Find Your Best Exercise Machine
Category : Women Lifestyle, Women Health
An otherwise good fitness gadget won’t help you in the least if you don’t use it over the long haul, whether it’s intended for at-home use or for working out at the gym.
A recent report conducted by IDEA found that cardio machines such as treadmills and stationary cycles are among the most frequently used equipment at fitness facilities. That’s no surprise if you’ve waited for your turn on a stationary cycle or treadmill at your local health club; many workout spots need to keep lists of customers who want to use these handy gadgets, and restrict their use to 20 minutes per session!
Whether you visit the gym for a session on a stair-climber, or dream of having a treadmill in your home, there are several points to keep in mind for the best workout possible. Here are some tips from several fitness organizations that will help you get the most from your time spent on exercise machines:
1. Choose appropriate equipment.
If possible, use a machine that provides weight-bearing exercise as well as a good cardiovascular workout. You’ll build strong bones and lower your risk of osteoporosis when you make your moves on a treadmill, elliptical trainer or a stair climber. A stationary bicycle is your best bet if you need to perform non-weight-bearing exercise for medical or other reasons.
2. Get to know the machine.
Learn how to stop the treadmill or stair climber before your first workout, in case you
need to dismount quickly. For instance, some machines have a “stop” button on the console or a safety switch you attach to your clothes. In other cases, you just stop exercising and the machine slows to a halt. Make sure that you can access the preset programs (or create your own); control your workout’s speed, intensity and duration; and adjust the seat position or incline.
3. Seek out heart rate technology.
Use equipment with integrated heart rate technology if possible. Then, when you wear a transmitter on a chest strap, you can monitor your heart rate on the console as you exercise. Examine heart rate charts to find the guidelines for your age.
4. Consider your space before buying a machine.
You must take your living quarters into account when buying an exercise machine. Unless you want to make a state-of-the-art treadmill the focal point of your small studio apartment, you might be better off with a stair climbing machine or stationary bike. Take your ceiling height into account, too; you don’t want to bump your head when stepping up on that stair-climber!
5. Do the math.
The National Academy of Sports Medicine advises that you find out how much weight a floor can handle. You can do that by learning the pounds per square foot of the machine you want to buy. For instance, a machine weighs a thousand pounds, and takes up 4 feet by 5 feet on the floor. Multiply 4 x 5, and you get 20 square feet. Then divide the weight of the machine-1,000 pounds-by 20 square feet, which equals 50 pounds per square foot. Most floors can handle up to 75 to 100 pounds per square feet, while institutional buildings can handle up to 250 pounds per square foot. This information is crucial because as you pedal or pound on the machine, it moves, and if your floor can’t handle the vibrations, you might wind up on another floor without taking the stairs! To be safe, place the machine near a wall or in a spot where beams cross.
6. Familiarize yourself with the programs.
Most pieces of cardiovascular equipment have preset programs to help you meet goals such as losing weight, preparing for a 100-mile bike ride or training for a hill run. Figure out how these programs will best support your goals and recreational activities, then try the one that’s best suited for your needs.
7. Comparison shop around.
Check prices on various machines before you get out the checkbook or credit card, especially if you’re tempted to order a gadget you’ve just seen advertised on an infomercial. After all, your willpower could be rather weak at 3 a.m.! The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has warned that “much of the equipment advertised on television or in magazines also is available at local sporting goods, department or discount stores.”
The FTC makes another excellent point about the price of mail-order machines. “Don’t be fooled by companies that advertise `three easy payments of…’ or `just $49.95 a month.’ Before you buy any product, find out the total cost, including shipping and handling, sales tax, delivery and set-up fees.” Look through the fine print on warranties, guarantees, and return policies, too: the FTC notes that “a `30-day money back guarantee’ may not sound so good if you have to ante up a hefty fee to return a bulky piece of equipment you’ve bought through the mail.”
8. Plan a routine around your new equipment.
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) has an intriguing idea once you purchase a new piece of equipment: hire a fitness professional to design a program around that treadmill, elliptical trainer or stationary bike. This pro could plan a routine around your current fitness level and goals, and also can assess if you are using proper form while on the machine. And a specially designed program could keep you psyched and focused on your goals. It’s not as expensive as you might think: ACE has found that personal trainers charge an average of between $25 to $60 an hour, depending upon the trainer’s experience, and length and location of the workout session.
9. Start off with a manual or steadystate program.
A manual program allows you to continually adjust the intensity, incline and speed of your workout. A steady-state program gives you a warm-up, a cardio workout and a cool-down. Some steady-state programs are preset; others are customizable.
10. Work your way up to an interval program.
Most machines have some type of preset interval program that alternates intense activity with recovery time. (The program may be called “fat burning” or “weight loss” on some equipment.) The best programs factor in speed, grade, resistance level and heart rate. With these programs you can enter your target heart rate (THR), and the machine will automatically adjust key variables throughout the workout to keep you in your THR zone.
11. Go uphill for a change.
A lot of cardiovascular machines provide a program based on an incline, which may be called something like “Pike’s Peak” or “Mount Olympus.” Often the name is based on a particular race or event (”Uphill 10K Run,” for example). If you need a challenge or want something new, a hill program may be the answer.
12. Use the race pace program to prepare for competition.
Such a program can motivate you to step up your training and get ready for an athletic event. For example, say you have run three 10K races in the past year and want to reduce your time. If you train on a treadmill using this program, you can select warm-up, cool-down, speed and possibly incline parameters that will help you complete the 10K distance at or near the race pace you want to achieve.
13. Seek more information.
If you exercise at a fitness facility, ask a staff person or personal trainer to provide you with a thorough tutorial on the capabilities of different pieces of equipment. If you exercise at home, visit a specialty retailer and ask a salesperson for a hands-on demonstration. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes to the store so you can go through the motions of a workout.
14. Read up online.
Most manufacturers provide online product information, including relevant research reports.
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