Cardio.....which machine?!?!?!?
Options
Forever_mhm
Posts: 11 Member
So tonight i plan on going to the gym for the first time in idk how long....which machine is best for cardio??? OR what are some of your favorite machines???
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Replies
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I prefer my two feet and a dirt road...running outdoors!! Check out the rowing machine though, it's a tough work out.
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Whatever you can tolerate. I'm not a machine person. I do bodyweight intervals (at home).
I would just try a few, maybe one or two each time you go to find out what you like. It's going to vary person to person. I agree above, rowing would likely be my go to but lots of people on the forum like the elliptical.0 -
I'm in Colorado so I'm already feeling your winter pain, I prefer the elliptical to the treadmill because I find it's easier on the joints and I feel more physical exertion much faster on the elliptical. Though I haven't specifically calculated individual work outs, my daily burns are higher when I do that instead of the treadmill.4
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stair machine!!! get itttt3
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I like the road, the trails, the mountains...
If I absolutely have to be inside and I have to drone out time on some machine, rower gives a nice workout, but bike is better (for me) if I want to be entertained by TV shows or something.2 -
I'm a rower girl, but frankly it's only worth it if your technique's decent, otherwise you're at risk of damaging yourself AND the machine!
Also like the elliptical if I can't get outside and walk.2 -
Unless you have a specific athletic goal, like running a race, for example, the type of cardio isn't that important. For overall fitness, i would keep it varied. Try 5 minutes on each machine and see which you prefer.
If you haven't been doing cardio at home lately, i wouldn't do more than 20 minutes total cardio the first day, so you don't overtax your body.
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Life is about making choices within your own circumstances. Some people have joint issues so can't hit the road. Some people don't have the option of machines. Some people can't stand the monotony of running. So completely in my opinion my ranking of cardio options with the "Why" behind my ranking.
1) Running/walking Outside – If not over done can actually be great for bones and muscles. The variation in wind resistance, inclines, and terrain puts just enough stress on the body to help it get stronger.
2a) Cardio Class – Many of the same benefits as above but you don’t have the benefit of the variation portion as much.
2b) Cycling – Easier on your joints but still get the variation that helps strengthen your body.
3) Tread mill – You lose the wind resistance and terrain variation but you can create some incline variation
4) Stair Climber – These are great but be careful if you don’t go down the same amount that you go up, you can actually injure yourself. (Source: Personal Experience) The muscles used to go down are different than what is used to go up but to keep your body in balance you need to make sure both sets of muscles are equally worked. You don’t do this with a stair climber. You DO, do this with actual stairs though.
5) Row Machine. Great way to get in a good workout.
6) Elliptical – 100% for people with joint problems or just getting started. Not the best but it is 200x better than sitting on the couch eating potato chips and watching re-runs of The Office.
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Stepper/stair machine and running track or treadmill will make you sweat the most, burn most calories but mixing it up each time you go is a good idea so body doesn’t get use to the same excercise.1
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It doesn't really matter; I like the elliptical for its low impact and I can vary the incline/resistance to mix things up. Just don't go by the calorie burn on the machine; it tends to way over-estimate! Do check your heart rate periodically and familiarize yourself with what different levels of exertion feel like; eventually you can start designing workouts for yourself with intervals/heart rate targets but for now, keep it simple!
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I can't get the hang of the elliptical. I'd rather run or bike. I also like to do these outside.
It comes down to personal preference, but take it easy to start. If you want to run, use something like C25K.1 -
The barbell.
Serious answer: I prefer the elliptical.1 -
Depends on your goals. I'm very conscious of joint stress, so I use the elliptical to get my heart rate up. Treadmill is for cooling down. I also like walking outside, but it takes longer to burn calories because I'm not confident about running.1
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tmoneyag99 wrote: »Life is about making choices within your own circumstances. Some people have joint issues so can't hit the road. Some people don't have the option of machines. Some people can't stand the monotony of running. So completely in my opinion my ranking of cardio options with the "Why" behind my ranking.
1) Running/walking Outside – If not over done can actually be great for bones and muscles. The variation in wind resistance, inclines, and terrain puts just enough stress on the body to help it get stronger.
2a) Cardio Class – Many of the same benefits as above but you don’t have the benefit of the variation portion as much.
2b) Cycling – Easier on your joints but still get the variation that helps strengthen your body.
3) Tread mill – You lose the wind resistance and terrain variation but you can create some incline variation
4) Stair Climber – These are great but be careful if you don’t go down the same amount that you go up, you can actually injure yourself. (Source: Personal Experience) The muscles used to go down are different than what is used to go up but to keep your body in balance you need to make sure both sets of muscles are equally worked. You don’t do this with a stair climber. You DO, do this with actual stairs though.
5) Row Machine. Great way to get in a good workout.
6) Elliptical – 100% for people with joint problems or just getting started. Not the best but it is 200x better than sitting on the couch eating potato chips and watching re-runs of The Office.
I'll have to try them all out i guess and see what i like, i wana be sure im feeling it in my abdomen area lol and i love the office !!!!!!!1 -
I dont like the bikes, i know that much, id much rather be on a real bike but i dont have one
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A workout is not supposed to be pleasurable. if it is, you're not doing it right.
Bike, treadmill, elliptical whatever you like most, do it... Go as hard as you can for 30 to 45 minutes.
But if your goal is to lose weight... Lift... Best way to lose and maintain a healthy weight is to increase your metabolism.18 -
A workout is not supposed to be pleasurable. if it is, you're not doing it right.
Bike, treadmill, elliptical whatever you like most, do it... Go as hard as you can for 30 to 45 minutes.
But if your goal is to lose weight... Lift... Best way to lose and maintain a healthy weight is to increase your metabolism.
And this is why so many people fail.
It should be enjoyable.7 -
stanmann571 wrote: »A workout is not supposed to be pleasurable. if it is, you're not doing it right.
Bike, treadmill, elliptical whatever you like most, do it... Go as hard as you can for 30 to 45 minutes.
But if your goal is to lose weight... Lift... Best way to lose and maintain a healthy weight is to increase your metabolism.
And this is why so many people fail.
It should be enjoyable.
What he said^^2 -
My preference is to do something I can't do otherwise.. So no biking no treadmill.
That doesn't mean I don't run. Just that I won't run inside. Ditto for biking, although currently I'm bicycle deprived.
I generally pick the elliptical because It's a good burn and similar to running(if it's a good elliptical)
Otherwise, If I was slightly more coordinated I might try rowing.2
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