Get the lowdown on how to use a desk elliptical properly. If you’re going to invest money and effort into your health, then you might as well do it the right way! While it sounds relatively intuitive that you simply set the item down and start peddling, there is more to a compact peddler than just that!
Get your hands on expert strategies and tips to make using a compact elliptical a breeze. Learn the do’s and don’t of peddling with a desk elliptical and sit-stand compact elliptical so that you don’t injure yourself or waste your own valuable time and energy.
Let’s get started!
Did you know? Peddling is linked to enhanced weight management, increasing blood flow, muscle development, heart health, as well as improving energy levels and general mental health. Source
How to use a desk elliptical?
In terms of what you should look for when using an under desk elliptical. The below list highlights a comprehensive guide of factors to look out for when purchasing an under desk elliptical:
1. Seek medical advice on using a desk elliptical
2. Ensure the under desk elliptical is properly assembled
3. Provide adequate space for the desk elliptical
4. Provide adequate clearance for your knees
5. Adopt a good posture while peddling
6. Use comfortable footwear on the compact elliptical
7. Wear comfortable clothing on the desk elliptical
8. Build up your usage on the compact elliptical
9. Only use the desk elliptical for the intended purpose
10. Identify tasks that suit you while peddling
11. Alternate between pedaling directions
12. Choose the desk elliptical resistance based on your goals
13. Clean the desk elliptical frequently
Seek medical advice on using a desk elliptical
This warning is often posted on the user manual of a multitude of machines, and the under desk peddler is no different. For instance, the Cubii manual states that users should consult a physician before using the product.
The company places particular emphasis on:
- Pregnant people
- People who have never exercised before
- Individuals who suffer from a health condition
- People who begin to feel dizzy, faint or start feeling pain while using the compact elliptical
Tip: Refer to your physician or the instructions manual for precise details on who can use the item.
Ensure the under desk elliptical is properly assembled
Despite their compact structure, under desk ellipticals require assembling. While assembly is minimal, it’s imperative that you follow the assembly instructions step-by-step; then verify that the components are correctly and securely put together.
Otherwise, you could end up damaging the compact elliptical or jeopardize your own safety if it’s inadequately put together.
Thankfully, since there are very few parts to attach, putting the product together should take no longer than about 10 – 15 minutes.
One of my recommended products which requires zero assembly is the Sunny Magnetic Under Desk Elliptical Peddler Exerciser
Provide adequate space for the desk elliptical
A clearance zone of approximately 2 feet / 24 inches around the perimeter of the mini elliptical should be provided. This zone where the desk elliptical will be positioned should be free of objects.
This includes
- loose rags
- objects which could become entangled in it
- items which could damage the elliptical or become damaged by it
Furthermore, adequate clearance space of at least 2 feet / 24 inches should be left to the sides and behind your chair when using the compact peddler. This is recommended for easy access and egress in and out of your chair.
This zone should be kept clear of objects at all times to prevent you from tripping or falling over as you move around the area.
Provide adequate clearance for your knees
Once clearance has been provided for the under desk elliptical, the next step is to arrange for adequate space for your body when pedaling. This is more of a consideration for users peddling at a desk than for people using a standing elliptical.
Users should leave about 2 – 3 inches of clearance between their knees and the desk.
People standing on an elliptical need to ensure that there are no objects or structures at a height which they could come into contact with, e.g., low ceilings, lampshades, shelves, crystal chandeliers.
Techniques which can be used to stop your hitting the table while peddling include:
- Raising the height of the standing desk
- Moving to a higher desk
- Lower the height of your seat while maintaining an ergonomic seated position
- Push the mini elliptical slightly away from you
Adopt a good posture while peddling
When you’re seated on a chair or performing a workout, you are often advised about keeping a good posture. Using a compact elliptical is no different.
In fact, using a desk elliptical could even increase the risk of a poor posture.
Abiding by the ergonomic guidelines for sitting at an office or on any chair while peddling can be a challenge since it introduces some complexities:
- it could distort your height in relation to your workstation
- you may need to raise or lower the desk height to prevent your knees banging
- users may not be supporting their back if the distance between the compact elliptical and the chair is too large
- users could be overstretching their legs
To achieve good form and posture while peddling:
- Position the desk elliptical in a place where you can sit upright with your back fully supported against the back of the chair
- If standing while peddling, aim to keep your back in a neutral posture
- Avoid bending your neck downwards too often, keep your head up
- Avoid overstretching or cramping your legs
- Aim to keep your feet flat on the pedals
- Pedal downwards to minimize movement of the compact elliptical
- Use comfortable footwear (refer to the next section)
Use comfortable footwear on the compact elliptical
I spoke about this previously in the desk elliptical FAQ article when I answered a question about whether you could pedal in heels. That would be a brave person!
Below are some do’s and don’t of footwear when peddling:
Do
- Wear flat comfortable shoes
- Wear running shoes or trainers when performing a workout on the compact elliptical
- Go barefoot or with socks if it feels comfortable
- Ensure your laces are tied so they can’t become entangled in the machine
Don’t
- Wear heels
- Wear shoes that are restrictive to your movement or uncomfortable
- Wear shoes with a poor grip
- Wear footwear that’s too heavy for peddling
Wear comfortable clothing on the desk elliptical
Comfortable clothing should be worn while peddling to make the peddling experience more enjoyable and less restrictive. This doesn’t necessarily mean wearing workout clothing, although this would probably be the best choice if you’re using the compact elliptical for an intense session.
Avoid loose or dangling clothing which could become caught in the machine while peddling.
Examples of clothing that could be worn while using a desk elliptical include:
- Trousers
- Jeans
- Shorts
- Leggings
- Joggers
Build up your usage on the compact elliptical
Once you have received approval from your physician to use a compact peddler, it’s important to ease yourself into using it. Building up your usage over a couple of days is highly recommended as it allows your body to adjust to the new motion without putting it under undue stress.
Excessive use could ultimately lead to negative health effects or even injury.
The user manual will often recommend that you pay attention to signals from your body, such as pain, nausea, dizziness, feeling faint, shortness of breath or chest tightness.
If any of these symptoms are experienced, the Sunny user manual recommends immediately stopping the activity and contacting your doctor.
Personally, I would build up my usage in 20-minute increments over the period of a week. However, you can also follow the exercise workout videos that some companies provide.
A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that just 23 minutes of peddling a day can improve the health of people in desk-bound sedentary jobs. Source
This demonstrates that you don’t need to be peddling for extended periods to reap the benefits of using a compact desk peddler!
Only use the desk elliptical for the intended purpose
The type of compact elliptical that you opt for will determine how it can be used. Compact ellipticals tend to fall into two types:
- Desk ellipticals for seated use
- Sit-stand ellipticals for seated and standing use
Obviously, if you opt for an under desk elliptical, this can only be utilized in a seated position. Standing on a desk elliptical could damage the elliptical; worse again, you could encounter a serious injury if you stand on it.
Sit-stand mini peddlers, such as the Sunny Portable Stand Up Elliptical, grant the freedom of being used both while sitting or standing.
However, what’s worth noting with these is the orientation that you need to position yourself while peddling.
When seated, the handle is facing towards you, however, when using the Sunny elliptical in the standing position, the handle is pointing the opposite way.
So, you need to essentially stand with the elliptical facing backwards.
I bet you didn’t even notice that till I pointed it out!
Identify tasks that suit you while peddling
Regardless of whether you’re peddling while sitting or standing, there’s no denying that a portion of your brain will be absorbed with executing that physical movement. In addition, the speed that you are peddling at will dictate how easily you can perform certain tasks.
Choosing tasks that can be performed whiled peddling will make it a more seamless activity.
For instance, watching TV, talking to someone beside you or on the phone doesn’t demand much in terms of the position that you are in. You could probably achieve a moderate level of peddling during this activity. Plus, provided that you’re not out of breath, it can be achieved relatively easily.
Besides, peddling while multi-tasking is not only an efficient way to exercise and get things done, it’s also more fun!
However, a task such as typing or writing can be more demanding as you need to have a steady hand as well as being positioned close to the keyboard or document. It’s likely that this will need to be performed at a slower peddling pace.
Low concentration activities that can be completed while peddling include:
- Watching TV
- Listening to music
- Scrolling on your phone or laptop
- Talking to people
- Attending a video call (most likely at a low speed or with your camera off)
- Crochet or knitting
- Light snacking or eating
High concentration activities and physical activities which can be difficult while peddling include:
- Writing
- Typing fast
- Reviewing/reading items that require high focus
- Intense gaming
There are some tasks which simply should not be performed while peddling.
These include:
- using sharp objects, e.g., chopping food, cutting your nails
- holding a child
- petting an animal
Alternate between pedaling directions
While it’s not essential to pedal backwards and forwards, it can reduce the stress load on your knees and can stimulate different leg muscles.
There are some studies which suggest that pedaling backwards can also burn more calories.
Choose the desk elliptical resistance based on your goals
The goals of people using compact ellipticals could be categorized into 3 classifications:
- Increase sedentary movement
- Complete cardio workouts
- Increase muscle building
Your goal when using the elliptical will influence the resistance level that you select.
Most compact ellipticals include up to 8 different resistance levels.
Level 1 usually offers minimal resistance and is better for light sedentary use or cardio workouts, whereas level 8 is very high resistance and would typically be selected for muscle toning.
People tend to opt for a resistance level somewhere in the middle, as it’s often the case that level 1 is too light and level 8 resistance is too intense.
Clean the desk elliptical frequently
Regular cleaning of the desk elliptical should be performed to ensure the hygiene of the unit is maintained. It also encourages greater longevity of the item as hair and dust build-up in the crevices of the mini peddler is minimized.
Key cleaning steps for an elliptical include:
- Regularly wiping down all the touch points after use or after each person
- Clean the zone around the desk elliptical
- Immediately wipe up any spills that fall on or near the elliptical
- A damp wet cloth should be more than sufficient at cleaning any dust and hair from the elliptical.
I’ve gone into more detail on how to properly clean a desk elliptical here
Tip: Keep pets and children away from the compact elliptical to minimize hair and dust becoming trapped in the machine.
Conclusion
More often than not, many of us disregard the user manual and go straight into using the product. While using the item isn’t rocket science, this often leads to people incorrectly using the product.
Getting the most out of your compact peddler should be much easier with the above information.
As a rule of thumb, if you are unsure of anything regarding using an under desk or sit-stand elliptical, always refer back to the user manual, contact the support team or even contact me here!
If you’re eager to introduce movement into your workday, study, gaming or whatever static activity you perform, then desk ellipticals are one of a myriad of ways to get moving.
For a few years now, I have been enthusiastically exploring the various and new ways to introduce comfort and motion into my relatively static desk work. Below are what I have looked into so far in order of preference:
My recommended products for an active workplace so far are the Sunny Portable Stand Up Elliptical, Sunny Magnetic Mini Exercise Pedal Cycle, Ergotron WorkFit-LX and the CoolMesh Pro Multi-Function Chair.
My aim with this website is to help you on all matters related to your home office and your work area. With that in mind, if you have any questions or comments on the above, please drop them in the box below. I’d love to hear them!