Aerobic Apparatus

Aerobic Apparatus

If you join a health club, you’ll find yourself linked to an entire family of mechanized devices with which you can bond to enhance your aerobic fitness. Some of these cardiomachines mimic some kind of natural or sports activity but in a climate-controlled environment. Stationary bikes, rowing machines, treadmills, and other apparatus allow you to use the same muscles as you would bicycling, rowing, running, or walking outdoors. Most can be programmed for a specific degree of challenge or can be operated in manual mode. Therefore, when you climb aboard, you can select the speed and/or resistance of these machines when you start and can readjust if necessary while you are exercising. In addition, elaborate display consoles on health-club models and even some high-end home models will help you monitor your workout. Where necessary, as on a stationary bicycle, these machines can be adjusted for users of various heights.
Typically, when you get on a cardio machine and begin walking, pedaling, or whatever movement the machine requires, the display prompts a series of questions. You answer by touching a keypad and pressing “Enter” after each response. Questions might include your weight, your age, the length of time you would like to work out, the degree of challenge on a scale of 1 to 10 (or 12 or 16), and the program you prefer.
Most exercise bikes ask you to select the profile of the “ride” you are taking (random,interval, hills, and so on). A treadmill allows you to select the angle of the track from flat to a somewhat steep incline. When you’ve gone through the menu of questions,your exercise session automatically begins, and unless you chose “manual” mode, the apparatus determines your workout.
The machine’s digital display tracks your progress throughout your workout and shows numbers such as elapsed time, distance, and estimated caloric burn. Some machines have handles with heart-rate monitors that you can grip to check whether you are in your target heart rate zone, as measured through your palms and fingers. Many experts are not impressed with the accuracy of this function (see Chapter 10, “Trainers’ Tips and Tricks”). By contrast, time and distance readings are more reliable. Calories burned and heart rate are less-exact measures, but you can use them to monitor your progress—especially if you frequently use the same machine. Aerobic machines build warm-up and cool-down segments around your selected program.
This is a typical aerobic machine face that can be adjusted to suit all workouts and fitness levels.Assuming you are working at a comparable intensity, you will burn more calories using aerobic equipment on which you stand (such as treadmills, stairclimbers, and cross-country ski simulators) than equipment on which you sit (such as stationary bikes and rowing machines).