Have you been thinking of buying a home exercise machine but don't know which one is most suited for you or have you been wondering what all those exercise machines at your local gym exactly do for your fitness? Then here's a list of todays most popular exercise machines and how they work.


 

 

 

 

The Treadmill

Off all the cardiovascular training machines on the market the treadmill is the king calorie burner, you can burn an average 100 calories per briskly walked mile. The treadmill can be easily adjusted to a number of different settings (speed and incline) suited to a different level of fitness.

The treadmill is less suited for the heavily overweight and for those suffering from joint pain. Because the impact forces of walking are multiplied by 3.7 times your body weight the strain on knees and lower back may be too much. A treadmill can also pose a balance challenge for the inexperienced sporter. For those people it's better to look for a different trainings machine.


Elliptical Machines and Stair Steppers

A good alternative to the treadmill as they put less strain on the joints, the workout on the eliptical trainer makes you use alot of your muscles and gives you a complete body workout. They come with and without arm components and are pretty good calorie burners.  

The more advanced eliptical trainers come with onboard computers, measuring speed, calorie burn, distance, heartbeat and have a number of automated training programs. The eliptical trainer is perfectly suited for the inexperienced and experienced exerciser and the risks for trainings injuries are relatively small.


Stationary Bikes

A stationary bike this the most friendly alternative for those suffering from joint pains as it has the least impact on the joints because of the sitting position. These training bikes also come with advanced training computers and are a great way for both the beginner and experienced sporter to start exercising.

Don't forget to have the bike adjusted to your body in order to avoid knee injuries, this is easy to do as the height of the bikes seat can be simply adjusted. Always make sure that the ball of your feet is positioned on the pedal and that you keep a 5 to 10 degree angle in the knee when sitting on the bike.

If you sit too low then you put too much pressure on your knees resulting in soreness and injuries, you also burn less calories because you aren't going through the full range of motions. The stationary bike burns less calories than the treadmill or the eliptical trainer, it's just about 100 calories per 3 miles.


Rowing Machines

A great cardiovascular full body trainings device, many think that the rowing machine only trains the upper part of the body, this is not true. You push with your legs, row with your arms and strengthen your abdominal muscles, all in the same rowing motion. Because of all the muscle groups being used you burn alot of calories exercising on the rowing machine.

The rowing machine is less suited for the exerciser with back issues as this is a fairly uncomfortable machine for those with back problems.

Both at home or at the gym go for a machine that gives you fun in training as enjoying your workout is the basis for success!