If you only have a short amount of time to workout, it’s likely that you’ll want to use a machine that will burn the most amount of calories in the shortest amount of time. In this article, we’ve outlined the five most common pieces of cardio exercise equipment and how they compare when it comes to fat burning. We hope that you’ll walk away knowing exactly what piece you want to use.
- Elliptical
The inertia of all the moving parts on this equipment make it really easy to keep moving, which is why its important that you choose a high resistance. Keep in mind that a high resistance is far more important than a fast pace when it comes to fat burning. You should hope to burn between 600 and 800 calories per hour. - Exercise Bike
For effective fat burning, you should aim for a pace of at least 85 rotations per minute (listed as rpm on the screen) and turn up the resistance to a level that has you breathing hard. To further increase the effectiveness of the workout, choose an interval program (or create your own). You should hope to burn between 500 and 1000 calories per hour. - Rowing Machine
This equipment offers an excellent full body workout, but you should use a high resistance and fast pace. Keep in mind that rowing is not a motion that most people are accustomed to, so ensure that you know what you’re doing before starting (take a quick peek at the instructions). You should hope to burn between 700 and 1100 calories per hour. - Stair Climber
The most important thing to keep in mind when using these machines is not to hold onto the railings or use your arms to support your weight – you won’t burn any calories by doing this. If you’re worried about balance, touch only your knuckles to the railing. You should hope to burn between 800 and 1400 calories per hour. - Treadmill
This equipment has the potential to burn a lot of fat. For the most effective workout, you should choose one of three options – job, walking uphill or sprinting. If your goal is to burn calories, you should avoid walking (at least, without any incline). You should hope to burn between 600 and 1200 calories per hour.
Whilst we hope that the information provided above has given you an idea of what cardio exercise equipment burns the most calories, we also want to stress that the machine will only be as effective as the effort that you put in. It can be tempting to lower the resistance of the equipment so that your workout is easier, but this will only cause you to burn fewer calories.