Cardio Equipment
2 Main Things To Look For When Choosing A Cardio Machine
Cardio Exercise Equipment
Set foot in any traditional gym across the country and you’ll find an endless array of different cardio machines… from treadmills to stationary bikes to stairclimbers to ellipticals.
A well structured cardio program obviously plays an important role in any effective fat burning workout plan… but which cardio machines are best and what criteria should we use to determine which machines to focus on? It need not be a complicated process, but here are the 2 main factors that I would suggest looking out for when deciding which machines to include in your program…
1) The machine should not require very much skill to use. In other words, stick to cardio machines that are simplistic and mechanical in nature. Your goal during a cardio session is not to aimlessly slave away for a marathon session lasting an hour or more, but rather to keep the session short, concise and highly intensive.
For this reason, you don’t want to have to divert your focus onto balancing yourself on the machine or maintaining a specific form throughout the workout. Instead, you should pick a cardio exercise that is basic and straightforward to execute so that the majority of your focus can be placed on generating a high level of intensity.
2) The machine should minimize the risk of injury. One of your primary goals when it comes to both weight training and cardiovascular exercise is to keep your joints and connective tissues strong and healthy at all times. For this reason, you should try to stick to machines that produce low impact on your joints and that also don’t aggravate any existing injuries you may have. Experiment with different machines to see how they feel for you. If any specific machine causes you discomfort, make sure to steer clear of it. Here are a few of the machines I specifically recommend using based on the above criteria…
Upright Stationary Bike
This machine is extremely straightforward to use and will allow you to place all of your focus on generating a high level of intensity without having to worry about your form. It is also a very low impact exercise and will keep the stress off of your joints. Stationary bikes are also easily programmable and are ideal when performing interval-style training, which is the kind that I most highly recommend.
Recumbent Bike
This is the same as a stationary bike, only your body is in a seated position. The seated position will take some of the stress off of your lower back, which is a nice advantage for those who have previous lower back problems.
Treadmill
Another great choice when implementing an interval-style of training. Treadmills are a great alternative to running outdoors, because the platforms are designed to produce less impact on the joints. If you want to increase the difficulty you can also raise the platform up on an incline. Read more
Exercise Equipment
Exercise Equipment Reviews & Tips
fitness exercise equipment
Exercise Equipment can be used for a variety of reasons. Three particularly important uses for exercise equipment are physical fitness, rehabilitation, and weight loss. Many types of machines can be considered exercise equipment. A treadmill, home gym, elliptical trainer, and the recumbent exercise bike are some of the more popular and well known pieces of exercise equipment. If you are looking for exercise equipment and know you would benefit from it, consider getting one of these important pieces of exercise equipment.
The Treadmill
1. The treadmill is an exercise machine consisting of a continuous moving belt on which a person can walk or jog while remaining in one place. A treadmill is the most popular piece of exercise equipment, so if you get a treadmill, you will have joined the largest single group of fitness enthusiasts. The treadmill can be used by runners training for marathons or by the average person for general health and fitness reasons. Use the treadmill to feel and look better, and you’ll get a safe and effective aerobic workout as well.
Benefits of Physical Activity:
- Helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints.
- Help control weight, build lean muscle, and reduce fat.
- Prevents or delays the development of high blood pressure and helps reduce blood pressure in some adolescents with hypertension.
The Home Gym
2. The home gym is usually considered large exercise equipment, but will provide you with an excellent way to tone your muscles. Using a home gym as exercise equipment will allow you to isolate and work on particular muscles and muscle groups. When used properly, exercise equipment makes you stronger, healthier, and improves your overall feeling of well being. The home gym will quickly become an integral part of your personal daily workout routine. A home gym doesn’t necessarily have to take up much space in your home. Choose your home gym according to your specific needs, and the space available for the home gym as well.
You do not need to be a body builder to benefit from strength training. A well-designed strength-training program can provide the following benefits:
- Increased strength of bones, muscles and connective tissue (the tendons and ligaments), decreasing the risk of injury.
- Increased muscle mass. Most adults lose about one-half pound of muscle per year after the age of 20. This is largely due to decreased activity.
- Muscle tissue is partly responsible for the number of calories burned at rest (the basal metabolic rate or BMR). As muscle mass increases, BMR increases, making it easier to maintain a healthy body weight.
- Enhanced quality of life. As general strength increases, the effort required to perform daily routines (carrying groceries, working in the garden) will be less taxing.
Elliptical Cross Trainer
3. Elliptical cross trainer is also known as an elliptical trainer, or more simply as an elliptical. The elliptical cross trainer is a low impact alternative that will also provide a full body workout. Elliptical cross training equipment is very popular in health clubs, gyms and is also a great choice for home exercise. Elliptical fitness can simulate walking, running, stairclimbing, rowing, skiing and cycling combined. … while delivering almost zero impact to your joints.
Benefit:
- Regular, intensive exercise for patients with rheumatoid arthritis builds muscle strength and aerobic capacity, improves the ability to do daily tasks and fosters a sense of emotional well-being.
The Stairclimber
4. Stairclimber is also referred to as stair stepper, climber or stepper. The word stairclimber says it all. A stair climber or a stair stepper is an excellent exercise machine for the individual looking for lower body improvements. “Climbers” are complete full body workout machines. Climbers can also be used as steppers or stairclimbers . A climber is a great piece of exercise equipment specifically designed for both the professional climber and the person seeking all around fitness.
Benefits of Physical Activity:
- Reduces the risk of dying from coronary heart disease and of developing high blood pressure, colon cancer, and diabetes.
- Can help reduce blood pressure in some people with hypertension.
- Helps maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints.
- Reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression and fosters improvements in mood and feelings of well-being.
- Helps control weight, develop lean muscle, and reduce body fat.
The Rowing Machine
5. The rowing machine is also known as a rower. The rowing machines is used by rowing and fitness enthusiasts. Rowing has an aerobic fitness level of its own and can greatly complement a personal cross training program.
Regular physical activity improves health in the following ways:
- Reduces the risk of dying prematurely from heart disease.
- Reduces the risk of developing diabetes.
- Reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure.
- Helps reduce blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure.
- Reduces the risk of developing colon cancer.
- Helps control weight.
- Helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints.
- Helps older adults become stronger and better able to move about without falling.
- Promotes psychological well-being.
- Millions of people suffer from illnesses that can be prevented or improved through regular physical activity.
Exercise Bike
6. Exercise bike is commonly referred to as an indoor cycle, a stationary bicycle, a studio cycle or even a training bike. The exercise bike is available in a variety of shapes and sizes…. in the form of an upright bike, a recumbent bike, or even an upper body cycle. Since the exercise bike is presented in so many forms, it’s an excellent choice of exercise equipment for people of all ages and people of all sizes. Most importantly, an exercise bike delivers a great cardiovascular workout. An exercise bike can be in the form of an upright bike, a recumbent bike, or even an upper body cycle…. for people of all ages.
How can physical activity or exercise help condition my body?
- Some activities improve flexibility, some build muscular strength and some increase endurance.
- Some forms of continuous activities involve using the large muscles in your arms or legs. These are called endurance or aerobic exercises. They help the heart by making it work more efficiently during exercise and at rest.
- Brisk walking, jumping rope, jogging, bicycling, cross-country skiing and dancing are examples of aerobic exercises that increase endurance.
Strength Training Equipment
7. Strength training equipment is exercise equipment that is used for muscle toning. The home gym can fall into the strength training equipment category as well. Strength training equipment like a home gym allows the user to isolate particular muscles or muscle groups for targeted workouts. While some types of exercise equipment – or we should say aerobic fitness equipment (cardiovascular equipment) like a treadmill, an elliptical, a stepper, a bike, a rower and a ski machine – could also be considered strength training equipment, they remain classified as aerobic fitness equipment or cardiovascular equipment.
