Best cardio machines to get your dream physique

Staying in good shape and staying in good shape is the desire of many people. However, finding the motivation to exercise regularly can be difficult with a busy schedule. Fortunately, there are now a whole host of solutions for getting physically active at home. Home cardio training equipment has become more affordable, allowing you to reproduce the comfort of a home gym.

But with so many devices available on the market, it's not always easy to make the right decision. How to choose Best cardio training equipment For effective training at home? Should you choose the rower, elliptical bike, or treadmill? What criteria should you take into consideration to find the equipment that suits you?

In this article, I invite you to review the advantages and disadvantages of the different main machines available on the market: exercise bike, treadmill, elliptical trainer, rowing machine. This way, you'll know exactly what equipment to turn to to outfit yourself at home. You will have no excuses not to train!

rower

The rowing machine, or ergometer, is an excellent cardio machine for developing several muscle groups at once. Contrary to popular belief, rowing doesn't just work the upper body. It actually works all major muscle groups, including your back muscles, shoulders, back muscles, quadriceps, and hamstrings.

The rowing motion is a compound exercise that uses many muscles at the same time. This makes it a great exercise for working the entire body. Additionally, rowing works muscles through their full range of motion, allowing them to fully develop.

However, to reap the full benefits, it is essential to adopt the right technique. This is divided into 4 main stages:

supports

Start in a very upright seated position, with feet planted on the stirrups and hands on the handle. Your arms are extended in front of you and your back is straight. This is the starting point.

trust

We begin the movement with an explosive extension of the legs while keeping the back straight and arms straight. The legs provide most of the strength. You have to press hard on your feet!

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Once the legs are almost completely straight, we then pull the handle, opening the torso and accompanying the movement with a backward extension of the pelvis. The arms complement the work of the legs.

Return

Then we return to the starting position by bending the legs and pushing the torso forward. The arms bend and the handle returns toward you.

The sequence of these four movements forms a complete cycle. Liquidity is important. Once the gesture is well mastered, we try to connect the cycles in a dynamic and powerful way.

Initially, it is recommended to work at low intensity to fully integrate the technique. We gradually increase difficulty by adjusting the resistance of the machine. The main thing is to always maintain good posture and smooth traction of the arm and leg.

By following these tips, you'll quickly get the most out of your rower while sculpting your figure! This complete exercise is excellent for cardio, muscle strengthening and coordination.

Incline mill

The treadmill is probably the most commonly used cardio equipment, which can also be used to strengthen your legs. Explanations. By tilting the treadmill and increasing the speed, you can increase the level of effort required and effectively stimulate muscle growth.

The incline of the treadmill allows you to target certain muscle groups more specifically, including your calves, quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. When running down a steep incline, these muscles must produce much more force to propel the body forward. This muscle overload is perfect for stimulating and shaping your legs.

Short (20 to 60 seconds) but intense sprints at a high incline (10 to 15%) are recommended to maximize muscular adaptation. Between sprints, active recovery at low intensity allows the cardiovascular system to rest while keeping muscles active.

With this approach, the treadmill becomes more than just a tool for cardiovascular endurance.

Elliptical bike

Although it's often overlooked, the elliptical trainer (or elliptical trainer) is an excellent all-around cardio machine. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn't just work the legs, it actually uses multiple muscle groups.

The main advantage of the elliptical bike is its beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. By pedaling at a sustained pace, the heart is stimulated and its ability to pump blood gradually increases. Thus the elliptical machine effectively improves cardiorespiratory endurance.

Plus, the smooth, shock-free pedaling motion is easy on the joints, even for people with knee or ankle problems. This makes it an accessible exercise to work on your endurance, even with physical weaknesses.

Finally, although not all muscle groups are used to their maximum, the elliptical exercises the upper and lower body moderately. This helps maintain overall muscle strength.

With regular use of the elliptical bike, for 30 to 60 minutes per session, it is possible to significantly improve your overall physical condition. Heart, lungs, legs, arms…and the whole body benefits!

Assault bike

The Assault Bike, also called a bicycle or bicycle, is a complete cardio machine that works your entire body. Unlike traditional stationary bikes, an assault bike's resistance is created by a propeller that rotates as you pedal. The faster you pedal, the more resistance automatically increases.

This constant adaptation of resistance makes it a tremendous training tool. Allows you to perform moderate intensity endurance sessions and high intensity intervals such as HIIT. So the versatile nature of the Assault Bike makes it an interesting choice for different cardio workouts.

To get the most out of this device, the following is recommended:

• Maintaining a parallel body position to improve breathing;
• Start sprints fast and strong;
• The durations and intensity of the intervals vary.

Thanks to these recommendations, any athlete can adapt the Assault Bike to their level and goals, whether for weight loss or muscle development.

Spinning bike

A spinning bike, also called a stationary bike, is an excellent cardio machine for intensely working your legs and stimulating muscle growth. Unlike classic exercise bikes, a spin bike allows you to pedal while standing by changing the resistance, which intensifies muscle work.

By alternating between sitting and standing, this bike dynamically works your quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes. Standing and leaning forward allows you to specifically target your quadriceps.

It is recommended to perform short, intense intervals (30 to 90 seconds) by adjusting the resistance to make the most of your leg muscles. This HIIT style is perfect for shaping and toning your leg muscles.

Therefore, the spinning bike is an excellent tool for training leg strength, in addition to exercises such as squats or hip presses. The cardiovascular dimension also allows you to burn as many calories as possible while sculpting your muscles.

stair machine

A stair machine, also called a stair simulator or stepper, reproduces the motion of climbing stairs. This cardio trainer intensely exercises the lower extremities, especially the leg muscles, quadriceps and buttocks. In addition to targeted bodybuilding exercises, it helps to shape the leg muscles and thighs in an athletic way.

The advantage of the stair machine is that it works these muscles in their full range by reproducing the functional motion of walking on stairs. This allows them to be effectively strengthened and shaped.

To improve muscle growth, it is recommended to use a stair machine at a constant speed with a high incline. This intensifies the work of the leg muscles and increases the difficulty of movement.

The last word

Cardio exercises are extremely beneficial for your health, regardless of the equipment used. It reduces the risk of heart disease, lowers blood pressure, improves stamina and reduces stress. We also know that an active lifestyle including regular sporting activity is associated with better health and greater longevity.

In short, cardio isn't just for people who want to lose weight. A global approach that combines core and muscle strengthening is ideal for sculpting an athletic and muscular body. By incorporating cardio equipment like the rower, incline treadmill, and elliptical into your balanced strength training program, you can take advantage of their unique benefits and improve your results.