Fitness Machines that Torch Fat and Boost Cardio

The Ultimate Machine for Your Cardio Sessions

Finding the motivation to get up and go to your local Metairie gym can be a challenge. But the struggle doesn’t stop there.

Once you’ve made it into your favorite workout spot, you’re undoubtedly faced with a wide variety of fitness machines to choose from. You know that you want to kick things into gear with cardio, but you’re not sure which of the machines will give you exactly the kind of workout you’re looking for.

Is the treadmill the best piece of equipment for you? Perhaps the elliptical or Stairmaster are the machines that will help you reach your goals faster and without feeling bored or burned out.

As luck would have it, there are several effective options for getting a great cardio workout in, even if you’ve only got a quick 15-20 minutes to do it in. However, which machine is best for you depends largely on what your particular goals are.

Fitness Expo has developed a list of the ideal Metairie home exercise and commercial gym equipment for an effective cardio workout. Continue on to learn more about the cardio machines you can utilize to get in an impressive cardio workout, all while torching fat and building up lean muscle and endurance. You’ll be a heck of a lot fitter and healthier, helping you to live your best life forward.

Quality Exercise Machines for You

Treadmills

The treadmill is a tried and true classic. Even though it’s not a “new shiny” fitness contraption, it’s a regular choice among cardio buffs. Plus, it’s easy to use.

Treadmills are a fantastic option if you are training for a race such as a marathon or 5K. They are also equally great if your goal is to lose weight, helping you to quickly hit and maintain optimal fat burning heart rates. Both walking and running are considered weight-bearing exercises, meaning they will help you build up muscle tone in all the right places (i.e. calves, quadriceps, gluteus, etc.). Weight-bearing exercises have also been proven to burn more calories vs. non-weight bearing exercises. Over time, a treadmill can help you to improve performance and to increase your levels of endurance and speed.

A tried and true method for increasing endurance is to slowly increase the distance you are running on the treadmill each week. To avoid injury caused by overuse, be sure not to increase your speed by more than 10 percent each week. To increase your speed, incorporate interval training into your routine. High-Intensity Interval Training is the most effective way to burn fat. Try warming up with a 5 minute jog. Next stop is to start your intervals. This may look like walking for 60 seconds, then running as fast as you can for 20 seconds. Repeat this 6 to 8 times for a full cardio workout.

As far as treadmills are concerned, try the Horizon Adventure 5 Treadmill. Feel free to check it out and browse it on our site or try it in our store. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out. We LOVE talking about fitness.

Elliptical Machines

If your goal is to achieve a full-body, low impact workout, the elliptical is the machine for you. This machine was designed to cause minimal impact to the knees, hips, and ankles when compared to high-impact exercises like running, and is a solid alternative for those that can’t use a treadmill.

Many elliptical machines come equipped with handles, which enable you to engage your upper body. As you push and pull the handles, you can also involve the core while using your legs to push the pedals. In this way, each of your muscles is engaged from head to toe, providing a full body workout. And with the ability to adjust the resistance level, you can easily challenge yourself day in and day out.

Elliptical machines are also a great option for those that have issues with balance. Given that your feet never leave the pedals, and that you have handles to hold on to, elliptical machines are generally quite safe.

Looking for a budget-friendly elliptical machine for your Metairie home gym? Check out the Horizon Fitness EX59.

Stairmaster

If your goal is to develop your lower-body strength while getting your cardio in, the Stairmaster is the go-to option out of all the exercise equipment options in the market. It’s also a great alternative to low-intensity exercises like walking because you can burn many more calories at the same level of intensity. The Stairmaster is king for the combination of cardio and strength-building activity for your legs.

You can engage resistance and increase speed on the Stairmaster to make it a High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout. If you’ve ever had to take the stairs rather than use the elevator, you can imagine how quickly your leg muscles will start to feel the burn on this machine.

Climbing stairs sound like a blast? Check out our line of commercial and home gym climbers and Stairmasters, including the impressive Stairmaster 8 Gauntlet.  

Stationary Bike

If you have a history of back injury or lower-body injury, you’ll want to decrease the amount of weight those parts of your body are bearing. A stationary bike gives you the opportunity to train while protecting those sensitive areas. If you are training for an event that includes cycling, such as a bike tournament, your routine should include a significant amount of time on it. Similarly to training on a treadmill, you will want to slowly increase your distance and speed to gradually improve your performance.

If you’ve recently worked out your arms and they are sore, or other circumstances prevent you from using your arms, you’ll definitely want to consider this piece of equipment.

Check out the Lifecycle GX Group Exercise Bike for a well-rounded stationary bike.  

Rowing Machine

If you’re sore from a previous workout, but still wanting to work on your endurance levels, go with the rowing machine. It might be the most underrated and underutilized of all of the cardio machines. This machine provides a full-body, low-impact workout in a fraction of the time of other machines.

Check out our impressive selection of rowing machines

Keep Your Body Guessing

All of the machines mentioned above have a variety of benefits that will serve you depending on where you are in your fitness journey. Our bodies adapt to change very quickly; even if you experience massive results after starting on one machine, you will need to change the frequency or intensity of the exercise in order to keep progressing. Don’t be afraid to mix it up every once in a while by trying other machines. You will see significant growth in your fitness.

Ready to Kick your Cardio into High Gear?

We hope you found this article useful. When it comes to cardio machines, the options are endless. Give us a call today to learn more about the products discussed and to find the best type of machine for your body type, goals and fitness level.