Not only does cardio help with weight reduction, but it can also reduce disease risk and improve your aerobic capacity. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, 30 minutes of moderately intense cardio five days a week can offer you health benefits, and 60 to 90 minutes five days a week can help you lose weight.
Running and Walking
Running takes nothing more than a street or strip of land. When you are at the gym, running and walking is done on a treadmill. Controls on the console adjust the speed and incline of the belt, and there are also various programs already set up to choose from.
Elliptical Training
Elliptical training is often referred to as gliding. As the name implies, elliptical training is done by placing your feet on pedals, grasping poles with your hands, then moving them back and forth in a smooth, gliding motion. This type of cardio is low impact and it works muscles in your lower and upper body simultaneously. The glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps are lower body muscles that get worked, and the latissimus dorsi, pectorals and deltoids are upper body muscles that get worked.
Rowing
In similar fashion to elliptical training, rowing works the upper and lower body in unison. A rowing machine, or "rower," has a seat that glides forward and backward as you push off a platform with your feet and pull a handle to your ribcage. A 200 pound person can burn more than 630 calories with one hour of rowing at a moderate intensity. The main muscles that get worked are the glutes, quads, hamstrings, lats and biceps.
Stair Stepping/Climbing
Stair steppers have two foot paddles to place your feet on and a handrail at the top of the machine to rest your hands. To use the stepper, simply move your feet up and down to simulate walking up stairs.
Stair climbers have a small set of steps that continually revolve as you walk up them. Both forms of stepping are low impact and they place emphasis on the glutes.
Biking
Stationary bikes, recumbent bikes and upright bikes are different styles of exercise bikes that all do the same thing—burn calories and work the lower body muscles. A recumbent bike has a backrest with the pedals out in front of your body. This bike works best if you suffer from low back pain. The glutes, hamstrings, quads and calves get targeted with all forms of biking.
Arc Trainer
An arc trainer is similar to an elliptical trainer in that it works your upper and lower body at the same time. The biggest difference is your feet are in an arcing motion instead of gliding motion.
Versa Climbing
Versa climbing is a type of gym cardio that simulates climbing a ladder repetitively. Footholds and handles move up and down on the Versa Climber in a smooth motion. This is another type of full body cardio that works your back, legs and shoulders simultaneously.
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