Most Effective Cardio

[sassy69]

The best cardio is the one you keep doing consistently.

From an exertion standpoint, IMO the one that requires the most work from your body will do it. I personally find the best results from the stepmill. My favorite is a treadmill because its easy for me to do for a couple hours if I need to. (Competition makes you do crazy things sometimes.) And I have a stairmaster at home because it is the only one that actually fits in my house. Thus it is the one I go to in the morning for AM cardio.

 

[fatsopower]

my best cardio sessions are when I do (for example) 10 sets of 10 reps of squats with 315 in under 14 minutes - that sweats off some of my paunch and sure gets my heart working!

 

[Tomn]

running is best, when I can't run outside I go for the treadmill

 

[.V.]

I fall off of the elliptical. Treadmill, bike, or running outside for me. Even walking...best done outside for me.

 

[Powermaster]

The most effective is HIIT style cardio. Doesn't make much difference what machine you do it on IMO.

 

[Kenny Croxdale]

At least treadmills are "weight bearing" so that's a big plus in their favor over say an eliptical or a bike... of course you can always sprint stairs... remember wrestling practice = barf

Ellipticals are weight bearing.

Kenny Croxdale

 

[Kenny Croxdale]

But less stress on your body from the Eliptical will let you go longer at a higher intensity...causing you to burn more calories and not be as fatiuged.

You statement is absurd.

Kenny Croxdale

 

[Kenny Croxdale]

all three ....it just matters how you use them

Bingo...."it just a matter of how you use them."

Kenny Croxdale

 

[Kenny Croxdale]

Running on a treadmill may actually use less muscle work than the elliptical. On the elliptical you're pushing the machine through all of it's motion, and your arms are pulling and pushing the bars instead of just moving back and forth through the air.

The majory of individuls who use a elliptical do NOT push and push and pull on the bars.

Their upper body performs a passsive movement, their leg drive propelling their arms pretty much going on for the ride.

Kenny Croxdale

 

[gtbmed]

The most effective is HIIT style cardio. Doesn't make much difference what machine you do it on IMO.

I agree, but if you're working on a machine then I think the bike is the easiest way to do HIIT. It's always worked pretty well for me.

That said I'll take hill sprints and interval sprints over anything you can do on a machine. I also think taking long walks really helps with leanness.

 

[dgp]

Cardio is all the same. What is importantis your target heart rate. Get that to were it needs to be and your in the zone to burn fat.