If you are like most Americans, you walk into your gym to get some good cardio work in and are met with too many choices of machines. Treadmills, elliptical, bikes, recumbent bikes row machines, it is hard to choose. Hopefully, after reading this article, you will have a better sense of what the best machine for you is. Now, although choice is a good thing because it can vary your program, the more choice the more confusions.
Now, every exercise machine will build fitness, but not all exercise machines are created equal. Treadmill running burns plenty of calories, but may be unacceptable if you have knee problems. Stationary bikes and stair climbers are easier on the joints, but are too boring and take too much muscle power. The best cardio machine burns plenty of calories, but is also easy on the joints.
As far as burning calories and fat, running on treadmills is the best, stationary cycle are the next best, and walking n a treadmill is the next best. The reason treadmill running is the best cardio is that during running there is a period when both feet leave the ground. This takes a lot of energy and force to go airborne, even if you are running slowly. You maintain contact with the exercise machine at all times when walking or working on a cycle.
As far as joint health, good cardio machines promote a stress free environment on the joints. If you have kneecap pain or knee joint pain, you are going to want to avoid machines that cause high joint tension, such as cycling or stair climbing. Treadmill climbing may cause ankle, knee, hip or back pain. The elliptical machines in by far the bet in joint integrity as it uses a smooth motions and does not put stress on the joints.
So if you are free of joint pain, the best cardio you can do is running on the treadmill. If you have, or develop joint pain, give the elliptical machine a try.
No matter what cardio machine you use, the only way a good cardio routine will work is if YOU work hard. Don’t plague your workout by getting lost in your music or reading a magazine. Put in the work and time and the results will follow.
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Hi, nice post. I have been pondering this issue,so thanks for blogging. I’ll certainly be coming back to your blog. Keep up the good work