I used to eschew the elliptical trainer. I'd look at the folks going through the motions on these machines as if they were lazy. Then a hectic work schedule , a pile of stress, and a decade old high jumping injury (more glamorous than it sounds!) led to an outrageously bad case of sciatica. Even after a week of rest and chiropractic care I still couldn't run. I couldn't really bike either. I definitely couldn't row. But I was keen to get back at it and there was that row of ellipticals, staring me in the face. It didn't hurt either that the fancy LCD screen sported a reasonably attractive fitness model smiling happily back at me when I approached for a closer look. After familiarizing myself with the controls I decided to try a 30:30 program--a warm-up followed by alternating 30 second WI and RI. I set it for 4 intervals, a total workout time of 7 minutes including the warm up, and hit go.

It was, well, epic. I was all wrong about ellipticals! These machines are phenomenal at creating a level of post-workout pain that is hard to rival. Can't wait, can you?

• E1. 1:1interval. This is basically the 30:30 workout above only with longer intervals. Start with a 1 min RI at a level that is relatively easy--if your machine has wattage you can use a level that produces about the same wattage as your biking RIs do. Remember, you'll also have to choose a cadence (RPM) to set as a minimum thresh-hold. I suggest initially choosing 60 for this and adjusting if 60 just feels way too slow. For your WI, choose a level where that target cadence gets about the same wattage for your WI on the bike, keeping in mind that you may need to fine tune these levels in subsequent workouts. After your 1 min RI, alternate WI and RI, one minute at a time, for 10 minutes. BASELINE WORKOUT. [10 minutes]
• E2. 1:2 interval. Same as E1 except your WI are twice as long, so adjust your WI level accordingly. Since you'll start with a 1 min RI you'll also end with one. If you're feeling good you can add in a 'sprint' during this last minute to just see what you're made of--keep the resistance level where it is and see if you can get the RPM's over 90 for the next 60 seconds! BASELINE WORKOUT. [10 minutes]
• E3. No-Slo-Random-Pro. Some elliptical machines have a random program as part of their program set. You can use this to create a workout similar to TM5. Choose a target cadence {>60] and a starting level (easier than you think!) then start plugging away. The random profile for most ellipticals should indicate an increase in the resistance, and (hopefully) the entire resistance profile will move up and down when you manually increase or decrease it. Remember the rules--be bold, be cocky, and never make it easier! Again, this workout is best done for a longer duration than the interval workouts--15 minutes seems a good minimum time whereas my favorite duration is about half an hour.

Notes:

1. USE YOUR ARMS! These workouts are designed, and most effective, if done on the elliptical machines that incorporate both the running motion and the push/pull arms for the upper body. If you're going all out you will feel it in your thighs, glutes, and most definitely your arms. During some of my most desperate elliptical sessions I became a crazed thrashing beast--using every ounce of will and all the muscles available to me to move those levers and foot platforms through their range of motion at 60 RPM for every last second. Then I walked around in circles weeping like a baby for 15 minutes as most of my body was bathed lactic acid.
2. Other programs. There may be built in programs on your elliptical machine that are very suitable for high intensity work. Don't be afraid to experiment, but remember--keep it short and keep it hard! Any program, when paired with a target cadence (RPM), can be used effectively as a baseline workout because the level itself can serve as the objective assessment metric.