"An elliptical HIIT workout tends to affect all major muscle groups,” Garage Gym Reviews Head of Content and certified personal trainer Kate Meier shares. “Your hamstrings, quads, and glutes take on the brunt of the work, especially if you have an elliptical where you can vary the incline to target those groups in different ways.”  “If your elliptical has moving handlebars, your upper body also gets involved, though to a much smaller degree than the lower body. Pulling and pushing on the handles will work your biceps as well as the upper back, specifically rhomboids and traps,” Kate explains. “Lastly, your core has to work hard to keep you stabilized, much like your core is activated during running sprints. I wouldn't call an elliptical workout a core workout, but you certainly engage your core muscles when you hold proper posture on an elliptical.”