“Cardio,” short for cardiovascular exercise, refers to any form of rhythmic physical activity that increases heart rate and breathing so that the heart and lungs can supply oxygen to working muscles. In fact, this is the type of exercise that makes us strip and strip while doing it and many people dread it.
Although people often do cardio to lose weight, this type of exercise is associated with many health benefits such as reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke and falls. In addition to this, research shows that cardio also improves cognitive function and mental health.
The World Health Organization recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio, per week.
There are many ways to do cardio, from playing a team sport to biking to work or running every morning. In the gym, the most popular cardio machines the treadmill, stationary bike, and rowing machine. Those who can and want to invest in a device can also buy it for home use. But which one is the most suitable?
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The treadmill
When we look at exercise effectiveness, the treadmill takes the cake. Running uses most of the major muscle groups and therefore produces a greater increase in heart rate and energy expenditure compared to other activities, such as cycling.
In addition, since running on a treadmill forces us to support the weight of our own body, it also helps strengthen and maintain bones, keeping them strong. It is even more important as we age, because it increases the risk of developing diseases such as osteopenia and osteoporosis, which reduce bone density.
In all and with that, The treadmill is not suitable for everyone. Bearing weight while running can worsen pain and cause inflammation in people with common joint conditions, such as osteoarthritis.
In addition, the treadmill probably requires more maintenance (since most treadmills are motorized) and can take up a lot of space.
Continuous bicycle
The stationary bike is another practical way to achieve our cardiovascular goals. Proper bike positioning is essential to comfort and reduce the risk of injury. A general rule of thumb is that the knee should be slightly bent, as in the picture below, when the leg is at the bottom of the pedal stroke.
Although cycling has significant benefits for cardiovascular and metabolic health, it does not support weight loss does not benefit the bones to the same extent as walking or running. On the other hand, it offers an excellent cardiovascular workout without hurting the joints.
Rowing machine
If what we are looking for is to do the best cardiovascular training in the shortest time possible, the rowing machine is the answer. Since rowing requires the use of all major muscle groups, including the upper body, the heart and lungs must work harder than running and cycling to deliver oxygen to the muscles. This means that the energy cost of rowing is comparable to runningand more than cycling.
But before going out to buy a rowing machine, two issues should be considered. First, the technical challenge of rowing is probably greater than that of running or cycling, because it is not a skill that everyone has. Even if a coach or physical trainer can help us with this, we already expect that good rowing technique should be felt mainly in the legsnot the arms and back.
Second, because it’s not weight-bearing, rowing doesn’t provide the same benefits for bone health as the treadmill, although there is evidence that it can increase bone density to a small extent. However, like cycling, offering a more integrated option is a interesting alternative for those suffering from joint pain but they want to keep their heart and lungs healthy.
So what is the best option?
It depends on each person’s goals, what our current state of health is and, most importantly, what we want most. The best exercise is what you do. So, choosing the device we want will greatly increase the likelihood that we will do it in the long term.
