There are hundreds of different types of exercise machines available to help achieve your health and fitness goals. Exercise machines usually fall into one of two categories: cardiovascular machines or strength-training machines. The most effective exercise machines are the machines that are capable of providing the most overall results.
Treadmill
The treadmill is a cardiovascular machine allowing your to perform aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise reduces health risks, keeps excess pounds at bay, strengthens your heart and boosts your mood. The treadmill gives the user the capability of walking or running at different speeds or inclines which is beneficial to individuals of all levels of fitness. Treadmill workouts can be high-impact or low-impact both of which are beneficial for improving bone density and fighting osteoporosis. Additionally, the intensity level of the treadmill can be varied to suit your personal fitness needs.
Stationary Bikes
Stationary bikes are an effective non-impact aerobic exercise machine for beginners or advanced exercisers. Stationary bikes allow the user to perform low - to high-intensity aerobic exercise, but are a safer and more comfortable option for individuals who may have problems with balance, foot neuropathy, who have trouble walking or for people looking to cross-train. Stationary bikes come in a variety forms such as upright, recumbent or stationary bikes.
Leg Press
The leg press is lower body strength-training machine primarily targeting the quadriceps, glutes, adductors and hamstrings. This machine allows the user to simulate the barbell squat, but without the added stress on the back. Additionally, foot placement on the foot plate can change the muscle emphasis during the exercise. Feet high on plate places emphasis on glutes and hamstrings; feet low or close together on plate places emphasis on quadriceps; wide foot placement puts emphasis on the adductors. The leg press machine can also be used to train the lower leg muscles -- soleus and gastrocnemius -- by doing toe raises.
Cable Pulley System
The cable pulley machine is one of the most effective strength-training machines, because it allows you to strength-train your entire body. Resistance can easily be changed using a weight stack, as well as the angle of resistance from low-pulley to high-pulley. The cable pulley system enables you train muscles that are sometimes difficult to train using free weights. Common exercises used in the cable pulley system include lat pull down, seated cable row, cable curls and triceps press down.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Aerobic Exercise
- "Strength Training Anatomy;" Frederic Delavier; 2001
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