A Review on Various Cardio Machines
This may be an age-old question, but today we’re going to address some of the pros and cons of some of the main cardio machines out there. Each one has their benefits of course, but each can also be used for different situations. So let’s get started:
Treadmills
Ah, the ever popular idea of running in place. There are many articles out there that state that running on a treadmill is the best way to burn fat. And, in many cases we would have to agree with them. Some of the really nice things about treadmills is that they give you the same feeling as running in the country, but without the country smell. So the big pros to doing your cardio workout on a treadmill is that it is a great fat burner and cardio monster.
One of the down sides of the treadmill are that you experience the same impact that you would doing regular running, which depending on the condition of your knees might not necessarily be a really good idea.
Elliptical Trainer
The elliptical trainer gives you a really good workout with out the impact that the treadmill does. That is probably the biggest benefit to the elliptical. One of the problems that sometimes comes with an elliptical is that it is fixed in the way that it moves. If you’ve ever sat back and watched people run, you’ll notice that different people move differently when they run. It seems that there isn’t really a standard when it comes to every-day joggers. But on an elliptical, you have to conform to the machine and that can become somewhat uncomfortable. (Editor’s Note: In the gym that I go to there are only 2 elliptical machines that I like to use because my knees always hit the joints on the other ones because of my height. Other than that, I love using elliptical trainers!)
Stationary Bike (Upright)
Another classic, the stationary bike has been around for a long time. For those of us with somewhat bad knees, these are great for staying low impact and also getting a good workout for the quad and other legs muscles. Overall the stationary bike is a great alternative for your cardio workout.
Recumbent Stationary Bike
This seems to be a relatively newer version of the old bicycle. Rather that being upright when you ride this cardio machine, you are seated more like you would be in a regular chair. This helps you to get a cardio workout from a different angle than you will with any other machine. The other great feature of the recumbent bike, is that it is the easiest cardio machine to get a workout and some good reading at the same time!
Stair Climber
One of the great things about the stair climber is that, just like the stationary bike, you can make it really hard if you want to. The stair climber can even be used as part of your leg routine if you make the resistance high enough! Stair climbers give you essentially the same effect of running up and down stairs, without having to actually go to a stadium to do it.
So, when it comes to doing a cardio workout, its very important to mix up what you do on a rather consistent basis. Cardio is one of those things that can become very boring, so mix it up from time to time and have some fun with it!
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Amazing machine for cardio workout. If its really a good fat burner I’d like to have this one. Thanks for the nice article.
The Schwinn 430 offers eight computer-controlled resistance levels and eight workout programs for workout variety, including six user-profile programs, one manual, and one calorie goal program.