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Whether you're new to the gym or you've been going for a while, the sheer number of cardio machines can be overwhelming. The days when it was just the classic treadmill or cross-trainer are over. Nowadays, modern gyms offer a huge variety of different cardio machines to choose from.
But which one should you actually go for? Should you keep switching between machines or just stick to one? And which machine burns the most calories? This blog post is here to answer exactly these questions. Over the next few minutes, I'll walk you through the most important machines, their efficiency, and their calorie burn.
A quick word about me first: my name is Marco Laterza and I'm a personal trainer from Zurich. If you're after personal coaching, you're definitely in the right place! My approach is holistic coaching, covering training, nutrition and mindset. If you want to know more, feel free to get in touch!
1. Treadmill
Let's go straight to the first cardio machine, and probably the most popular option for most people: the treadmill. With this machine, you can hardly go wrong. You can set the pace and incline individually and adjust them to your own fitness level.
Depending on the pace and incline you set, you can burn between 400 and 1000 kilocalories per hour. That's quite a lot, which makes the treadmill a very efficient method.
Advantages: Treadmills these days are quite modern and come with various features. For example, alongside running, you can also watch TV or have a simulated running route displayed on the screen. Some machines even let you generate electricity while you run, so you're also doing your bit for the environment.
Disadvantages: With the treadmill, you mainly train your legs and glutes. If you also want to train your upper body, you'll need to turn to other cardio machines or strength training.
Conclusion: The treadmill is always a solid option, and you can adapt the machine to your own needs. Just make sure to go easy on your joints, and set at least a slight incline on the treadmill.
2. Rowing machine
The rowing machine can also be found in almost every gym, which is of course no surprise. After all, the rowing machine is one of the few cardio machines that engages almost every muscle group. Back, legs, abs, arms and glutes, all of these muscle groups are at least partly engaged during this workout. Unlike the treadmill, the rowing machine is also very gentle on the joints.
Calorie burn is also very high here. As a rule, with a good pace you can already burn around 1000 calories per hour. So it's well worth it.
Advantages: The rowing machine stands out for its high calorie burn and the large number of muscle groups it engages. It's also ideal for beginners, since you train sitting down.
Disadvantages: The machine doesn't have many drawbacks. Still, you shouldn't overdo it if you frequently have back pain.
Conclusion: The rowing machine is, in most cases, a solid and very effective option.
3. Cross-trainer
Also a very effective and joint-friendly cardio machine is the cross-trainer, also known as the elliptical trainer. Here your feet stay on a platform throughout the workout, which is good for your joints. Your arms work too, if you use the machine correctly. So overall, many muscle groups are involved in the workout.
Compared to the other machines, the cross-trainer has a somewhat lower calorie burn. Still, you can always manage between 400 and 600 calories at a good pace.
Advantages: The cross-trainer is good for your joints and also trains more muscle groups. You can usually train for longer on the cross-trainer than on other cardio machines, precisely because the intensity isn't too high. So it's very good for beginners.
Disadvantages: With the cross-trainer, you have a lower calorie burn than with the treadmill or rowing machine. You should also always pay attention to good form, so that you actually activate all the muscle groups.
Conclusion: The cross-trainer is ideal for beginners and for people who have joint issues.
4. Stairmaster
In some gyms this machine has been around for a while, in others it's still new, we're talking about the Stairmaster. With this machine, put simply, you simulate climbing stairs. You can adjust the pace via the step level and match it to your own tempo. With this machine, you mainly train the glutes and legs.
Training on the Stairmaster can quickly get very demanding, so you also get a good calorie burn of around 500-1000 kilocalories per hour.
Advantages: The Stairmaster is a relatively new cardio machine, which makes for a nice change of pace. The workout is also demanding and intense, so you get a good calorie burn.
Disadvantages: The Stairmaster doesn't train the upper body, so you'd need other machines for that. You also shouldn't overdo it, since it's easy to trip here.
Conclusion: The Stairmaster is a genuinely great cardio machine with a high calorie burn. It's guaranteed to give you an exciting endurance workout.
5. Exercise bike
Let's come back once more to one of the classic cardio machines, the exercise bike. This one is particularly popular with beginners because it's simple and not too demanding. Here you mainly train your legs, and the calorie burn is also lower than with other machines. If you really push it, you can burn 600 calories per hour.
Advantages: If you enjoy cycling, this machine is a great option to fall back on on bad-weather days. It's also recommended if you have a lot of trouble standing. And beginners benefit from it too.
Disadvantages: You mainly train the legs, for other muscle groups you'll need other machines. It also burns fewer calories per hour compared to other machines.
Conclusion: A good option for beginners and anyone for whom machines like the treadmill or the Stairmaster are too demanding.
Other cardio machines
So much for the most important cardio machines in overview. Besides these already well-known classics, there are a few other cardio machines I'd like to briefly cover here:
- Indoor skiing: Nowadays there are already cardio machines that mimic cross-country skiing. It's a fun option for anyone who loves skiing. This mainly works the abs and upper body.
- Climbing machine: There are also already machines that let you simulate climbing at the gym. This machine engages your entire body and is accordingly really demanding. You can burn calories very quickly here.
- SkillMill: This machine is a variation on the treadmill, but it runs without electricity. It's curved, so you drive it with your own body power. Studies have shown that with this method you can burn up to 40% more calories.
I hope this overview gave you a good picture of the most important cardio machines and what sets them apart. Basically, you can choose whichever cardio machine feels best for you. If you want to go all out, you now know which machines are the most effective. And if you're a beginner, you also now know which machines are best suited to getting started.