If you’ve read our guide on putting together your home gym training plan and decided cardio is your thing, the next step is deciding what kind of cardio you enjoy.
All too often we forget just how much the fitness industry has evolved when it comes to getting our cardio fix; gone are the days of seemingly endless minutes pounding the treadmill!
However, finding your perfect cardio machine match depends entirely upon your fitness goals, likes, dislikes, and budget.
So, if you’re sure on cardio but unsure of equipment, we’ve got the lowdown on which cardio machine you’re sure to love.
And without breaking the bank!
- THE SKI ERG
The ski erg has grown increasingly popular over recent years and can often be found at the center of WODs and fitness classes all over the world.
This piece of equipment is extremely versatile and effective at developing both strength and endurance, and works the legs, core, and upper body.
In other words? You’re getting it all!
3 BENEFITS OF THE SKI ERG
- Improved Muscular Endurance
According to research, the ski erg helps improve muscular endurance through full- body flexion and power.
Because there is only a concentric ‘crunching’ phase (and little eccentric loading), the ski erg is low impact and low demand on the central nervous system (CNS) and high impact on results!
- Improved Upper Body Strength
Both upper body and core strength are required to pull the ski erg, making it a solid option for those looking to build upper body strength.
During the ‘pulling phase’ the arms, shoulders, back, and core muscles all engage and produce movement, while the legs get to work during hip flexion and extension.
End result? Max aerobic output and a full-body attack![1]
- Advanced Tracking System
The advanced monitoring system captures output stats such as distance and cals, and syncs to apps or heart rate monitors, for you to track progress and compete with others.
[1] Cited 10.11.21, Concept2, https://www.concept2.com/skierg/why-use-skierg
- THE ASSAULT BIKE
Known as ‘the devil’s bike’ (and other uninviting names!), the assault bike targets every major muscle group in the body to provide the user with a total body sweat.
3 BENEFITS OF THE ASSAULT BIKE
- Full Body Workout
Unlike a regular bike, the assault bike requires a push/pull motion of the handlebars alongside peddling with the feet. This means your biceps, triceps, chest, and back are all working, with your legs, to generate the fan mechanism on the bike.
The harder you pull, the more resistance generated and the more calories you burn!
And that’s not all.
Staying upright on the bike (to drive movement) requires core activation, so you’re actually strengthening your core too!
- Low Impact
The assault bike puts very little pressure on your joints while maximizing blood flow through movement, making it an accessible option for those recovering from injury or easing back into an exercise regime.
- Metabolic Conditioner
This machine guarantees a calorie burn!
It is thought the assault bike can target all three energy systems during exercise.
Your body requires power to fuel the movement of major muscle groups through exercise, which means your heart and lungs are working at a higher capacity to deliver oxygen to your muscles for energy.
Regular use of the assault bike can help to build stamina, endurance, and posture, as well as improve heart and lung health.
The easy-use monitor also tracks your distance and cals so that you can up your cardio output anti!
- THE VERSA CLIMBER
Photo credit: VersaClimber
Don’t be fooled! The versa is one of the toughest workouts around!
This piece of equipment is loved by many, feared by all. Why? Because there’s nowhere to hide.
So why do we love them?
- A Unique Full-Body Experience
The versa climber, as you may have guessed, is a climbing machine!
As you climb, the muscles in your arms, legs, chest, back, and shoulders are activated; the versa also requires your body to work contra-laterally (opposite arm to opposite leg) which targets muscles otherwise not activated through other workouts.
- Versa-Tile
The versa boasts a whole range of settings to keep your workouts varied, challenging, and fun, making it one of the most versatile machines around.
You can chase the chaser, climb the equivalent of famous monuments, and race for distance, amongst many other challenger settings.
You can also adjust the hydraulics to train for power, strength, or cardio.
Fancy mixing it up?
Work in isolation by just using the handles for upper body workouts, or the peddles to target the legs.
- Max Calorie Burn
The versa is thought to burn more calories, in a shorter time, than any other piece of cardio equipment.
Increase in heart rate and oxygen consumption requirements means you’ll still be burning those calories way after the sweating has stopped![1]
THE BEST PART?
You can buy all of these machines at low-cost, so you don’t have to break the bank to break a sweat.
[1] Cited 09.11.21, VersaClimber, https://www.versaclimber.co.uk/faqs/
You can find the best cardio machines in our Sports Equipment Directory
