changing cardio
 

so the last few weeks i've been pushing out 45 mins on the cross trainer 3 times a week then this week i did an hour. but as well all know the elipitcal machines are the worst for of cardio as they are based on momentum and not moving your body so as of monday i'm, moving to the treadmill, and rower.

will do 30 mins of jogging/walking on the treadmill and 5k on the rower. and see how i get on

I didn't know that. Huh! Learn something on this board every day, usually more than one thing. Thanks!

Sounds like a good plan to me, slimmings, although you might want to use the elliptical once in a while just to surprise your body. Sometimes if you sneak up behind it and yell BOO! really loud, it will drop the fat it was holding and forget to pick it back up again. The hard part of course is sneaking up behind your own body --- but it can be done! It might have to include some drugs, but, hey.... :D

Good for you for making the switch --- let us know how it works out, ok?

Changing up your routine every 6-8 weeks is a great idea anyway, since your body will get used to whatever exercise you do.

One thing I will say in the defense of the elliptical - low impact.

Take it slow at first with the jogging - see how your knees do. I dunno how old you are...but hurt knees is no fun. I do think the treadmill is better on the knees than cement.

Love the rower!!!

What about biking? Not that I might be biased or anything. :s:

Aw heck, I just looked up yer profile. Yer still a kid! :D

I still use an elliptical sometimes...it is good to switch things up. For the reason below, of course.


:lol3:

Huh? I'm a personal trainer and I've never heard that before. :dunno:

If you're doing cardio for weight loss, the best cardio is the one that burns the most calories. And the number of calories that you burn is based on your heart rate. The type of equipment doesn't matter; all that matters is what your heart rate is. So if your heart rate is 160, for example, on the elliptical and the treadmill and the bike, then you are burning exactly the same number of calories on each machine.

And it's funny, but it sure feels like I'm moving my body on the elliptical! If I stop moving my legs, I stop dead. No momentum involved. And golly, to think that "the worst" cardio was the ONLY cardio I did for the year that I lost weight. Wonder how fast I could have lost if only I had been doing "real cardio"? :lol:

Before I started running. I did a lot of rowing. I love it and I think it is a great way to change things up and work your body differently. Great job and keep up the good work.

I was thinking the same things that Meg said. When I have the resistance up the elliptical sure kicks my butt and I've been doing it for years.

I do mix up my workouts A LOT though. Get bored easily so need to keep it interesting. Running has become one of my favorites! I used to roll my eyes when people would talk about "runners high" but I have found that it is not a myth.

Have fun with the new workouts!

Ditto Meg.

Thanks Meg! I was starting to feel down about the elliptical being my number one choice for working out! Glad to hear I can still use it without worrying it's all for naught!

I loooooove the eliptical....it seems like more work than jogging...when I 1st started I could only do 5 minutes.

I do Tabata on the elliptical and it kicks my a$$!

I used to tell my daughter that when I did it I could FEEEEL myself getting thinner...so I put it to the test...

I tested for ketones b4 and after the elliptical (Tabata method of HIIT) and tested high pos 1 hour AFTER my workout.

Thank you Meg!

I've done the elliptical every single day (except 3) for the past 6 months and I have lost 91 pounds. I also weight train 3x per week and count my calories. I love the elliptical for my cardio!

:)

hope you don't mind me breaking your text up but it makes it easier for the response by numbers.:D

1.agreed burning the most amount of calories is best for weightloss
2. Disagree calories burnt depends on amount of movement the speed of movement and resistance of movement. weight lifting can burn many more calories than cardio without getting the heartrate anywhere near cardio levels. newtons laws of motion.
3.disagree if your heart rate is 160 on the tread mill or 160 on the bike you cannot be burning the same amount of calories as for the bike you are sat down therefore not activating your balance muscles to the same degree and there by not burning calories with them.
also with the bike and eliptical if you push down with one foot it forces the other foot up due to the mechanical motion (momentum) where as on the treadmill you have actually lift your leg and throw it forward. (granted the treadmill drags the impact foot back).

you cannont burn the same amount of calories at the same heart rate if sat down than being stood up due to the amount of muslces being activated just to hold your body upright.

not to mention with the elliptical your actually pushing down with your weight onto the footplate and not entirely your muscles where as the bike will isolate your legs for the pushing element

Si, think about a heart rate monitor. It measures your heart rate and tells you how many calories you're burning, right? It doesn't ask you what equipment you're using to achieve that HR. It only translates HR into calories based on your age, gender, height, and weight. The type of equipment is not relevant to calorie burn. It might be relevant to muscle strength and balance issues, but not to calories expended.

I stand by my statement that if your HR is the same while doing different exercises, then you are burning the same amount of calories. :)