How to program cardio machine? Precor Elliptical

[Connie1]

I have a guest pass to a friend's gym and I want a workout on the Precor elliptical trainer, the one where you use your arms too. I can do most of Cathe's workouts (IMax I still modify the plyo jacks and power scissors).

That's my fitness level.

What do I set the thing on to get, say, a 40-minute cardio interval workout at my fitness level? It asks for your weight, and some other info and it tracks your pulse through your hands.
Thanks in advance for any replies. I am going to the gym tomorrow at 5:45 a.m.
-Connie

 

[Runcrazy]

Connie,
Usually when you get ready to start it asks you to select a program and there are about 6-8 different ones you can pick. But when I've done interval on these before I used the manual selection keeping the grade static (forgot what they call it on these machines - maybe it is incline) and then you just go as fast as you can for your interval portion...or you can try to maintain the speed and increase the grade (I think the first one is easier to manage). Hope I'm making sense. I feel doing intervals on these machines are safer then doing them on a treadmill as sometimes I can't decrease the speed fast enough. You have more control on the elliptical.

I'm not sure if I answered your question or not, but hope I helped you.

Edited to add: If you're talking about actual settings, I think I usually use about 8 or 10 for the grade or incline (whatever it's called.) I think I set the resistance at about a 3 or 4. You'll have to play with it to get it comfortable for you. I haven't done it in a while and I may be off a little on my settings.

 

[Connie1]

Thanks, Jo. I'll remember those numbers... I think I'll use 11 for the grade (I didn't know it was for the grade, but the trainer I had a few weeks ago set it on "11" - I thought that was for fitness level)
but the time I used it, it was only for 5 minutes for a warm-up before a strength session.

Resistance at 3 or 4 - I'll retain that info.

Thanks again-
-Connie