ShapeFit.com

[Ariel]

Hi,

I would like to check which cardio machines are best for fat loss and cardiovascular improvement. My gym offers treadmill, elliptical and x-trainer, rower, stairmaster and cycle.

I often choose elliptical and x-trainer over the rest, as I find I can maintain my HR at 70% of my MHR for 60 mins. But not for treadmill and stairmaster, which I found myself breathless and felt I can't continue after 20-30 mins. Why is that so, is it because of my fitness level or endurance?

Currently, I do my cardio workout mostly on elliptical or x-trainer for 60 mins per session. Seldom do treadmill and the rest. Should I rotate my cardio workout on different machines? If I stick to one, will my body get use to it and not improve anymore?

Thank you.

[Boss Man]

Certain Cardio machines may have extra resistance, making them less eays to use at a standard you're used to, so then you have lowered perfomance.

This might be a good thing, meaning the extra resistance for 10-15 minutes less on a different machine, might be giving you the same effect, as you'd get on another machine. I can't say that for certain, but it might be the case.

Rotating your Cardio machines doesn't harm I think, and keeps your Cardiovascular system, guessing, so it doesn't adapt easily to the Cardio you do.

Your body should only get used to Cardio, if you do the same thing repeatedly, like Flat Treadmill at level 3 for 30 minutes, doing 5mph, for example.

Things like Interval training will help to confuise the body, stopping Cardio becoming less effective, but rotating your Machines can help, and may reduce boredom, and a tapering off of the amount of time you do Cardio, as rotation would give you something different each time, if you find the same old thing, difficult to take after a while.