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Deciding
What Exercise Equipment You Need
by Mandy Gibbons
 If
you are not sure which cardiovascular machine you need or want to
purchase then take a look at the following article. Hopefully this
will assist you in making the right choice for your fat burning needs.
Treadmills
The treadmill is very
versatile and is pretty much top of the list when it comes to cardiovascular
equipment. It suits all types of fitness levels and can be used for
everything from fat burning, walking programs, running to fitness
testing. There are loads of varieties of treadmills but you need to
choose one that suits your needs best, otherwise you won't use it
and it will only gather dust. (sound familiar?)
Best Choice
Treadmill
For a good all-around
treadmill, which will cost a bit extra to hire or purchase, go for
the following functions when shopping around. Motorized - don't buy
manuals because you probably won't use it after the first week. (If
you have high blood pressure or a heart condition, manual treadmills
may put too much stress on your heart)
For an easy to use
treadmil,l go for functions that are all located on the front console
of the treadmill, where the screen is. Speed Function, Incline Function
for which you can use for "hills and intervals", Manual, Hills, Interval
Programs and a Fitness Test Program if possible too. The Pulse rate
Function is optional, although I do recommend it if you are very unfit
or have any medical conditions.
If you have got these
functions you are "set". These basic functions, which most motorized
treadmills have, offer heaps of variation for your workouts and for
you to advance with your "cardio" program. If you are of a more advanced
level such as an athlete you will need to spend extra $$$ to ensure
the treadmill caters for an athletes needs.
You can also get motorized
treadmills where you have to get on and off the treadmill to adjust
inclines etc and where you need to use a handle to wind up the speed.
However I have found that, in general, these manual type functions
tend to interrupt the cardiovascular session which usually leads to
the treadmill being shoved in the junk room of your house and not
being used at all. These treadmills are not suitable for running or
jogging either.
Indoor
Cycles
Indoor
cycles are also fantastic and don't take up much room
in the house either. Some of them are more light weight
than others too, which is convenient when you need
to move the cycle from one room to another. This cardiovascular
machine can also be used for fitness testing, fat
burning and fitness in general. The best part is you
don't need to be an experienced cyclist to use one. Best
Choice Cycle
Semi-recumbent
cycles are great. The seats are like a normal
chair "seat" and you can stretch your legs out further.
They aren't as hard to lower yourself onto as the
fully recumbent cycle. Requirements: Full function
console including programs and heart rate monitor.
If you don't mind changing the intensity yourself
and would prefer to save yourself some $$$ go for
semi-recumbent with an intensity dial. Indoor
Upright Cycle. A stationery exercise bike, similar
to a normal bike with a narrow seat. Basic Requirements:
Rpms and intensity dial. You can usually purchase
or hire these quite cheaply. As the price is normally
fairly low it'd be worth your while to find out how
much extra it is for an indoor upright cycle with
functions and programs - don't forget the pulse rate
monitor. Fully-recumbent
cycles are also fantastic but can be difficult to
lower yourself onto if you have back problems. They
also have a large seat and are normally found at most
health clubs or for hire. The fully recumbent are
quite a bit more expensive than the semi-recumbent,
from what I have experienced anyway. Requirements:
Rpms and programs essential as these things cost an
arm and a leg, so you want to make sure you get your
money's worth. Pulse rate Functions are important.
Make sure the programs have hills and intervals. The
same rules apply for other cardiovascular equipment.
Make sure if you are paying big dollars that you have
a full function console that contains all programs
plus a heart rate monitor. Steppers
I don't
recommend steppers for beginners, extremely overweight,
overweight, low-level fitness or people suffering
from lower back pain, heart and or blood pressure
conditions. Why? 1 Your
heart rate can be raised too high without making much
of an effort
2 It can be quite difficult to use when starting out
and can be quite off-putting.
3 Most people rock their hips by taking large steps
which effects their lower backs and encourages lower
back pain.
4 As people tire very quickly on the stepper they
tend to either half hang off the equipment from exhaustion
or round their backs to the point where they are only
causing themselves the risk of injury. Don't
get me wrong - Steppers can be fun, but you need to
make sure that correct posture and technique is carried
out at all times as well as being at a more advanced
fitness level. Other
Equipment
As you
may have already seen in the shops and on the net
the options for cardiovascular exercise equipment
seems to be never ending. If you really get stuck
you can ask your doctor what he/she recommends for
now and you can go ahead and hire, rather than purchasing
equipment until you have made up your mind. Basically
the above is a brief overview of just a few of the
many types of equipment available for use. WHAT
DO I DO IF MY BIKE, TREADMILL OR CARDIOVASCULAR EQUIPMENT
DOESN'T HAVE PROGRAMS?
You
can still perform your cardiovascular programs, you
just need to improvise. Hills: Slowly increase the
intensity as if you were walking or riding etc up
a hill, so it will gradually get harder and harder.
Stop at a higher intensity then gradually decrease
the intensity. Repeat this sequence. Incline functions
are perfect for this as they give the impression of
walking or riding up a hill. Intervals: Dramatically
swapping and altering inclines and speed. You can
increase the speed, then slow it down while at the
same time decreasing and increasing the inclines.
You can create your own variety of combinations. Manual:
This is a steady pace which is not altered in any
way, with the intensity staying the same throughout
the program. I often call this "flats" as you aren't
increasing the incline. Things
You will Need to Keep in Mind
Make
sure you tell the sales consultant if you have any
injuries or medical conditions that may affect what
type of equipment you require eg Such as knee or joint
injuries or high blood pressure, lower back pain etc.
You should ask your doctor too if he / she recommends
any specific equipment if you require rehabilitation.
Always make sure, whether you have any medical concerns
or not, that you check with your doctor before starting
any type of exercise program.
For
further information regarding fat burning programs
designed to suit your needs or further articles on
losing body fat please click on the following link:
http://www.virtualfitnesstrainer.com.
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