How to Choose the Best Cardio Machine

Are you looking to find the best cardio machine?

After 7 years as a fitness coach, please let me tell you my humble opinion.

Aerobic workouts, otherwise known as cardio workouts, are a type of low intensity workout that coaxes the body into a state where it generates the most energy possible.

cardio workout women

During this process, the energy produced within the body helps facilitate the body’s metabolic function, all because the workout helps stimulate blood flow and allows more oxygen into the body.

Why You Should Consider Cardio Workouts

Okay, so what else should I know about cardio workouts? Is there anything else I need to know? And, what do cardio workouts accomplish anyway?

Due to the nature of cardio workouts, they’re a pretty good way to help condition the body to withstand physical activity over a sustained period of time.

In fact, many people undertake the best at home cardio workouts simply to make their bodies feel more fit when they undertake any type of activity.

Cardio workouts are best done on cardio equipment that’s designed to handle the load of a cardio workout. Yes, the best at home cardio workouts can get quite intense, even though they’re low intensity workouts by nature. The best way to undergo a cardio workout is using a cardio machine, which is often built to withstand the nature of those workouts.

Though, there isn’t just one type of best at home cardio machine out there – there’s several.

And, cardio machines by nature are designed to help work the body to the point of helping it draw in and move a lot of air through the lungs in order to get enough oxygen into the body and through the bloodstream.

Naturally, this oxygenated blood travels to the muscles to help the muscles, well, do their job.

Different Types of Workout Machines

Thanks for telling me that! Well, is there a best cardio machine for cardio workouts? Or, should I look for other types of machines instead?

That’s a good question.

You see, there’s more than one cardio machine on the market.

So, there isn’t just one best cardio machine for the job. Though, there are a set of definitive traits that all cardio machines should have to be effective as a workout machine.

sole fitness company cardio machines

To start, all cardio machines need to have excellent build quality and have enough weight to support your body weight and the workout performed on the machine itself. Cardio workouts are supposed to, well, work the body, as we’ve mentioned. You can’t really do a cardio workout on a flimsy machine – not only is it not effective, it’s incredibly unsafe.

The weight of a cardio machine helps you put more effort into a workout, which in turn, helps you use more energy, and that helps you burn calories. All of that happens because you’re putting in the effort to work your muscles harder.

It’s pretty much that simple in concept.

So, you don’t want to spend any less than $500 on a cardio machine.

Of course, if you’re lucky enough to get a good one for sale, that’s great. But, you have to remember that a good workout does come at a price.

With that out of the way, you’re probably wondering what type of cardio equipment out there exists?

As we’ve mentioned, there are several cardio machines out there that have the distinct honor of being called one of the best cardio machine out there.

Most of this cardio-friendly equipment can be bought at a retailer and used from your home, so you don’t have to head to a gym to get a ‘gym quality workout’!

What Is the Best Type of Cardio Machine

All right, so can you tell me about the types of the cardio machines out there? What are some of the easiest cardio machines to use?

Sure!

Well, the easiest and probably best cardio equipment out there are known as the stationary bike and the treadmill.

And, yes, you can search for these best cardio machines and immediately find them at many online and retail stores without a hitch.

Stationary Bikes

Stationary bikes can help you burn as much as 500 to 1,000 calories per hour.

It’s all thanks to how bicycling focuses on working the quadriceps muscles in the legs. While the machine works efficiently by only relying on momentum alone, it’s still good to pace yourself at about 85 rotations per minute (RPM) to get the most out of its calorie and fat burning capabilities.

In other words, that workout should have you breathing hard – if you can handle it!

Treadmills

Treadmills encourage running, since running naturally helps burn calories.

Treadmills themselves are known to help people burn as much as 600 to 1,200 calories per hour. When you’re using a treadmill as your cardio machine, you have several options to make your cardio workout work well.

treadmill - best cardio machine

 

You can set the treadmill at a jogging pace to help you burn calories while going at a pace that suits you best. Some treadmills have an incline that you can adjust to make yourself walk uphill—and, that naturally helps you burn more calories.

If you can handle the high intensity treadmill sprint, it’s a good way to get a good burst of body exertion followed by recovery periods to help boost the body’s regenerative and metabolic capabilities.

If you decide to go for this option, my current recommendation is a treadmill from SOLE Fitness.

At Home Cardio – Even More Alternatives

So, are there any other cardio machines that I should know about? I heard there were a few more different home cardio machines that I should look out for.

Of course, there are!

After the stationary bike and the treadmill, the two best recommended pieces of cardio equipment out there are the elliptical trainer and the rowing machine.

The elliptical trainer or machine is known to help people burn as much as 600 to 800 calories per hour, though that can vary between the people that choose to use the machine. Despite that, elliptical machines are considered some of the best cardio machines out there—as long as you work on a higher resistance.

It’s because elliptical trainers do produce a lot of momentum once you really get going on the machine and it gets easier to just rely on the momentum to get action out of your workout. You need a higher resistance to really work the body and get a better workout in return on an elliptical.

The rowing machine is probably also one of the best cardio machine in that it actually works out the entire body, though it does have its drawbacks. People who don’t know how to properly use a rowing machine may become injured after using one, so it’s advised to learn how to use it before getting accustomed.

If you do get accustomed to using a rowing machine, it’s a cardio machine that can help you burn as much as 700 to 1,100 calories per hour.

Get my latest cardio machine reviews & best home cardio advise here >>.