Search

Placeholder Content Image

Treadmill, exercise bike, rowing machine: what’s the best option for cardio at home?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lewis-ingram-1427671">Lewis Ingram</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hunter-bennett-1053061">Hunter Bennett</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/saravana-kumar-181105">Saravana Kumar</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a></em></p> <p>Cardio, short for cardiovascular exercise, refers to any form of rhythmic physical activity that increases your heart rate and breathing so the heart and lungs can deliver oxygen to the working muscles. Essentially, it’s the type of exercise that gets you huffing and puffing – and fills many people with dread.</p> <p>People often do cardio to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30003901/">lose weight</a>, but it’s associated with a variety of health benefits including reducing the risk of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6481017/">heart disease</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30191075/">stroke</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27707740/">falls</a>. Research shows cardio also improves <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29334638/">cognitive function</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26978184/">mental health</a>.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity">World Health Organization</a> recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio per week.</p> <p>There are many ways to do cardio, from playing a team sport, to riding your bike to work, to going for a jog. If you’re willing and able to invest in a piece of equipment, you can also do cardio at home.</p> <p>The treadmill, stationary bike and rowing machine are the most popular pieces of cardio equipment you’ll find in a typical gym, and you can buy any of these for your home too. Here’s how to know which one is best for you.</p> <h2>The treadmill</h2> <p>In terms of effectiveness of exercise, it’s hard to look past the treadmill. Running uses most of your major muscle groups and therefore leads to greater increases in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1334197/">heart rate</a> and energy expenditure compared to other activities, such as cycling.</p> <p>As a bonus, since running on a treadmill requires you to support your own body weight, it also helps to build and maintain <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26562001/">your bones</a>, keeping them strong. This becomes even more important <a href="https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/exercise-your-bone-health">as you get older</a> as the risk of developing medical conditions such as osteopenia and osteoporosis – where the density of your bones is reduced – increases.</p> <p>But the treadmill may not be for everyone. The weight-bearing nature of running may exacerbate pain and cause swelling in people with common joint conditions such as osteoarthritis.</p> <p>Also, a treadmill is likely to require greater maintenance (since most treadmills are motorised), and can take up a lot of space.</p> <h2>Stationary bike</h2> <p>The stationary bike provides another convenient means to hit your cardio goals. Setting the bike up correctly is crucial to ensure you are comfortable and to reduce the risk of injury. A general rule of thumb is that you want a slight bend in your knee, as in the picture below, when your leg is at the bottom of the pedal stroke.</p> <p>While cycling has significant benefits for <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21496106/">cardiovascular</a> and metabolic health, since it’s non-weight-bearing it doesn’t benefit your <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0026049507003253">bones</a> to the same extent as walking and running. On the flipside, it offers a great cardio workout without stressing your joints.</p> <h2>Rowing machine</h2> <p>If you’re looking to the get the best cardio workout in the least amount of time, the rowing machine might be for you. Because rowing requires you to use all of your major muscle groups including the upper body, your heart and lungs have to work even harder than they do when <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32627051/">running and cycling</a> to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8325720/">deliver oxygen</a> to those working muscles. This means the energy expended while rowing is comparable to running and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3193864/">greater than cycling</a>.</p> <p>But before you rush off to buy a new rower, there are two issues to consider. First, the technical challenge of rowing is arguably greater than that of running or cycling, as the skill of rowing is often less familiar to the average person. While a coach or trainer can help with this, just remember a good rowing technique should be felt primarily in your legs, not your arms and back.</p> <p>Second, the non-weight-bearing nature of rowing means it misses out on the same bone health benefits offered by the treadmill – although there is some evidence it still can increase bone density <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7551766/">to a smaller degree</a>. Nevertheless, like cycling, this drawback of rowing may be negated by offering a more joint-friendly option, providing a great alternative for those with joint pain who still want to keep their heart and lungs healthy.</p> <h2>So, what’s the best option?</h2> <p>It depends on your goals, what your current health status is, and, most importantly, what you enjoy the most. The best exercise is the one that gets done. So, choose whichever piece of equipment you find the most enjoyable, as this will increase the likelihood you’ll stick to it in the long term.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213352/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lewis-ingram-1427671"><em>Lewis Ingram</em></a><em>, Lecturer in Physiotherapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hunter-bennett-1053061">Hunter Bennett</a>, Lecturer in Exercise Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/saravana-kumar-181105">Saravana Kumar</a>, Professor in Allied Health and Health Services Research, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/treadmill-exercise-bike-rowing-machine-whats-the-best-option-for-cardio-at-home-213352">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

Recall issued for popular treadmill after child dies

<p><span>Peloton has recalled more than approximately 125,000 of its treadmills after previously claiming their equipment was not dangerous.</span><br /><br /><span>There have been injuries to at least 29 people and a child has died.</span><br /><br /><span>The company said it would now offer full refunds for the Peloton Tread+ treadmills.</span><br /><br /><span>They retail for more than $US4,200 ($5,400). It will also stop selling them.</span><br /><br /><span>The recall follows after the US Consumer Product Safety Commission warned on April 17 that owners of the Tread+ treadmill with children and pets should immediately stop using them.</span><br /><br /><span>The warning came after a six-year-old child died after being pulled under the machine.<br /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841088/daily-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/62969fb9a8134ecfa95e73a191db208e" /></span><br /><br /><span>Peleton initially denied the safety commission, saying the warning was "inaccurate and misleading" and there was no reason to stop using the machines.</span><br /><br /><span>Company chief executive John Foley also said at the time he had "no intention" of recalling the treadmills.</span><br /><br /><span>However, a little less than a month later, Mr Foley apologised and said the company "made a mistake" in their initial response to the safety commission.</span><br /><br /><span>Peloton is best known for its stationary bikes, but it introduced treadmills about three years ago.</span><br /><br /><span>In the last three months of 2020, Peleton brought in $US1 billion ($1.3 billion) in revenue due to most gyms being closed throughout the year in response to COVID-19.</span><br /><br /><span>Peloton said it received 72 reports of adults, kids, pets or other items, such as exercise balls, being pulled under the treadmill.</span><br /><br /><span>29 of those reports were of children who suffered injuries, including broken bones, cuts and the one fatality.</span><br /><br /><span>Joseph Martyak, a spokesman at the Consumer Product Safety Commission, said it appeared the design of the machine could make it more likely to pull people, pets and items under the machine than other brands of treadmills.</span><br /><br /><span>A full refund is being offered until November 6 from Peloton.</span></p> <p><span>Peloton said they would move the treadmill free of charge if the owner did not want to get rid of it, to a room where children or pets could not access it.</span><br /><br /><span>Peloton said it would also update the software so a passcode was required to unlock it.</span></p> <p><span><em>Images: Peleton</em></span></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Running on the treadmill versus outdoors. Which one is better?

<p>Running, or jogging if you’re like us, is one of the best forms of exercise; it improves cardiovascular health as well as strengthens muscles and increases bone density. But where’s the best place to run? Inside or out? Treadmill or track? It’s one of the most common questions and has become quite a contentious debate, but we weigh in with the pros and cons so you can make your own decision.</p> <p><strong>Why it is different</strong></p> <p>If you run at the same pace on a flat treadmill as your jog around the block, you will not get the same workout. You expend less energy on the treadmill as there is no terrain changes, wind resistance and no help from the treadmill belt propelling you forward.</p> <p><strong>What you can do</strong></p> <p>But that’s not to say you should forgo treadmills all together; in order to achieve a similar result, studies have found that simply raising the treadmill incline by one per cent will give you the same energy expenditure as running outdoors on flat ground. So by setting the treadmill to at least a one per cent angle, you can offset the wind resistance and moving belt to simulate running outdoors. That’s to say, with some adjustments, running on a treadmill is the same as running outdoors.</p> <p>However, people run indoors and outdoors for different reasons, so the answer to which one is better is they can be the same and what you choose depends on what works best for you.</p> <p><strong>The pros of treadmill running:</strong></p> <ul> <li>As you’re indoors, there’s no weather, temperature, or terrain issues. It’s always possible to run on a treadmill whereas bad weather can prevent you from running outside.</li> <li>The smooth, cushioned surface is easier on joints.</li> <li>Generally, there are no safety issues like getting hurt from falling down.</li> <li>You can create your own running course by adjusting pace and incline level.</li> </ul> <p><strong>The pros of outdoor running:</strong></p> <ul> <li>The changes in terrain or temperature generally offer more of a challenge.</li> <li>You can enjoy the scenery and fresh air.</li> <li>Generally, you feel more accomplished when finishing at outdoor run.</li> <li>You can’t just “set it and forget it” like a treadmill; running outdoors helps you become more aware of your body’s ability.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/body/2015/12/signs-your-body-is-trying-to-tell-you/">4 signs your body is trying to tell you something</a></strong></span></em></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/body/2015/11/best-outdoor-exercise-options/">The best ways to exercise outdoors</a></strong></span></em></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/body/2015/11/how-to-start-running/">How to start running at any age</a></strong></span></em></p>

Body

Over 60

© Copyright 2024 OverSixty.All Rights Reserved.