Time to move your body to hit the gym and burn those unwanted calories with these different types of gym equipment so that you definitely have to master.

With holidays fast approaching, many would think that shedding some extra pounds and achieving fitness goals are next to impossible. While the motivation to stick to our workout routine and maintain a beach body is extra challenging, it is still very important to find a healthy balance between burning calories and satisfying our taste buds.

It is known for a fact that if you want to lose weight, you should focus on burning more calories than you consume.

Thus, it’s ideal if your training consists of varying workouts that torch a lot of calories without spending hours working out.

Walking into any commercial gym with lines of the treadmill, rowing machines, cardio machines and other pieces of equipment can extremely be overwhelming especially for newbies.

Fret not! Here’s a quick guide on the fastest and safest ways to burn calories and blast your fat away.

It is important to note though that certain machines deliver a more intense workout than the others, thus burn the most calories at a much faster rate. Proper usage of these machines also impacts the efficiency of your body’s fat-burning potential. It is best to use these types of equipment when set in accordance with your fitness targets to maximize your workout’s aerobic and strengthening benefits.

RUNNING: KEY TO BURNING THE UNWANTED CALORIES 

“Running is the best workout because it’s the most basic human form of exercise, using your own body, weight, and two legs to propel yourself forward.”

If you really want to shed the most calories in no time, you might want to take up running seriously. Running on a treadmill burns the most calories per hour.

While running outdoors is the go-to for energy-boosting, running on a treadmill is a great alternative especially when it is impossible to run outdoors.

If you are not much into fast-paced running, you can check the intensity of the workout and burn extra calories by setting the treadmill at an incline of your choice.

For some extra challenge, you may also try high-knee running, a high-intensity cardio workout that increases heart rate while working on your lower body.

Just note that you should always start your run at a slower pace before you move to the more challenging part.

ROWING MACHINE: A FITNESS GAME CHANGER

It’s a total misconception that rowing machines only target the arms.

Whether for weight loss, strength training, or aerobic-boosting, the humble rowing machine works out important muscle groups, gets your heart pumping and lungs working – important factors to jump-start a whole body workout.

While using a rowing machine can seriously burn calories without putting stress on the joints, rowing is recommended as an exercise option for all fitness levels – even considered safe for people with low vision and the blind.

The same can’t be guaranteed for high-intensity and high-impact exercises such as running.

ELLIPTICAL: LOW-IMPACT EXERCISE

One of the most common equipment in a commercial gym and even gym homes,  elliptical machines are the most effective in keeping you active and healthy.

Not only it is friendly to aging joints, these types of machines provides a good workout to any age.

Unlike walking on a treadmill, an elliptical workout is a low-impact exercise that is gentle on the knees thus the go-to exercise for the elderly, people in rehabilitation, and even those suffering from knee issues.

It may also aid you in burning unwanted pounds, around 150 to 300 calories per 30 minutes, but it is more on engaging the upper body, an integrated full-body workout for best results.

CYCLING: GET YOUR HEART PUMPING

Riding a stationary exercise bike is an efficient and effective way to burn calories and body fat while strengthening your heart, lungs, and muscles.

Like with other exercise equipment, cycling promotes weight loss burning calories around 400 to 1,000 in one hour, depending on the intensity and rider weight.

However, unlike other cardio machines, paddling on a stationary bike puts less impact on your joints while being an effective aerobic workout.

Whether you want to brave trails for outdoor cycling or move with some pumping music on your stationary bike, it’s all about the right intensity and consistency. The great way to calorie burning is to raise the heart rate at the prime level while reaching the right intensity to push the body.

OTHER CARDIO EQUIPMENT

A highly suggested cardio equipment would be the stair climber, a piece of exercise equipment that effectively burns calories per minute, which is also lower-impact avoiding too much stress on the joints, muscles, and tendons. With the help of its machine, this cardio exercise also provides strengthening for your gluteal, thigh, and calf muscles. However, one reminder when using the machine is to avoid leaning on or holding onto it as it reduces the number of calories burned.

While using a stationary rowing machine provides a total aerobic workout, considering it burns more calories around 310 and 750 in one hour, doing indoor cycling at a high-intensity interval training can burn 630 to 932 calories at the same time.

CARDIO COMBINED WITH STRENGTH

Any fitness enthusiast would be quick to agree that combining strength and cardio is the best combo to increase your fat-burning potential. While these two are good when individually done, these exercises are even better when done side by side.

Cardio workouts build up endurance through training the muscles to better utilize oxygen, lowers blood pressure, fat, regulate blood sugar levels, and reduces inflammation.

Using cardio exercise equipment is always a go-to for a workout session. But using weight equipment is as important for full-body training as it strengthens the muscles and helps burn calories even when it is already at rest.

Doing weight workouts should be maintained with the number of repetitions be kept at the low end between 8 to 10. This way, you can aim for a weight-repetition combination that can provide you with enough intensity that is just right for your fitness goal while observing enough rest intervals.

Lifting weights combined with other weight machines are a great way to work on the muscles and a sure way to improve calorie burn by constantly challenging yourself like exploring other equipment.

When thinking about which equipment to invest in or what exercises burn the most calories, you should also take other crucial factors into consideration. Do I see myself running on the treadmill as my go-to exercise? Am I trying to burn fat, shed many calories, or build muscles? Is this a full-body workout or am I only targeting this area? Can I picture and commit myself to doing this regularly or at least 30 minutes daily? This way, you can set your mind and put your heart into action, making everything more effective and natural.

Body aches after rigorous training are expected and will only last for only a few days. For better fitness planning, it is still best to seek professional and medical advice from trainers.

Head on to Power Systems for the best gym equipment for your fitness needs.