold onto the handlebars, your core muscles will not receive much of a workout, but your arms, back, legs and glutes will.
  
  

The Inventor's Intention

• This woman is doing a bicep exercise with weights, which is anaerobic.
  
  Using an elliptical, you will get a cardiovascular workout. In Larry D. Miller's 2004 patent, the following words are used: "Elliptical exercise devices provide a low impact aerobic form of exercise in which a user's feet move along a generally elliptical path of travel, which simulates a natural running and stepping motion." The machine was clearly designed to provide aerobic exercise, not anaerobic, which is the type of exercise that builds muscle. This is why it really does not matter which muscles are exercised when using this method. Only if you are very deconditioned are you likely to build any muscle.
  
  

Muscles Exercised

• If you are using a very basic elliptical and you are standing upright, holding onto stationary handlebars, you will exercise your glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves lightly. If you are not standing upright but bending forward, your glutes will get more of a workout and your quads hardly any. As mentioned earlier, if you don't hold onto anything, you will engage your core muscles, also known as your deep abs. If you are using a machine with moving handlebars, many muscles in your upper body will achieve a workout as well: your biceps, triceps, rear delts, lats, trapezius and pecs, primarily. The muscle that will by far receive the hardest workout is your heart.
  
  

Misconceptions

• Just about every manufacturer of elliptical trainers boasts about what a great, all-encompassing exercise device it is. The Elliptical Trainers website posts a comparison of ellipticals versus treadmills, where it claims that not only will your arms be toned in no time but so will your flabby derriere--if you add enough resistance. However, unless you have been sick and bedridden for a year, this will not happen. To tone your body, you need to build muscle. When you have worked yourself up to the highest level of intensity and can stay there for, say, at least 10 minutes, you are doing aerobic exercise, not anaerobic. Hence your heart will be incredibly strong and fit, but your arms and legs won't be very toned.