Just A Lovehandle-Burning Machine
By Patty Kim, Tampa Tribune, Fla.
Jan. 6–It’s a new year. Chances are one of your resolutions is to lose weight, firm up and get healthy.
Ever consider starting a home gym?
What’s the best workout?
We’ve got five basic machines, and we asked five personal trainers to weigh in on their favorites. We’ll show you which ones they prefer and why. It might be just the thing you need to kick-start 2007.
DENA CURTIN
Owner of Pilates by Dena
15 years of experience
1. Bowflex and elliptical (tie)
Curtin, 32, ranked both as her top choice because of the strength-training and cardio components.
“From a Pilates perspective, I focus on a lot of alignment issues and having proper form. With the elliptical, you’re able to stand in an upright position with your shoulders over your hips. That allows you to maintain proper form while getting a good cardio workout.”
“The Bowflex is good for strength training, and both pieces offer nonimpact workouts. That helps keep your joints safe.”
3. Treadmill
“The treadmill also allows you to use proper form during a good cardio workout. Walking is one of the healthiest things you can do. If you want to increase your intensity, you can do it better on a treadmill than outside on the heavy concrete.”
4. Stationary bike
“This offers a great cardio workout, but everything goes back to those alignment issues. Sitting for long periods of time can wreak havoc on the spine. You don’t want to sit on a recumbent bike and go for 45 minutes to an hour because your form isn’t that great.”
5. Rower
“A rowing machine makes it really hard for people to maintain the proper form. The tendency for most people is to lean forward, pull the straps back and have the shoulders roll forward. You need to make sure the shoulders stay over the hips. It can lead to upper back and neck problems if you row for too long.”
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LISA HOWARD
General manager of a Bally Total Fitness
15 years of training experience
1. Treadmill
“This is one of the main ingredients for burning fat and cardiovascular strength and conditioning, a must to have for optimal results. It’s easy to use for the general population and good for any fitness level,” says Howard, 41.
2. Bowflex
“This is the second ingredient for optimal strength and conditioning. Strength training not only increases strength but also adds muscle that will in turn give the body the ability to burn more fat. It also strengthens the tendons and ligaments to decrease the risk for injury and also helps to increase bone density.”
3. Stationary bike
“It’s great cardiovascular exercise and nonimpact on the joints. It’s good for those who might have any knee, back or neck issues.”
4. Elliptical
“This is a very popular piece of equipment. I personally would not recommend this to a beginner due to degree of difficulty.”
5. Rower
“This is not recommended as well because of degree of difficulty. The amount of time would be limited for the general population to sustain on this piece as a beginner.”
MARK MISNER
Owner of Body By Design
19 years of experience
1. Elliptical
“When you incorporate the arm feature along with the leg action, you get the best overall caloric expenditure. It can be used by a variety of different fitness levels. You can also use the different levels of resistance,” says Misner, 44.
2. Treadmill
“This model has good speed and incline features on it. It allows you to go more than fast enough for most folks and the incline challenges you and works on flexibility. This offers a good 20 minutes to exercise aerobically.”
3. Stationary bike
“The bike is very user-friendly and allows for support in the lower back. I’ve found that it’s good with the 60-, 70- and 80-year-olds. It’s not as intimidating as a treadmill for older adults scared of falling. With the recumbent you can sit, which is good for older adults. If you have back problems, we’d start you out on the recumbent bike rather than an elliptical or a treadmill. And the seats are really comfortable.”
4. Bowflex
“The commercials are awesome, but this machine can be complicated and intimidating. Unless you have experience with it, it’s not easy to switch from exercise to exercise. It takes time, and there’s a bit of engineering to it. I strongly believe in weight training two to three times a week, but an individual can do real well with hand weights and dumbbells.”
5. Rower
“Rowers are not that comfortable, and there’s no back support at all. There is a population of people who love rowing, but not a lot of people take the time to sit at a rowing machine. To me, it’s monotonous. You can’t distract yourself as well as you can on a treadmill or elliptical by watching TV. Rowing has technique to it, and you don’t want to row sloppy because you’ll put stress on your back. If you’re not going to stay on an aerobic machine for at least 20 minutes, it’s not worth it.”
DIETRICH RICKS
Utility man and personal trainer at Powerhouse Gym
Four years of training experience
1. Treadmill
“I know expertly how to use a treadmill to help people lose weight or manage weight,” says Ricks, 46. “Here you’re freestanding — not sitting — so you’re using 100 percent of your effort. Plus a good trainer knows how to exercise the upper body on a treadmill, as well as the lower body. Being able to incline is a really good thing, especially if you want to manage weight by losing body fat. It pays for you to use the incline, making your body work under conditions it’s not normally under. If you have a bad back or knees, use a more gentle slope.”
2. Elliptical
“Again, anytime you don’t sit, you’re using 100 percent of your effort. I also encourage people not to hold on to any cardio equipment. If you have to hold on, you’re going too fast.”
3. Bike
“Anytime you’re sitting down, you have the option to stop moving your feet. You can’t stop on a treadmill or you will fall off.”
4. Rower
“This is impact-free and suitable for all ages, but I have an aversion to equipment that allows you to sit for cardio. When this exercise gets tough, you may stop or slow down.”
5. Bowflex
“This is for advanced training, even with a video. Beginners likely will work the machine instead of targeting muscles. And they might not work themselves up without having someone there to push them along. It just doesn’t make you keep going.”
MICHELE TOSCANI
Personal training manager at Shapes Total Fitness
Shapes member for 10 years; training for six months
1. Bowflex
“Strength training should come first. Strength workouts increase your basal metabolic rate, which is the amount of energy your body expends while at rest,” says Toscani, 30. “It is also important for women to strength train to increase their preparation for further workouts. Lastly, strength-training increases the speed in which you will see results. And isn’t that what we are all looking for? No matter what fitness level you are.”
2. Treadmill
“Any person is going to get the best cardio workout on the piece of cardio equipment that they prefer. I can get on a treadmill and run for hours! I love to run, but it is important to cross-train on days that I am not running.”
3. Elliptical
“For me, it’s my second choice because it makes a good cross-training exercise. This is a great option for people with injuries because there’s no pounding, no impact. The feet aren’t moving so they stay stable.”
4. Stationary bike
“Most of the time people get on a recumbent bike, they don’t push themselves like they would on other pieces of equipment. But some people would get a good workout on a bike if they’re willing to push themselves.”
5. Rower
“In terms of a workout, to have that big of a piece in your house, it just doesn’t seem that you would get the best for your money.”
Keyword: 4you, to check out bios of each of our trainers, dimensions of each machine and more.
AND THE WINNER IS …
Each machine ranked first garnered five points, second received four and so on. Here’s the final tally from our trainers:
1. Treadmill — 21 points
2. Elliptical — 19 points
3. Bowflex — 17 points
4. Stationary bike — 13 points
5. Rower — 6 points
WORK IT
BOWFLEX XTREME 2 HOME GYM
The Xtreme 2 offers an ultracompact design. A pulley system provides multiple positions and quick exercise transitions. Experience more than 70 exercises using 210 pounds of resistance.
$1,599; www.bowflex.com/global/index.jsp
CONCEPT2 MODEL D INDOOR ROWER
Get total-body cardio conditioning. A performance monitor is equipped with a LogCard, which stores favorite workouts, workout results and total meters. This rower promotes strength and flexibility for all ages.
$850; www.concept2.com
NORDICTRACK AUDIOSTRIDER 990 ELLIPTICAL
The AudioStrider can incline up to 30 degrees. Access six personal trainer and two heart-rate workouts. Upper-body workout arms help you burn more calories. Ifit technology provides coaching.
$999; www.nordictrack.com
NORDICTRACK VIEWPOINT 3000 TREADMILL
Crank your workout up to 12 mph on an incline of up to 12 percent. Access 14 preset workouts and create two. Ifit technology works as your personal trainer.
$1,499; www.nordictrack.com
REEBOK RB310 RECUMBENT BICYCLE
Access 10 personal trainer workouts and 16 levels of resistance. A display shows your time, speed, distance, resistance level and calories burned. It features four ExerPlay interactive fitness games.
$399; www.reebokfitness.com
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Copyright (c) 2007, Tampa Tribune, Fla.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
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