Spring is here, the weather is gorgeous, and we’re all ready to enjoy some fresh air! But how can you bask in the beautiful outdoors when you’re at the gym? Adventure Fitness Athletic Club has the answer — our ElliptiGO classes!
Starting May 3, 2021, AFAC will have ElliptiGO classes at our Thornton, CO, gym on the following days and times:
Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m. with Jamie
Tuesdays, 6:00 p.m. with Chris
Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. with Chris
Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. with Jamie (starting May 22)
Open to all levels
Riding an ElliptiGO is a great alternative for people who can no longer run because it’s a low-impact workout that allows you to build cardiovascular fitness. You’ll work up a sweat on the ElliptiGO as you power the smooth, elliptical motion while being gentle on your back, hips, knees, and ankles.
Best of all, you’ll be outside with all your friends from Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, having a bunch of laughs and taking in the breathtaking scenery. Are you ready to ElliptiGO? Sign up on MINDBODY or our gym classes page. You can also speak to any member of our staff for assistance.
We hope to see you there!
What is ElliptiGO?
The ElliptiGO is a machine that’s similar to a bicycle because it has two wheels, two pedals, and handlebars with brakes and gears, but the similarities pretty much end there. That’s because the ElliptiGO is carefully designed to emulate the essence of running. The inventors of the ElliptiGO closely studied the stride length and recovery stroke of runners and perfected this machine to feel much more like running than a standard elliptical machine.
The result is a device that delivers an experience that feels like running, but without the pounding of a run. It’s basically like running on air! It also gives you the joy of cycling outdoors, sans the discomfort of being hunched over handlebars and sitting on a hard seat.
Whether you’re an experienced athlete or a beginner, ElliptiGOs are great for people of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels. People who have aching joints from activities like running, jogging, and skiing love the ElliptiGO because it can deliver an intense exercise that’s non-impact.
Do you want to go 20 miles an hour? It’s possible! Climb and descend hills? Absolutely. Round corners while pedaling? Easy peasy. The ElliptiGO is a high-performance machine that will get your heart rate up, burn more calories than bike riding, and allow you to go long distances with no joint pain at all. And, since you’re riding in a standing position, you’ll get to see lots more scenery than you’d ever be able to take in during a bike ride.
Our instructors at AFAC will be happy to show you the ropes and get you comfortable riding an ElliptiGO, and then you can join us for our fun fitness jaunts all summer long.
How do you ride an ElliptiGO? Our gym instructors will show you!
Lots of folks have never tried riding an ElliptiGO before, so it’s natural to feel a little apprehensive during your first ride. One of the best benefits of riding with one of the AFAC instructors is that we will be there to walk you through everything so that you feel completely at ease. Our mission is to help our members live their best, healthiest lives, so we’re excited to assist you during this part of your fitness journey.
While many people worry that they’ll have trouble balancing themselves on an ElliptiGO, most are able to stand up and ride on their first effort. ElliptiGO bikes require about the same amount of balance as any traditional bicycle. Like anything new, it might take a few minutes to get used to riding an ElliptiGO, but most people are able to get comfortable within about 5 minutes. Many are able to ride comfortably within 30 seconds! And all agree that the ElliptiGO is very stable and easy to ride.
ElliptiGO bicycles have the same braking systems you’ll find on road and mountain bikes — hand levers that activate brakes on the front and rear wheels. ElliptiGOs also have speeds and gears like standard bikes. The number of speeds on an ElliptiGO can vary from 3 to 24 gears across the different models. Like a regular bike, you can change ElliptiGO gears by using the shifter on the handlebars.
Mastering the proper body position on the ElliptiGO
Once you get the hang of riding the ElliptiGO, you should try to fine-tune your body positioning to travel across different types of terrain. This helps ensure you’re comfortable riding the ElliptiGO and also that you’re working out most efficiently.
Many people who are used to riding conventional bicycles will unconsciously ride their ElliptiGO in a hunched over position. Others may grip their handlebars too tightly, which can put additional strain on their arms. In order to take advantage of the ergonomic riding position of the ElliptiGO and get a total lower-body workout, make sure to:
- Stand up straight and keep your hands and arms relaxed.
- Keep your upper body and weight centered over your legs and feet and use your core muscles, not your hands and arms, for balance.
- Keep your toes and heels in contact with the pedaling platform throughout the pedaling cycle and avoid toeing up on the platforms.
Going up hills on the ElliptiGO
Once you’ve mastered riding the ElliptiGO on flat terrain, you can move on to conquering hills.
When riding the ElliptiGO up a hill, adjust your body and foot positioning to lean slightly into the hill. Also shift your feet backwards onto the platforms. This will engage your gluteal muscles to propel you up the hill. You can also shift one or both hands to the bar ends to better your position your body to go up the hill. For your safely, however, make sure you can quickly shift your hands back to the brakes and shifter as needed.
Benefits of ElliptiGO riding
ElliptiGO bikes are the product of years of research and testing. It all started in 2005 when former Marine and Ironman Bryan Pate lost his ability to run for exercise. This inspired him to come up with a machine that didn’t exist yet — a low-impact device that allowed outdoor running. He partnered with Ironman triathlete, ultramarathoner, and mechanical engineer Brent Teal to start working on prototypes. The first ElliptiGO model hit the market in 2010 and a few weeks later, running legend Dean Karnazes rode his ElliptiGO 188 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles in five days. He then ran the LA Marathon the next morning.
Since the first ElliptiGO was sold, the benefits of these hybrid cycling machines have become clear:
- Everyone loves them—ElliptiGOs are loved by current and former runners, fitness enthusiasts, world-class athletes, and people of all backgrounds who simply like to exercise outside.
- They’re better than running—ElliptiGOs deliver a time-efficient workout that dramatically reduces stress on the body and the likelihood of injury. ElliptiGOs also engage the full body, unlike running which is more of a lower-body exercise.
- They’re better than cycling—EliptiGOs burn 33% more calories than traditional bicycles. ElliptiGOs also provide a full-body workout without the seat, neck, back, and wrist pain that’s common with traditional cycling.
- They’re better than indoor elliptical machines—The ElliptiGO allows outdoor exercise and also emulates the stride length and recovery stroke of runners. The range of motion on an ElliptiGO is almost half a foot longer than standard elliptical machines, making the ElliptiGO experience much more similar to running.
- They burn lots of calories—ElliptiGO workouts burn a lot of calories. University of California research showed that riding an ElliptiGO burns 33% more calories than riding a traditional bicycle at the same speed, and study participants burned more than 1,000 calories per hour when riding an ElliptiGO bike.
- They work multiple muscle groups efficiently—The unique architecture of ElliptiGOs develop muscles in your glutes and legs more efficiently than conventional bikes.
- … Including your core—To maintain balance and adjust to changing outdoor conditions (wind, roads, other riders, vehicles, etc.), riding an ElliptiGO works your core more than standard indoor elliptical machines.
- You can enjoy outdoor views—Your head on an ElliptiGO is in the same natural position it’s in when you’re running so you can go extended distances (10, 20, or more miles!) and see things that you’d never see on a run or bike ride.
- Your workouts can be longer—Because the ElliptiGO is so fun and comfortable to use, you can get a heart-pumping cardio workout that lasts for longer than other cardio workouts that you might dread due to boredom or fatigue.
- You won’t get any joint pain—You can go as many miles as you want with no joint pain at all.
Don’t Miss This Chance to Try ElliptiGOs at Our Thornton Gym
Now’s your chance to ride an ElliptiGO — the exercise machine that’s been featured by countless media outlets including Good Morning America, the New York Times, Runner’s World, Shape, and the Wall Street Journal. ElliptiGOs have also become a trusted training tool for Olympic athletes, elite athletes, many celebrities, and more than 300 high school and university teams.
Adventure Fitness Athletic Club is excited to offer this opportunity to our members, so we hope you’ll sign up for our ElliptiGO classes and have a blast with us. We’re committed to being the best gym for all our members and the entire Thornton community.
To sign up for ElliptiGO classes, go to MINDBODY or our gym classes page. If you have any questions about our ElliptiGO classes, please don’t hesitate to talk to anyone on our team. You can also contact our gym owner, Susan at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club for assistance.
To read more articles from Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, check out our Adventure Corner blogs by clicking here.