The elliptical machine is one of the best fitness inventions to come around in recent history. It’s got the sweet combination of allowing you to work as hard as you want while keeping it all completely low-impact. You will see everyone from serious athletes to those recovering from injuries on these machines, and for good reason: there are tons of benefits to elliptical workouts.

Benefits of Using The Elliptical

• Gives you a low-impact cardio workout that’s easier on your joints
• Accessible enough that all fitness levels can participate; even if you’re getting back into exercise after an injur
• Works your total body
• Helps improve balance and mobility
• Offers quick workouts for busy days.

It’s clear we love elliptical workouts, but like any form of cardio, variety is the key to keeping it fresh and fun—and keeping your body challenged. You can’t just hop on the machine every day and go at a steady state expecting to lose weight, tone up, or change your body. Plus, we’ve been there/done that, and it gets BORING! Yes, the console probably has several elliptical workout programs for you to try, but if you are looking for something new or different, we’ve got three intense, calorie-burning workouts for you to choose from.

3 Elliptical Workouts For Weight Loss

In order to keep challenging you body (and prevent boredom) you simply need to vary your incline and your resistance. Almost all ellipticals offer a ramp or incline which simulates the sensation of going up a hill—this is the incline—and this helps work your glutes and legs. You can also up your resistance to increase your effort and calorie burn. And lastly, you can change what you’re doing on the elliptical by changing the direction you’re pedaling.

We’ve utilized these tactics to give you three interval-based, calorie-burning elliptical workouts to help you lose weight. These workouts are designed to make your elliptical time a little more interesting, and a little more challenging to work different muscle groups and keep you on your toes. Find the elliptical workout that matches your needs and timeframe below. They go from 15 minutes to 20 minutes and lastly, a 30-minute elliptical routine. Plus, we made all of the elliptical workouts printable! Just click on the workout, print and take it with you to the gym or your home machine.

Lunch Time Calorie Crunch Elliptical Workout

When you only have 15-minutes, you need an elliptical workout that gets your heart rate up and torches calories fast. Enter: Our Lunch Time Calorie Crunch. Changing up the resistance and incline often in this quick workout helps you make the most of your time. (By using varying inclines and resistance levels, you move your heart rate through different zones.) Plus, you’ll alternate between pedaling backwards and forwards which helps you work all your leg muscles in one workout. This 15-minute workout will let you get in and get out while burning calories in record time.

Related: 4 Treadmill Workouts To Beat Boredom

20-Minute Tabata Elliptical Workout

Have 20-minutes to spare? Then you’ll love this Tabata elliptical routine. This workout gives the elliptical a fresh spark using the tabata interval training technique. Tabata is a form of HIIT: High Intensity Interval Training. By going as hard as you can for 20 seconds and then resting for 10 seconds several times in a row, you keep your brain busy and your heart pumping. The incline remains 5.0 the entire workout, but the resistance and the pace or speed at which you push changes. So have fun and enjoy the ride!

Go Big Interval Challenge Elliptical Workout

This 30-minute interval challenge will rev your metabolism and make the time fly as you change your resistance and use speed intervals to crank up your metabolism. Pay attention to the column on the right that says “feeling” and adjust the speed you pedal to match that feeling. Try to vary the forward and backward motion between the intervals to keep all your leg muscles working evenly.

And that’s it! Try one of these interval-style elliptical workouts and let us know how you liked them. When you want to increase your calorie burn and decrease workout boredom, these can become your new best friends.