Slimming simulators: video reviews
Aerobic exercise has been shown to be most effective for weight loss. When choosing the best equipment, you should pay attention not only to the fact that they provide you with several workout programs, calculate your heart rate, distance and number of calories burned, but also that they are perfect for you.
Treadmills are one of the most popular equipment in any gym. Topping the rankings, they provide the ability to workout at the selected intensity – low and high, allowing varying walking and running speeds. In addition, most of these machines have the ability to adjust the incline to simulate climbing a hill or running over rough terrain. Lifts train the muscles of the glutes, hips and legs more than walking on a flat surface. The treadmills are suitable for people of all fitness levels. Choose a speed and incline that will allow you to walk and run with some effort, but such that you can speak the words as you move. If you start to choke, you do not have enough oxygen, the workout is no longer aerobic and beneficial for the heart muscle. Treadmills also have contraindications; they are not recommended for those with sore knees or back.
Try to walk without holding the handles. This will make the workout more effective, you will burn more calories due to the fact that you will do it with a load equal to your body weight.
Elliptical or elliptical trainers
Elliptical machines in sports clubs rival treadmills in popularity. They allow your body to mimic walking or running without adjusting to the tape of the treadmill. You can increase the intensity of your workout by setting the machine to varying degrees of resistance. For variety, you can set the “ellipse” to move in the opposite direction, making the muscles work a little differently. Some elliptical machines have handles that allow you to move your arms back and forth asynchronously with your legs. Also, on some models, you can change the height, simulating the rise up the hill. Related to elliptical trainers are trainers that simulate cross-country skiing.
Elliptical machines cause less stress in the knees, hips and back than treadmills
Exercise machines that simulate cycling are of two types: those on which they “ride” in a sitting position, and the so-called “recumbent” ones, which allow you to pedal while reclining. When choosing such a simulator, pay attention not only to the possibility of complex trainings and sensors, but also to the fact that on the “bike” it is possible to change the height of the seat, handlebar, position of the seat and pedals in order to make the “ride” as comfortable as possible. After all, the more comfortable it is for you to work out on the simulator, the longer your workout will last, and the more calories, which means you will lose weight as a result. Exercise bikes are recommended for those with back and knee problems. These recommendations apply to “recumbent” machines that take the extra stress on your legs and knees.
When sitting on a seated machine, make sure that the pedals are set in such a way that the knees are bent no more than 5-10 degrees when going up, and the leg can be extended as far as possible when moving down
On the stationary bike, you can change the resistance levels, thereby increasing the stress on the cardiovascular system and the intensity of the workout. However, to burn 100 calories on a treadmill, you need to walk about 1,5 kilometers, and on a stationary bike, you need to travel about 6.
Rowing machines are mistakenly considered solely upper body strength machines that are not suitable for weight loss. In fact, because rowers use their feet, abdominal, sternum, and back muscles, they burn a lot of calories, making rowing an effective cardio exercise. It has been proven that this type of training uses 80% of the muscles in the body, guiding them through a wide range of dynamic movements. An important reason for those who want to lose weight is the fact that the muscles that you develop on the rowing machine burn more and more calories by themselves.
Rowing machines include a number of design features that allow you to increase the intensity of your cardio workout, which is good for the heart
Like stationary bikes and elliptical machines, rowing machines allow you to set higher resistance levels. The downside of the rowing machine is that it is not suitable for beginners and people with a problem back, which is often a companion of excess weight.
Rowing machines are available in several configurations:
- air
- magnetic
- piston
- water
The first two types are easy to fold, so you can practice on them at home, and the water and magnetic ones simulate as much as possible rowing on a boat floating in a pond.
The simplest stepper, which is a low bench, is an ideal simulator for the home, since it takes up little space and allows you to practice not only simple walking up and down, but also performs various sets of exercises for step training. An important factor is the low price of this equipment, especially when compared with other types of effective cardiovascular equipment. Steppers installed in fitness centers simulate stair climbing. By setting different intensity levels, you can train with a short range of motion, doing the main load on the quadriceps, or performing full range movements, also loading the gluteus maximus and thigh muscles.