How to Properly Use Cardiovascular Machines

Cardiovascular Work-out Guidelines
In-door Track : The track is user friendly and affective. You can get on it and just run. You don't have to worry about figuring out a machine or if someone else needs to use it. There are a few things that you do need to know though. First, most in-door tracks will rotate direction of traffic daily, so pay attention. There will most likely be more than one lane. The inside lanes will be for slower moving traffic, and the outer lanes are for fast runners. Not all lanes are the same distance per lap. If the distances are not marked, you can ask an employee to help you. The next part is up to you. Keeping good form while running will help you run longer and decrease the impact on your body. Be sure to keep your head and shoulders up. Remember to keep your breathing rhythmical, and look forward. You want your arms to have a slight swing and your hands should be near your waistline. Keep yours knees slightly bent, and use the balls of your feet when they are in contact with the ground.

Elliptical Machine:
This machine is also called the Cross Trainer. The best thing about This machine is that it has very low impact, and you can get a verity of workouts form it. You can adjust the resistance and the ramp height. Once you get familiar with the machine you can even select a pre-programmed coarse that will vary the intensity of your workout. To begin, put your feet on the platforms, and your hands on the foam handlebars. Shift your weight to one foot until you feel the machine begin to move, then shift it to the other foot until you are familiar with the motion. From this point you can go at you own pace or you can select a coarse. The recommended work out time is 30 minutes.

Stair Climber: This is another non-impact machine. It is a good thigh and glut work out. Its purpose is to imitate climbing stairs. To begin, just step onto the platforms and pretend to climb stairs. You can place your hands on the foam railings for support, or you can leave them by your side to create a harder workout. The machine should automatically prompt you to put in your weigh and age, and to choose an exercise. You can bypass this by pressing the quick start button. You can change the resistance by using the up and down buttons. Your form should upright. Keeping your shoulders and head up and you butt in, shift your weight from on step to the other. Try to not let the steps hit the ground. Be sure to keep your feet on the platforms. A common mistake is lifting your feet off of the steps. If this is a problem, decrease the resistance.

Recumbent Bike: This is a popular exercise for beginners or people that are out of shape. You are in a seated position, almost like a chair, while using this machine. A lot of people find it more comfortable than a bike. You may need to adjust the distance from the seat to the pedals before you begin. There should be a knob or handle to pull while sliding the bike seat into the preferred position. Now you are ready to work out. Just sit down and place your feet into the holster straps. Once you feel comfortable you can begin pedaling. You can change the resistance up or down by using the up, down buttons on the consol. There will be handles on the side of the seat for your comfort, but you do not need to use them if you don't wish.

Up-right Bike: This is another excellent machine for beginners or overweight, out of shape people. It is a non-impact workout that can be high intensity for some people. The main thing to focus on before you begin is the seat height. You want you leg to be almost fully extended at bottom of the rotation. Once you get that, it is as easy as riding a bike. You hand adjust the resistance by the up and down buttons. For a higher intensity workout, you can put dumbbells in your hands, and swing them while pedaling.

Treadmill: This is a very popular machine because running and walking is such a natural exercise, and you can get a very good workout on it. To begin, staddle the belt, make sure that you are straddling the belt. Then press start. The belt will begin to move, you can adjust the speed and incline on the consol. Before you step onto the belt, let one foot hit it to get a feel for how fast it is moving. Now that you are running/walking, you can choose from a selection of programs or you can make your own. Be sure to keep good running/walking form. Keep your head and shoulders high, and let your arms swing slightly. Use the balls of your feet to impact the belt.

Nordic Track: A lot of people prefer this machine because it works both arms and legs, and is an affective way to get your heart rate up. It imitates cross-country skiing. It is a non-impact workout that uses ropes and pulleys to create the work out. To start you have to place your feet on the platforms and slide them into the holsters. The holsters should be tight enough to keep your feet from lifting up, but not too tight. You can place your hands on the handles or you can use the upper body mechanism as well. To do this, grab the handles that are attached to a rope. Move your arms back and forth in opposition to your feet, as you would when walking or cross country skiing. While exercising, keep your back straight and your head up. Do not over extend your legs.

Rowing Machine: The rowing machine focuses mainly on the upper body. Although there is some low weight leg pressing going on, most of the work out is in the arm, shoulders and lats. It is modeled after rowing a boat and is excellent for building stamina. You start by sitting in the seat like a chair. Place your feet into the holster, and tighten them so that your feet don't come out. Now you can grab the handles that attach to a rope or chain. Your starting position should be leaned forward with your arms full extended in front of you. Your knees should be bent to about a 45 degree angle. Using your legs, back and arms all at the same time extend your body, and pull the handles into your chest. Return to the starting positions and repeat this motion. Be sure to exhale while extending. There should be a knob near the front of the machine to adjust the resistance.

Lap Pool: Swimming laps is an excellent, low resistant, cardio workout. Most lap pools are 25 meters in length, and will have designated lanes for lap swimmers. Make sure that you are properly instructed on form. Also make sure that there is a lifeguard on duty.