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Cross training with kettlebells and ellipticals

October 24, 2013

To really achieve the maximum benefits from physical fitness, it’s important to cross train. This involves participating in both cardiovascular and strength building workouts, whether you follow one after the other or alternate days.

Cross training ensures that your entire body, from your muscles and heart to your internal organs and brain, is in great shape. You’ll be stronger mentally and physically with both cardio and strength training, which can be achieved with home fitness equipment. Additionally, the more stable your muscles are, the better form you’ll have when performing cardio. You need solid leg muscles to keep you moving and a stable core to keep proper stance and form.

An excellent option for cross training is to work out on a home elliptical machine along with kettlebells. Combining kettlebells with an elliptical is a stellar way to ensure you’re maximizing your physical fitness and getting in the best possible shape.

Training with Kettlebells
A kettlebell is a cast-iron cannonball-shaped weight with a handle used for strength training. This aids are swung and lifted to create a dynamic workout that also provides cardiovascular and range-of-motion effects for the entire body.

When working out with this equipment, you are in constant motion, burning a large amount of calories and increasing your heart rate. The frequent swinging motion with a kettlebell also works to amp up your muscle performance.

Aside from swinging, you can also perform traditional bicep curls, squats, shoulder presses, lunges and other strength exercises with a kettlebell.

Training with an elliptical
In addition to strength training, aerobic exercise is major component of a fitness plan. After working out with kettlebells (whether it’s right after or during the following day) you can cross train on elliptical fitness equipment, like a True PS300 Home Elliptical Trainer.

Elliptical exercise machines are great options for someone who wants a strenuous cardio workout with less impact on the joints. Because you moves in a ski-like motion, there’s minimal stress put in the knees and ankles. You can still burn calories and get a challenging cardio workout without having to worry about being in pain afterward.

To reap the most benefits from an elliptical workout, you’ll want to create a plan. You can increase the resistance to make the movement more challenging or alternate the speeds at which you move. For a workout with varying resistance levels, you can climb hills. Put the resistance level higher when going uphill, then lower it as you go downhill. Alternative between high and low resistance levels for the duration of your workout. Intervals are another great training option, as this will require you engage in sprints alternating with regular cardio to push your calorie burning even more.