Cardio Cruiser Exercise Equipment

Choosing a form of cardio that fits you best, and yields great results can be challenging because there are so many different machines in a gym to choose from. Until you spend a great deal of time, committed to one specific machine, it is hard to determine if it will lead to results, or if it is just a waste of your time. In this article, we will be looking at various cardiovascular exercise machines and discussing the pros and cons of each machine. The first machine we will look at is a treadmill.

The standard treadmill is probably the most flexible piece of cardio equipment in the gym. You can run, jog, or walk on it, and most machines are capable of inclining to simulate going uphill. The drawbacks to a treadmill is that running or jogging on them can eventually cause you knee pain, because the machine is not very forgiving, like most outdoor tracks are. I recommend treadmills for walking, or for running on rainy days. Otherwise, outdoor tracks are better on the joints, with the added bonus of fresh air. Additionally, treadmills have handles that allow you to lean on the machine. This can be a nice assist when your workout starts to get difficult, but it can also become a crutch, and ultimately take away from the benefits of your workout.

The second machine we will be looking at is the stair-climber. This machine is probably the most feared cardio machine in the gym, because nobody wants to put themselves through climbing endless flights of stairs. The stair-climber gets a bad rap. The same reason why it is so avoided is the same reason why it is so beneficial. It burns a lot of calories, and gets the job done. Climbing stairs is an excellent way to build your leg muscles and burn fat. The drawbacks to this machine are that the handles allow you to support your weight with your arms, taking the emphasis off of your legs, and making your workout easier, and that the steps you take are usually different sizes. Most stair-climbers are not reverse-escalators, and have two pedals instead of stairs. For this reason, a stair-climber in a gym does not directly translate to climbing actual stairs.

The third machine is the glider. This is the machine with you handles, and the motion looks like cross country skiing. This machine provides the least benefit, and not surprisingly, it is very popular. This is because it does not require as much effort as other machines. Some people claim that this machine is fantastic, but the gliding motion does not require much effort and the machine does not do much for building muscle either.

The last machine we will discuss is the exercise bike. The bike comes in two main types: upright and recumbent. The latter is much more comfortable for long workouts. The bike can be a good workout, or a waste of time. It is probably the best machine for long workouts, because it is comfortable. And, because you are sitting down, you can read a book or magazine while you work out. The drawback to this machine is that it is easy to forget that you are working out, and then slow down, making your workout pointless.

Jay DuBois is a fitness expert, former Hollywood personal trainer, and he is a regular contributor to http://www.bodymakeoveronline.com