Weight machines are designed primarily to help you build muscle and improve muscular endurance. You can create cardio workouts with weight machines by using lighter weights or less resistance and keeping your intensity elevated, with few or no breaks during the course of a workout. Knowing a few basics about cardio exercise and weight machines will help you create the right exercise routine for you.
Heart Rates
There are three basic heart rates for cardio workouts. Working at 50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate, similar to a brisk walk, helps you ease into exercise, burning calories as you build cardio stamina. Working at 70 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate creates an aerobic workout, which is the most efficient way to burn calories for most people. Working at 80 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate trains your anaerobic cardio system, helping you to recover better between points and plays during sports activities.
Fat-Burning Workouts
To create fat-burning workouts on a weight machine, start by using little or no weight or resistance. Use a variety of exercises so you don't fatigue one set of muscles to the point you have to stop after a few minutes. Vary muscle use by working your arms for several minutes, then your legs, then your core and so on. Work at a pace that lets you continue for 30 minutes or longer, depending on fitness goals.
Aerobic Workouts
If the weight machine you will be using has a movable bench and cables, you can create a rowing workout to reach your aerobic target heart rate. You can perform a circuit similar to the one described in the fat-burning workout section, exercising at a higher intensity level. During an aerobic cardio workout, your pace will be similar to jogging; you'll start sweating and will breath hard. You should be able to talk while you're exercising. Keep resistance settings at levels that won't fatigue you to the point you'll have to take several minutes of rest between exercises.
Anaerobic Workouts
You can create sprints of exercises by working at a very high intensity for 30 seconds to two minutes, taking one or more minutes to recover each time, depending on your cardio fitness. You can raise your heart rate using heavier weights, but will train your low-twitch muscle fibers. Because most sports that are primarily anaerobic use high-twitch muscle fibers, such as tennis, volleyball, soccer, basketball and football, you may want to sprint train raising your heart rate with many, fast repetitions of an exercise, rather than fewer, more difficult reps.
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