Just because something is popular doesn't mean it's the best. Weight machines are popular because they're easy to use, but working out isn't supposed to be easy. Weight machines are also expensive and don't mimic conditions that people live with every day, such as having your body supported by pads, seats and metal arms. The most popular cardio machines usually are not the best either. People like recumbent bikes; you can lazily sit back and relax during workouts. But if you spend most of your day sitting, this machine places your muscles in the same position they're always in, which negatively impacts posture. Although your specific needs and limitations may make some types of equipment better than others for you, the best exercise equipment generally does its intended job.
Versa Climber
Chances are you have no idea what a Versa climber is, even though it is one of the best machines around. A Versa climber is a vertical cardio machine with two pedals and two handles on each side of an upright rail. You stand on the pedals facing the upright and hold a handle in each hand. By pushing down on the pedals and handles as if climbing a mountain, you work your arms and legs equally. Using the upper and lower body together elevates the heart rate for aerobic conditioning and calorie-burning faster than machines that use only the legs. For the best workout, alternate using the Versa climber with an easier activity such as marching in place or riding a stationary cycle. Because of the high intensity of a Versa climber workout, even at a low resistance level, you can use it for only a few minutes at a time and switch it up with easy cardio to still get a challenging workout.
Rowing Machine
A rowing machine is like the horizontal equivalent of the Versa climber. Although a Versa climber puts your body in a vertical position that forces you to fight gravity, and is therefore more challenging, a rowing machine also works the upper and lower body. Using a rowing machine spreads the work load equally between the arms, legs and torso. Rowing machines are manual devices, so you don't need electricity or an outlet.
Kettlebells
Kettlebells enjoy the honor of being both strength training tools and the means for effective cardio workouts. A 2010 study led by John Porcari, Ph.D., and Chad Schnettler, M.S., at the University of Wiscousin, La Crosse Exercise and Health Programs, found that kettlebell workouts gave users significant strength benefits and aerobic benefits. Kettlebells are smaller and cheaper than weight machines and cardio machines, too.
Dumbbells and Barbells
It is tempting to purchase a home gym or to head straight to the weight machines in a gym, but dumbbells and barbells give all the benefits of strength training for less money. It is also possible to simulate most weight machine exercises with dumbbells and barbells. The best barbells are the Olympic-style bars that have collars on the ends so that the weighted plates don't slide off. All the best dumbbells and barbells are stainless steel or chrome, so they don't rust. Other than that, they are all the same.
References
- AsktheTrainer.com: Best Cardio Machines
- PhD Health & Fitness Specialists: How to Choose Fitness Equipment (pdf)
- "ACE Fitness Matters": Kettlebells: Twice the Results in Half the Time (pdf)
- North Carolina Governors Council on Physical Fitness and Health: Guidelines for Purchasing Exercise Equipment (pdf)
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