Whether you’re looking to lose weight or get in shape, cardio machines effectively burn calories. But the best machine depends on your fitness goals, workout intensity, and health conditions.
A few cardio machines stand out for their effectiveness in burning calories. We’ve rounded up the best ones to consider for your home gym.
Treadmill
If you’re looking for a workout machine that will help you boost your heart health, the treadmill is an excellent choice. This is because regular cardio exercises acclimate your heart to be more efficient and strengthen it.
It also helps to lower blood pressure and improve circulation. It also increases muscle strength in the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, glutes, and core muscles.
Treadmills work by moving a belt underneath the feet of an exerciser. Most treadmills feature 1.5-3 horsepower, and speed ranges from a gentle walking pace to a fast running pace.
Treadmills are a popular home gym addition because of their numerous benefits. They are one of the top-selling cardio machines and a great investment for anyone seeking to improve their fitness levels.
Elliptical
Elliptical machines are a great choice for those who aren’t used to running or jumping, have aging joints, or want to avoid a high-impact workout. They’re a lower-impact alternative to walking and running while still providing a challenging calorie burn, says Amanda Capritto, certified personal trainer.
Aside from working your legs, the elliptical is also an excellent way to strengthen your upper body. Most ellipticals have moving handles that you can push against resistance to work your arms, shoulders, chest, and back as you move forward or backward.
You can also use the incline feature to increase calorie burn and engage your core, which can help reduce back pain.
While ellipticals can be difficult to learn initially, many people report they’re more enjoyable than treadmills or exercise bikes. Plus, they are easy to adjust to your desired level of intensity and speed without a lot of extra training. They are also a low-impact option that will improve your balance and coordination, making them an excellent addition to any home gym.
Stairmaster
If you want to get the most out of your cardio workouts in the least amount of time, a Stairmaster is one of the best pieces of equipment. Not only does this OG piece of fitness equipment help you burn more calories in less time than other cardio machines, but it also helps to strengthen your lower body muscles.
Stair climbers can work the glutes, thighs, and calf muscles without stressing your knees and feet. This means you can use them for low-impact workouts that don’t aggravate existing injuries, says David Milton, a certified personal trainer and owner of FitCity.
If you’re new to using a stair climber, start with two or five minutes and gradually build up to the full session. You can use a scale from 1 to 10 to gauge your progress and add more time to each workout, recommends Berhmann.
Barbell
A barbell is one of the most versatile pieces of equipment in any gym. It’s great for strength-building exercises like deadlifts, back squats, cleans, and jerks.
Barbells are also great for compound lifts that target multiple muscles at once. These can help build strength and power, leading to weight loss, cardiovascular health, bone density, and mental well-being.
An Olympic barbell is an excellent investment whether you want to lift it for fitness or competition. This barbell style can handle a much higher PSI than standard bars and withstand heavy-weight training without breaking or bending.
You’ll want to check the tensile and yield strength before buying a barbell, as these will be important indicators of its quality. The higher the tensile strength, the stronger the bar will be and will likely last longer. Investing in a high-quality barbell will save you money in the long run by preventing costly mishaps like warping, rusting, and bending.