The Best Aerobic Exercise!
If you’re looking to trim down, you need to exercise. Yeah, yeah, I know that’s not exactly a profound statement. Everyone knows that increasing caloric burn through weight/resistance training and aerobics is one of the core principles of successful weight loss. But if you’re going to include aerobics or “cardio” in your exercise program, what sort should you do? After all, some types of cardio-exercises are more efficient at burning calories than others. And if you’re already investing that sweat equity, you may as well get as much in the way of results as you can for your efforts.
Maximize your caloric burn, that’s what I say!
So what’s it going to be? The treadmill? The stairclimber? How about the stationary bike or that intimidating looking rowing machine? Well, guess what?…
Scientific study has revealed the treadmill is by far the best aerobic exercise tool for energy expenditure. A recent study (Energy Expenditure with Indoor Exercise Machines, JAMA 275, 1424-1427, 2001) showed that the treadmill burned calories more efficiently and at a greater rate than other popular aerobic exercise machines.
Here’s what the study indicated…
The hands-down winner was the treadmill. One hour of easy intensity exercise burned 580 calories while heavy intensity burned 850 calories. Tied for runner up in second place for the best aerobic exercise machine is the stairclimber. One hour of easy intensity exercise burned 540 calories while heavy intensity burned 700 calories.
Tied with the stairclimber as the second best aerobic exercise machine is the rowing ergometer. One hour of easy intensity exercise burned 540 calories while heavy intensity burned 700 calories. If this study indicated a BIG loser among exercise machines, it was the stationary bike. One hour of heavy intensity burns 500 calories — 350 less than our first ranked treadmill. And an hour of easy intensity exercise? A meager 370 calories.
I guess I don’t need to point out that if you’re going to invest an hour of your time doing cardio, you’re best off to spend it on the treadmill. After all…
Every calorie counts!
