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Cardio Options
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This is a good choice because the stress on your joints is not severe by any means and it stresses your cardiovascular fitness levels. An air resistant bicycle is a good choice for someone who does not want to fatigue their quadriceps, because the just completed an intense leg workout. The faster you go the harder it is. Mechanical and electrical resistant bicycles allow you to program a course, however they tend to fatigue your leg muscles before your cardiovascular system becomes fatigued. Which ever bike you choice make sure that when you sit on the bicycle that your knees are slightly bent when fully extended on the pedals. Make sure that bike is a standard style, because if you use one that places your hips and feet in a line then unnecessary stress is placed on your knees and quadriceps. Make sure that you push yourself just as hard as you would on the treadmill. It is really easy to dose off and go for a joy ride.
These are great because they work your upper and lower body. Even though the rower works more muscle mass than the cycle the VO2max has been shown to be the same. This is due to the positioning of your body (Shibuya, K. (1998). Anaerobic Threshold in Rowing Ergometer Exercise Test. Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, 30, 37. Retrieved July 7, 2006, from http://www.acsm-msse.org/pt/re/msse/home.htm). If poor form is used you can easily injure your lower back. One disadvantage is that you do not exercise in a standing position and this causes your bones and muscles to develop improperly, because gravity does not put stress on them. I recommend the flywheel rower over the cylinder rower, because it provides a natural rowing motion. The flywheel works against the air resistance, whereas the cylinder rower uses hydraulics for resistance.Make sure that your heels are somewhat loose; extend your arms; push with your legs and keep your arms straight; pull your arms toward you abdomen and extend your legs; and the last step is to extend your arms and then your legs on the return.
These are popular, because the stress placed on your joints is far less then running. There are two options: the dependent-action stair climber and the independent-action stair climber. The independent-action stair climber only moves when you press down on it whereas the dependent-action stair climber will rise on it own, because you pressed down on the other pedal. For this reason the independent-action stair climber is much safer on your joints. It is a much more natural movement. Another advantage is that stair climbers can generate a great workout in less time than running or cycling.
These are widely popular because they increase your heart rate to a greater degree than most exercise modules; however the stress on your knees is 1.5 times your bodyweight. This is less then what would occur on the cement, but cycling and stair climbing machines are safer for your knees. Moyna and Robertson discovered that subjects can expend more calories at the same Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) than the rower or the cycle (Moyna, N. M., & Robertson, R. J. (2000). Intermodal comparison of energy expenditure at exercise intensities corresponding to the perceptual preference range. Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, 1404-1410. Retrieved April 7, 2006, from http://www.acsm-msse.org/pt/re/msse/home.htm). In other words, you can exercise at the same subjective intensity level and expend more calories on the treadmill than you would on the cylce or rower.
Elliptical Crosstrainers are beneficial, because several movements are executed on one machine. This is an advantage, because repetitive movements can place a great deal of stress on your joints. Putting several movements into one will produce less stress on your skeletal and muscular system.
Source: Peterson, James A. Fitness: The Complete Guide. 8.1.5th ed. Santa Barbara: International Sports and Sciences, 2004. 304-317.
Last Updated:
February 9, 2007
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