Someone new to exercise can create a wide range of workouts that improve cardio fitness and muscular strength and endurance using a treadmill, exercise bike and weight machine. All machines allow you to create more than one type of workout and let you raise your intensity as you improve your condition.
Warm Up
Start each workout with a warmup of several minutes, rather than jumping straight into a cardio or weightlifting routine. Walk on the treadmill, starting at 2 mph, raising the speed 0.5 mph each minute for several minutes. Pedal on the exercise bike with a low resistance setting as you gradually raise your heart rate for several minutes. Swing your arms to make sure you stretch and warm your upper-body muscles.
Interval Training
If you will be working out at least three days each week and want to use one machine each workout, change machines each workout. Start with a cardio workout on the treadmill, walking or jogging at a pace you can sustain for at least 30 minutes. Change the incline two or three times during your workout to change your muscle use. For your next workout, use the weight machine to create resistance exercises. For muscle-building workouts, use as much weight as you can lift and perform three repetitions of an exercise. Repeat the set three times in a row, with a break between each set. To burn more calories with the weight machine, use less weight and perform more reps of each exercise, taking a one-minute break between exercises. For your third workout, use the exercise bike. Stand on the pedals and change the resistance several times during your workout to add resistance.
Circuit Training
Consider using all three machines each workout to combine cardio and muscle exercises. Warm up on the treadmill and perform 10 minutes of cardio. Take a short break, then move to the weight machine and circuit train. Use resistance settings or weight amounts that let you perform 10 repetitions of one exercise before you have to stop. Perform an upper-body exercise, then take a one-minute break. Perform a lower-body exercise, then break. Repeat this pattern for your entire workout. You can repeat exercises two or three times during the workout. After 15 minutes of weight training, use the exercise machine to raise your heart rate. Pedal at different speeds and using different resistances to elevate your heart rate.
Cool Down
Finish each workout by gradually lowering your metabolism, rather than just stopping. Use the treadmill or bike, slowing down your walking or pedaling until you have stopped sweating and breathing hard. Cooling down, followed by a good stretch, will help reduce how sore your muscles become later.
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