The Best Cardio Machine Workouts – Melt Away the Fat in 4 Weeks
By Thomas Fahey, EdD
When your mother was young, she may have goner to the health club and sat on passive exercise machines that claimed to massage the fat away. Those machines didn’t work for her, but there’s a new generation of cardio machines that will work for you. Whether you choose the treadmill, elliptical trainer, stair climber, cross country ski machine, rower, or stationary bike, you can watch the pounds melt off your body if you’re willing to work hard consistently.
Many women don’t know where to begin— they’re often not sure which machine is best, how long they should exercise, or how intensely they should train. This discussion will give you the skinny on the latest cardio machines found in your health club. Follow a few basic principles and use these dynamite programs to burn fat, build shapely-looking legs and develop a dynamic energy level.
Cardio Machines and Fat-Burning
You will lose fat when you burn more calories through metabolism and exercise than you take in during your meals. If you’ve tried dieting and exercise but nothing has worked very well, guess what? The answer is right in front of you every time you walk into the health club. Harness the fat-burning capacity of cardio machines found in any club and those extra pounds will melt away before you know it.
The first mistake most women make when trying to lose weight on cardio machines is that they exercise on the fat-burning routine programmed into the machine. The people who developed the “fat burning” program have a lot to learn about the way the body handles fuels.
It’s true that the body uses mainly fats as fuel at rest and during light exercise. You switch to carbohydrates when you work above 65 percent of maximum effort. So, exercising slowly would seem to burn more fat than exercising intensely. Conventional wisdom suggests that you should exercise slowly if you want to lose weight. Well, it’s more complicated than that. You burn many more calories training intensely than exercising slowly. You burn off the carbohydrates during exercise and then burn fat at a faster rate during recovery. You also burn more calories during and after exercise when you push it during your workouts. Over a 24-hour period, you will burn more fat when you train intensely for 30-60 minutes than when you train at an easy pace. So, when trying to lose fat, work harder and burn more calories.
The benefits of intense exercise are supported by studies from Laval University in Canada. These results suggest that women who train intensely have more muscle and less fat than women who exercise at a more leisurely pace. While hundreds of studies have shown that you use more fat as fuel when you exercise slowly, you’re interested in the bottom line— does the program help you lose fat, look better, and help you fit into a smaller size? That’s why you should know that overwhelmingly, research studies tell us to exercise intensely to lose body fat.
Calorie use is the most important factor in burning fat. The more calories you use during exercise, the more fat you lose. Most women will burn six to 15 calories per minute when working out on any cardio exercise machine. Exercise intensely and the number is closer to 15 calories per minute; merely go through the motions and the number is closer to six.
Each pound of fat has 3,500 calories; you must exercise for 350 minutes to burn one pound of fat. That probably sounds dismal and distressing. Fortunately, it’s not as bad as that because you continue to burn calories at a faster rate than normal after you stop exercising— particularly if you’ve exercised intensely. Even so, plan on exercising between 30-60 minutes per day— 30 minutes when training intensely and 60 minutes when working out at a slow pace.
Which Machine is the Best Fat Burner?
You can lose weight on any exercise machine if you use it consistently and long enough during each workout. Some machines are better than others, but the key is to choose a machine you like and use it religiously.
The treadmill— at least when you exercise intensely— is the best cardio machine for burning calories and cutting fat. It’s better than ski machines, rowers, stairclimbers, stationary bikes and elliptical trainers. Most women run when the treadmill speed exceeds about four miles per hour. When running, there’s a period when both feet leave the ground. It takes a lot of energy and force to go “airborne,” even when running slowly.
You can “go through the motions” when working out on the other cardio machines. How often have you seen women taking small, baby steps when using the stairclimber, or ride the stationary bike at 40 rpm with little resistance? Many women get so engrossed in reading magazines or listening to music that they forget to exercise intensely during the workout. They delude themselves by spending a lot of time in the gym, but they’re not losing much fat.
Many women don’t like the treadmill, however. Well, you can get a terrific workout on other cardio machines— if you train intensely. So, choose the one you like and go for it. Better yet, choose two or three machines and mix up your routine for variety. For example, do your intense days on the treadmill, and your long-slow workouts on the elliptical trainer or stationary bike. Or, use two machines one week and two completely different machines during another week. The important thing is to do the work and be consistent.
Your general strategy for all cardio machines is to train four to six days per week, alternating fast and slow days. Plan to spend 30 minutes exercising intensely during fast days and 60 minutes exercising on slow days. Do this and you will lose weight and have a more fit, healthy-looking body within four weeks.
Use your heart rate to determine exercise intensity on slow training days. Exercise between 60 and 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. You can estimate maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. Then multiply your predicted maximum heart rate by 0.6 and by 0.85 to get your target heart rate range— the high and low end of your training pace. To calculate exercise heart rate, stop exercising and take your pulse for 10 seconds and multiply your reading by six. Thus, if you measured 25 beats in 10 seconds, your exercise heart rate would be 150 beats per minute (25 beats X 6 = 150 bpm).
An easier way to gauge intensity on slow workout days is to exercise at the fastest rate at which you can comfortably carry on a conversation. This is called the “talk test.” This intensity will be about 65 percent of your capacity and is a good pace on any cardio machine for fat burning and cardiovascular conditioning.
Fat-Burning Workouts for the Treadmill
Fast Training Workouts (build up to 30 minutes of exercise plus rest, two to three days per week): Fast training (sometimes called interval training) on the treadmill involves alternating between fast and slow running and walking. You can also vary the exercise intensity by raising and lowering the treadmill grade. Use the built-in programmer— if available— because it will automatically change the speed and elevation of the treadmill during the workout.
For treadmill walking, begin by exercising at a brisk pace you can manage easily. For example, set the treadmill speed at 3 mph and the elevation at a zero percent grade and walk for two minutes. Then, raise the elevation to 10 percent and walk for one minute. Return to a 0 percent grade and walk for another minute. Alternate each minute between walking up zero percent and 10 percent grades for a total of 10 minutes. As you become more fit, extend the total time of your interval-training workout or increase the speed or elevation of the treadmill.
Running intervals follow the same principles as walking intervals— run at a fast pace for 30-60 seconds, then walk or rest for 30-60 seconds. For example, set the treadmill speed for 7 mph and 0% elevation. Repeat this exercise-rest interval cycle for five to 10 repetitions. As you become more fit, increase the number of reps, treadmill speed or repetitions, or shorten the rest interval. There are endless combinations of intensity, repetitions, or rest. Use your imagination and have fun with it.
Slow training workouts (build up to 60-minute workouts, two to four days per week): If you haven’t been exercising, start by walking at about 2.5 mph at a 0% grade (elevation of the treadmill). Walk for 10 minutes and stop. Add 10-15 minutes to the workout each week until you can walk continuously for 60 minutes without stopping. After you can walk for 60 minutes at the beginning speed, increase the speed by 0.2 mph each workout until you reach a good training pace.
Running for an hour is more effective for fat burning than walking for an hour because you burn many more calories. If you want to run, follow the same procedure as above. Begin running at 4 mph, and go for five to 10 minutes. Increase the duration of your run gradually until you can exercise for one hour without stopping.
This workout sounds like a lot of work— and it is. The bottom line is that you have to work hard to cut fat. Last September, the National Academy of Sciences recommended that people who want to lose weight and keep it off have to train for one hour a day. It takes discipline, but the results are worth it.
Fat-Burning Workouts for Elliptical Trainers
Elliptical trainers are great for fat burning because you can train intensely or for a long time without beating up your knees, hips and back. As with any cardio machine, vary your workouts between fast and slow training days.
Fast Training Workouts: Interval training on this machine varies the striding speed, resistance and ramp setting. A basic program is to alternate between fast and slow striding rates. For example, set the ramp and resistance at low levels (1-5) and “run” for two minutes at 70 strides per minute (spm). Alternate between one minute at 110 spm and one minute at 70 spm. Begin with five intervals and increase them as you become more fit. As with the treadmill, you can increase the intensity of your elliptical trainer interval workout by varying spm, resistance and ramp settings. Remember, the basic principle of interval training is to push yourself harder than you do during normal aerobic workouts.
Slow Training Workouts: The principle for slow training on the elliptical trainer is the same as for any cardio machine— pick a comfortable pace and exercise continuously for 30-60 minutes.
Fat-Burning Workouts for Stair Climbers
People love the stairclimber machine because it helps cut fat and develops endurance and muscle power at the same time. Stair climbers provide plenty of ways to cheat, however, so it’s easy to get almost no exercise. If you hang onto the rails so hard your hands turn white, you‘re robbing yourself of the calorie-burning potential of the machine. Don’t take small baby steps; instead make large steps working through a full range of motion. Studies show that you’ll burn far more calories and work your glutes and quads better when you take big steps. Don’t hunch over the bar when you climb— you burn fewer calories than when you stand upright— and you risk back injury.
Fast Training Workouts: Interval routines for the stairclimber are similar to those of elliptical trainers— you vary the resistance and stepping rate. An example of a beginning routine is to set the resistance at a low level and work at a step rate of 50-60 steps per minute (spm) for two minutes. Alternate between one minute at 80-90 spm and one-minute at 50-60 spm. Begin with five intervals and increase them as you become more fit.
Slow Training Workouts: Again, build up to 30-60 minutes of exercise without stopping. Use large steps instead of small ones. Reduce the resistance if you can’t keep up the pace doing the exercise correctly.
Fat-Burning Workouts on the Stationary Bike
Next to the treadmill, the stationary bike is the most popular cardio machine. It is also the most popular exercise machine for home gyms. The bike isolates your thigh muscles, so it’s more difficult to train as intensely as you can on the treadmill or elliptical trainer. You can get a terrific fat burning workout if you push hard enough, though.
The three basic types of stationary bikes are electrically braked, mechanically braked and isokinetic. Electrically and mechanically braked bikes put a load on a flywheel (rotating wheel on the front of the bike). The number of calories you burn during exercise depends on your pedaling speed and the resistance. In the isokinetic dynamometer, the pedal revolution is constant but the resistance is variable. Braked ergometers are most common in health clubs and home gyms.
Fast Training Workouts: Workouts are similar to any other cardio machine— do exercise bouts of 30 seconds to three minutes at 90-100 percent of maximum capacity, followed by one to five minutes of rest. Rest intervals depend on your recovery rate and how hard you pushed during exercise. Pedal at 90 rpm or more during each interval. Increase the pedal revolutions as you become more fit.
Slow Training Workouts: Ride at between 60 and 90 rpm. Most women will exercise at a power output of 100-200 watts. Electrically braked bikes found in gyms will display power output, which will allow you to easily track your training progress. Build up to one hour of continuous riding.
Other Cardio Machines
Any cardio machine will give you a good workout if you train hard enough. Other machines include cross-country skiing machines, alpine skiing machines, rowers, supine cycles, arc trainers, and climbers. I didn’t discuss them in this article because they are less popular than treadmills, elliptical trainers, stair climbers and stationary bikes. The programs presented can be used for any cardio machine, however. The rest is up to you.
References
Brooks G, Fahey T, White T, and Baldwin K. Exercise Physiology: Human Bioenergetics and its Applications. New York: McGraw Hill, 2000.
Brooks GA, and Mercier J. The balance of carbohydrate and lipid utilization during exercise: the crossover concept (brief review). J Appl Physiol 80: 2253-2261, 1994.
Horowitz JF, and Klein S. Lipid metabolism during endurance exercise. Am J Clin Nutr 72(suppl): 558S–5563S, 2000.
Quinn T, Vroman N, and Kertzer R. Post exercise oxygen consumption in trained females: effect of exercise duration. Med Sci Sports Exerc 26: 908-913, 1994.
Romijn JA, Coyle EF, Sidossis LS, Rosenblatt J, and Wolfe RR. Substrate metabolism during different exercise intensities in endurance-trained women. J Appl Physiol 88: 1707–1714, 2000.
Tremblay A, Despres JP, and Bouchard C. Adipose tissue characteristics of ex-obese long-distance runners. Int J Obes 8: 641-648, 1984.
Tremblay A, Simoneau JA, and Bouchard C. Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism. Metabolism 43: 814-818, 1994.
Yoshioka M, Doucet E, St-Pierre S, Almeras N, Richard D, Labrie A, Despres JP, Bouchard C, and Tremblay A. Impact of high-intensity exercise on energy expenditure, lipid oxidation and body fatness. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 25: 332-339, 2001.
Beginning Fast Training Workout
Choose any cardio machine. Begin with two exercise bouts (with rest) and build up to 10-15.
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 30 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 30 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 30 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 30 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 30 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 30 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 30 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 30 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 30 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 30 seconds Rest: 1 minute
Intermediate Fast Training Workout
Choose any cardio machine. Begin with two exercise bouts (with rest) and build up to 10-15.
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 60 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 60 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 60 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 60 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 60 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 60 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 60 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 60 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 60 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 60 seconds Rest: 1 minute
Advanced Fast Training Workout
Choose any cardio machine. Begin with two exercise bouts (with rest) and build up to 10-15.
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 90-120 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 90-120 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 90-120 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 90-120 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 90-120 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 90-120 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 90-120 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 90-120 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 90-120 seconds Rest: 1 minute
# Exercise at 90 % effort: 90-120 seconds Rest: 1 minute
Slow Training Workouts
Chose your favorite cardio machine.
Beginning program: Exercise at 60 percent of maximum (use talk test or heart rate, as described). Begin by exercising for five minutes. Increase the time each session as tolerated, until you can exercise for one hour without stopping. Do not increase your speed until you reach the one-hour target.
Intermediate program: Exercise at 70 percent of maximum (use talk test or heart rate) for one hour. As you become more fit, increase and decrease the exercise intensity during your workout. For example, train at 80 percent effort for 10 minutes, drop down to 60 percent for 10 minutes, then return to 70 percent. The more you stress your metabolism, the more fat you will lose.
Advanced program: Exercise at 80 percent of maximum (use talk test or heart rate) for one hour. As in the intermediate program, increase and decrease the exercise intensity during your workout.
Super Fat-Burning Cross-Training Program
This is an example; substitute your favorite cardio exercise machines.
Monday
Fast workout, treadmill: 10 fast intervals, 1 minute each
Slow workout, elliptical trainer: 30 minutes
Tuesday
Slow workout, stationary bike: 60 minutes
Wednesday
Fast workout, stairclimber: 15 intervals, 1 minute each
Thursday
Rest
Friday
Fast workout, rowing machine: 10 fast intervals, 1 minute each
Slow workout, treadmill: 45 minutes
Saturday
Slow workout, cross-country ski machine: 60 minutes
Sunday
Rest