Ellipticals are a cardio standby at the gym, and for good reason: they’re a low-impact, full-body exercise machine that can give you a great workout. But if you’re new to the elliptical, it can be hard to know how to start. While “get on and go” is always a classic, you may want a workout that’s more effective, designed with a certain goal in mind — or one that just has enough variety to keep you on the machine without boredom for more than five minutes.
In our quest for a collection of elliptical workouts that’ll cover you no matter what type of cardio workout you’re looking for, PS tapped NASM-certified personal trainer and ACE health coach Brittany Noelle, a NASM-certified personal trainer and ACE health coach whose goal is to help people move pain free by designing workouts for her clients that best suit their lifestyle and unique body. She crafted the below workouts for PS in order to provide a variety of options based on different fitness levels and time commitment levels.
Each training plan has a 2:1 or 1:2 ratio of work to rest, which balances exertion with recovery in order to maximize the effectiveness of the workout. After completing one, you should feel challenged, but not completely drained. If you’re new to the elliptical, Noelle recommends starting with your resistance level at zero; however, if you have more experience, you can choose your usual baseline resistance level and increase from there. Find a balance that works for you and continue to challenge yourself with each workout.
Experts In This Article:
Brittany Noelle is a NASM-certified personal trainer, ACE health coach, content creator, former Equinox Master Instructor, and personal trainer with a passion for weightlifting.
30 Minute Beginner Elliptical Workout
For all of the below workouts, an easy effort level means you should be doing the equivalent of a walking pace. Moderate means a jogging pace, and hard means an all-out sprint. This workout is perfect for elliptical beginners who want a chance to become familiar with the machine.
Warm Up
0-2 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
Round 1: 2:1 Intervals, Resistance
2-3 minutes
Resistance: 2
Effort: Easy
3-5 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
5-6 minutes
Resistance: 2
Effort: Easy
6-8 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
8-9 minutes
Resistance: 2
Effort: Easy
9-11 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
Round 2: 2:1 Intervals, Effort
11-12 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
12-14 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
14-15 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
15-17 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
17-18 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
18-20 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
Round 3: 2:1 Intervals, Combo
20-21 minutes
Resistance: 2
Effort: Moderate
21-23 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
23-24 minutes
Resistance: 2
Effort: Moderate
24-26 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
26-27 minutes
Resistance: 2
Effort: Moderate
27-29 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
Cool Down
29-30 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
60 Minute Advanced Elliptical Workout
If the elliptical is your cardio bestie, you’re going to love this challenging, 60-minute elliptical workout.
Warm Up
0-5 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
Round 1: 3:1 Intervals, Resistance and Effort
5-8 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
8-9 minutes
Resistance: 5
Effort: Easy
9-12 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
12-13 minutes
Resistance: 5
Effort: Easy
13-16 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
16-17 minutes
Resistance: 5
Effort: Easy
17-20 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
20-21 minutes
Resistance: 5
Effort: Easy
Round 2: 2:2 Intervals, Effort
21-23 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
23-25 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
25-27 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
27-29 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
29-31 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
31-33 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
33-35 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
35-37 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
Round 3: 2:2:1 Intervals, Resistance and Effort
37-39 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
39-41 minutes
Resistance: 5
Effort: Moderate
41-42 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
42-44 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
44-46 minutes
Resistance: 5
Effort: Moderate
46-47 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
47-49 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
49-51 minutes
Resistance: 5
Effort: Moderate
51-52 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
Final Push
52-57 minutes
Resistance: 5
Effort: Hard
Cool Down
57-60 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
10 Minute Elliptical Sprint Workout
Whether you want a quick elliptical warm-up or only have time to exercise for ten minutes, you’ll love this sprint.
Warm Up
0-1 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
10-Minute Workout
1-1:30 minutes
Resistance: 2
Effort: Hard
1:30-2:30 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
2:30-3 minutes
Resistance: 2
Effort: Hard
3-4 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
4-4:30 minutes
Resistance: 2
Effort: Hard
4:30-5:30 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
5:30-6 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Hard
6-7 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
7-7:30 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Hard
7:30-8:30 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Moderate
4:30-9 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Hard
Cool Down
9-10 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
15 Minute Glute Burn Elliptical Workout
Who says you need weights to work your butt? For the “moderate” section of this workout, bend low in a squat position on your elliptical – this will really help target those glutes!
Warm Up
0-2 minutes
Resistance: 0
Stance: Normal
Effort: Easy
15-Minute Workout
2-3 minutes
Resistance: 0
Stance: Squat position
Effort: Moderate
3-5 minutes
Resistance: 5
Stance: Normal
Effort: Fast
5-6 minutes
Resistance: 0
Stance: Squat position
Effort: Moderate
6-8 minutes
Resistance: 5
Stance: Normal
Effort: Fast
8-9 minutes
Resistance: 0
Stance: Squat position
Effort: Moderate
9-11 minutes
Resistance: 5
Stance: Normal
Effort: Fast
11-12 minutes
Resistance: 0
Stance: Squat position
Effort: Moderate
12-14 minutes
Resistance: 5
Stance: Normal
Effort: Fast
Cool Down
14-15 minutes
Resistance: 0
Stance: Normal
Effort: Easy
20 Minute Pyramid Elliptical Workout
Depending on how much time you have, you can extend this workout or shorten it: just increase resistance until you’re halfway through your time, then decrease it.
Warm Up
0-2 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
20-Minute Workout
2-3 minutes
Resistance: 1
Effort: Moderate
3-4 minutes
Resistance: 2
Effort: Moderate
4-5 minutes
Resistance: 3
Effort: Moderate
5-6 minutes
Resistance: 4
Effort: Moderate
6-7 minutes
Resistance: 5
Effort: Moderate
7-8 minutes
Resistance: 6
Effort: Moderate
8-9 minutes
Resistance: 7
Effort: Moderate
9-10 minutes
Resistance: 8
Effort: Moderate
10-11 minutes
Resistance: 9
Effort: Moderate
11-12 minutes
Resistance: 8
Effort: Moderate
12-13 minutes
Resistance: 7
Effort: Moderate
13-14 minutes
Resistance: 6
Effort: Moderate
14-15 minutes
Resistance: 5
Effort: Moderate
15-16 minutes
Resistance: 4
Effort: Moderate
16-17 minutes
Resistance: 3
Effort: Moderate
17-18 minutes
Resistance: 2
Effort: Moderate
18-19 minutes
Resistance: 1
Effort: Moderate
Cool Down
19-20 minutes
Resistance: 0
Effort: Easy
Kaley Rohlinger is a freelance writer for PS who focuses on health, fitness, food, and lifestyle content. She has a background in the marketing and communications industry and has written for PS for over four years.
