I am interested in adding some kind of machine to my cardio workouts. What do you all recommend? Is walking/running on a treadmill considered high or low impact. Because I do so many high impact cardio workouts, I'd like to have a machine that's low impact but also a great calorie burner. I'm also interested in workout videos (preferably intervals) that I can do rather that watch T.V. or read.
Hey Mar,
I'd do them all in addition to a stairmaster if you can find one.
The treadmill is high impact but if you walk on it that certainly does reduce the impact to an extent.
T.
I would suggest getting an elliptical. If you do Cathe's step tapes you are already getting "step" movements in those workouts. A treadmill is great, but if you are looking for low impact you could get that by taking a walk outdoors. I am thinking the elliptical would offer you a greater variety than the others and keep you low impact.
I am not sure what you mean as far as workout videos. Do you mean workouts to do while on machines?
Hi Lynn - Yes I'm referring to workouts using machines. I've seen some posts at VF about these. I know they have them for treadmills. Thanks for your advice.
Its me again.. I forgot about the recumbent bike..
That might be a good option if you like biking. It would be basically non impact which would be a good thing.
If you don't have much experience with recumbents, I would strongly urge you to try before you buy.. It seems like bikes are truly a love/hate thing for people. It'd sure be a bummer to invest that much money into something taht you really didn't dig.
I just love the machines. My favorite is the rowing machine and the stairmaster. I used to be a pretty competitive runner so my system is really used to high intensity. Nowadays I can't run (due to some joint problems) fast enogh to reach my old intensity level, BUT I can row, stairmaster, even bike at a pretty hard level. Beside the rower and the stepper I l like my Nordictrack and bike too. The new elliptical is coming this week.... Sometimes I do 1 min easy 1 min hard intervals for about 20-30 min. On other days I just put my headphone on and do "music intervals" adjusting the intensity level to the music. Man, time just flies on that one!
You can also do "latter" type intervals, going from a 30 sec interval to 60 sec, 90 sec than 60 sec 30 again with say 1 min recoveries in between. Many varieties! Beside intervals you can do "climbing" programs on the elliptical and stairmaster, that's a good butt kicker too. Good luck to you,
Yep, you can find some that have optional "handlebars" that give you a cross country skiing type motion. I have used them in various gyms and they do help to keep your HR up.
I'd get a bike...a spinner. I love those things. Can't stand the lifecycles though. If you're looking for low impact then an Elliptical would be awesome...but they are so dull. When I finish my run on the treadmill and still need to get a few more minutes of cardio done... it's the elliptical because of the lower intensity low impact issue. But it makes me want to shoot my foot. I love treadmills. Outdoors is better but it's cold here!
I've been walking on the treadmill now for about 20 years. I've tried every kind of machine there is, but always come back to walking on the treadmill.
I don't like to combine strength training with cardio, so I don't like machines that "tone" certain areas of the body. I can't get into my target heart rate zone with those machines, and the toning isn't that great, so they are kind of useless to me. When I'm walking on the treadmill I can really get my heart rate up as high as I want to and it feels so effortless. I've got my disco music on and I'm boppin to the beat. (I must look pretty funny to passers by.) When the slower songs come on, I ramp up the incline as far as I need to to keep my heart rate up. There are lots of good walking tapes out now too.
I LOVE the stairmaster! What the heck happened to them anyway? Seem to have gone out of fashion. My gym doesn't have them--they have a step mill, but I hate that stupid thing.
I like the ellipticals too but can't stand the handlebars--I'm sure they're great for people w/coordination but I can never get it right. Also, there's something called the Arc Trainer that's similar to an elliptical but more intense. That's what I use at my gym.
Hey Max!
I thought you might like the stairmaster. They are intense indeed. In fact that machine and treadmill runs get my HR higher than anything in the club, including spin class. I like the arc trainer and ellipticals but my HR just doesn't want to move on those types of equipment for whatever reason.
T.
