Edward Pauls of Chaska, Minnesota, invented NordicTrack ski machine in 1975 as a way for cross-country skiers to train year round. According to investment guide FundingUniverse.com, prudent management of the NordicTrack Line by Pauls' company and perfect timing with the fitness craze of the 1980s resulted in massive sales of the machine. The company greatly expanded its product line after it collapsed financially in the late 1990s and was purchased by ICON Health and Fitness, but the classic skier machine remains available at the time of this article's publication.
Average Calories Burned
In 2004, Harvard University compared the calorie-burning capacity of many common exercise and daily activities to see which ones were the most effective. The research found that using a NordicTrack ski machine is the third most effective calorie burning exercise you can perform, being bettered only by high-impact step aerobics and vigorous cycling. Based upon the study, you would burn 706 calories in an hour of exercise on the machine if you weigh 155 lbs.
More Weight, More Loss
The more you weigh and the greater your body's muscle mass percentage, the more calories your metabolism will use during rest and exercise, according to MayoClinic.com. For example, a 185-lb. person could expect to burn 844 calories in a single hour of exercise on the NordicTrack, while a 125-lb. person would only use 570. These figures are for moderately paced exercise, and would increase if you use the ski machine more vigorously.
Intensity Adjustment
There are three ways to increase the amount of calories you burn in an hour on the NordicTrack without working out any faster. The first way is to raise the front legs to increase the incline of the skier. While the machine will not incline a significant amount, even a slight incline will increase your calorie burn. You can have a more substantial increase in your workout intensity by upping the amount of resistance on the skis or the arm cords. These adjustments are made with the resistance clamp on the skier upright and the resistance knob on the top pulley, respectively.
Exercise Guidelines
NordicTrack states in its skier owner's manual that you can exercise safely on the machine between three and five times per week depending on your fitness level. The company advises that you do not exercise in your maximum training zone for more than 30 minutes at a time during your first few weeks of exercise on the ski machine. If you slow down or break up your workout into smaller segments, you can track your total calories burned using the approximate values displayed on the machine's electronics console.
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