The current sports industry provides those who want to lose weight with a wide selection of equipment that helps them achieve and maintain an ideal figure. Among such a huge range, it is important to determine the most suitable device for yourself.
During the winter, especially in our latitudes, the body tries to accumulate more fat in order to survive the cold. With the onset of spring, many people have a desire to get rid of excess weight and get into shape. And if going to the gym is akin to torture for you, then you can buy a machine for home use and exercise on your own. It will stand in your corner, and in your free time you won’t have to get ready and run headlong to the gym - you’ll calmly come up and work out. In this article we will tell you what types of such devices to pay attention to, first of all, for those who want to effectively overcome the problem of excess weight. Let's consider which exercise machine is considered the most effective for exercising at home and how to make the right choice.
What kind of simulators are there?
Modern sports devices are divided into cardio and strength training equipment. The first group allows you to use all the main muscle groups, thereby actively burning calories and promoting weight loss throughout the body. In addition, cardio equipment strengthens the cardiovascular system, increases endurance and aerobic capacity of the body. Strength training equipment is aimed more at developing and strengthening muscles in a certain area, which receives the main portion of the load. Such classes are held in a mode that is more gentle on the respiratory system. They will help you break down fat deposits in a specific area of the body faster and more efficiently.
As a result, we can say that for weight loss it is better to choose cardio exercise machines, since they help burn fat deposits, while at the same time effectively pumping the necessary muscle groups. Strength training equipment specifically for weight loss is not so effective - they are rather aimed at gaining muscle mass. Now let's look at specific types of simulators and features of their use:
Ellipsoid
Unlike previous exercise machines, the advantage of the ellipsoid is that it uses all the muscles of the body, giving an even load on both the upper and lower parts. In addition, it is almost impossible to get injured or sprained on it, so the ellipsoid is quite a candidate for the role of a simulator with which you should start getting acquainted with the gym.
Typically, the elliptical has ten possible load levels built into it, with 1 being the lightest and 10 being the heaviest. For the first workout, you should not choose a high level, stop at 3 or 4. If after 10 minutes you feel active and alert, you do not have shortness of breath or feel tired, you can increase the load to level 5-7 and train in this mode for another 5- 15 minutes, after which you need to gradually reduce the load for 10 minutes until the end of the workout. If the load is poorly tolerated, you should not increase it even more or continue to exercise despite feeling unwell. For beginners, it is absolutely normal that the first workout lasts 10-15 minutes, since the cardiovascular system needs time to get used to and reconfigure. Over time, you can easily withstand 40-60 minutes or more.
Determining the optimal load on an elliptical trainer is easy. If you can maintain it for 20-40 minutes, while your heart rate is between 130-140 beats per minute, and you move quickly, then the load is appropriate for your level of training and helps burn fat.
An hour of exercise on an ellipsoid allows you to burn 700-800 kcal, provided that the exercise is performed intensively at the same pace without slowing down or stopping.
Treadmill
To lose weight, you need to regularly walk or run. If in everyday life it is not always possible to organize morning jogs on the street, then a treadmill will help in this case. This simulator is considered one of the most popular, since the movements on it are simple and natural. You just need to run. The intensity of the training process is regulated by each person personally and depends on the angle of inclination of the moving surface, as well as the speed of its movement. Of course, not everyone will be able to buy one for home, because a modern treadmill is too large.
For beginners, experienced trainers give advice to start training with simple steps that imitate everyday walking. In the process of reducing a person's weight, the intensity of training must be gradually increased, and thus the speed of the machine belt must be increased. It is worth noting that a sharp increase in loads is harmful to the body, so you should increase the speed gradually. This type of exercise machine actively helps you lose weight in your lower body. Especially if you wear weight loss breeches during classes, the process will go much faster.
Motivation
To make it easy for you to lose weight, before starting the process, ask yourself the question: why do I want to do this?
Do I need this for my health? I want to have a slim body? Will I gain self-confidence by losing weight? A favorite dress that has suddenly become scarce this summer can be an incentive. Your answer will be the motivation for which you came to the gym. It will become the impulse that will give movement towards the intended result.
To make the goal more tangible, set criteria by which you will know that you have achieved what you want.
For example: I want to lose weight by July 25th.
Or maybe your criterion will be weight? I want to lose 8 kg.
Or centimeters of your desired waist. Hip volume.
These criteria help evaluate how you are moving towards success, towards your desired result. They will inspire you to continue what you started.
Exercise bike
Of course, outdoor cycling is no match for an exercise bike. But it’s not always possible to ride on the street. And the weather is not always conducive to this. And if you ride only once a week on weekends, there will be no weight loss. Therefore, regular exercise on an exercise bike will be much more effective. When choosing an exercise bike, special attention should be paid to models with automatic resistance adjustment, as well as monitoring the degree of load of the exerciser. The time spent, the speed of the workout, the distance covered - all this and much more is set independently in the exercise bike.
It is suitable for home use because even a beginner can exercise on it without prior preparation, while still showing good results and stable weight loss. If you have leg diseases or varicose veins, then an exercise bike is not recommended in this case - intense training can aggravate the situation. But if leg problems do not bother you, then an exercise bike is the safest and most gentle way to exercise at home, suitable even for absolute beginners who have never been to the gym.
Elliptical trainer
It is also called an orbitrek. According to the opinions of consumers of this simulator, it is an excellent and most productive “tool” in getting rid of excess weight. By its operating principle, the elliptical trainer imitates fast running, although this running is similar to skiing. In fact, these are several exercise machines in one - a whole complex that allows you to effectively work out muscles and, of course, lose weight. When practicing on it, the arms are also involved and the shoulder girdle is worked out. Moreover, the movements are performed smoothly, which spares the joints and does not cause injuries. Therefore, if you are in doubt about which exercise machine to choose for home weight loss, choose the orbitrack.
Work all muscle groups
Include in your training program exercises that involve the maximum number of muscles. The higher the load, the stronger the blood circulates, and accordingly, the fat “melts” more actively.
Squats burn more calories than mat exercises because they work your buttocks and thighs simultaneously. Running is more effective than an exercise bike or walking - the shoulder girdle works during training.
Important!
Always make sure your back is straight! Good posture motivates you to tighten your stomach and spend an extra “moment of sport.”
Stepper
Exercises on such a device imitate movement on the stairs, thanks to this many muscles work. In the fight against excess weight, the stepper is incredibly effective, as well as against cellulite. But weight loss when exercising on this simulator will not amaze you with its speed - the kilograms will fall off smoothly, without jumps, but reliably and safely.
A stepper is a cardio exercise machine. That is, it helps strengthen the heart muscle by intensely pumping blood through it. It is quite suitable for home use - it is compact and effective. Regular exercise on a stepper can give noticeable relief to the leg muscles, as if sharpening them with a special cutter. The stepper also improves posture by strengthening the back muscles.
Warm-up
Warming up is the most important component of any workout.
With its help, you will warm up your muscles, increase blood circulation, and gradually increase your heart rate. A proper warm-up will help you avoid sprains when performing aerobic and strength exercises. First there is a warm-up, then exercises for joints, stretching muscles and tendons. Next - more intense cardio exercises. The warm-up ends with stabilization of breathing and heart rate. Cardio Warm Up Exercises
- Walking with knees raised
Feet shoulder-width apart, arms bent at the elbows. We alternately raise the leg bent at the knee, simulating walking in place. Execution time – 30 seconds.
- Running in place
Run in place at an easy pace, with calm breathing. Execution time – 30-45 seconds.
- Jumping rope
This is a higher intensity exercise. We choose the pace according to our capabilities. Execution time – 60 seconds.
Exercises for joints:
- Neck _
Gently, without sudden movements, rotate your head in a semicircle from right to left and from left to right. First, lowering your head to your chest. Then, throwing it back, we make a semicircle. We perform 10 times in each direction.
- Shoulder girdle and arms
Feet shoulder-width apart, arms positioned freely along the body. We raise our shoulders and move them back. We make circular movements. We perform 10-15 times. Then we do circular rotations with our hands. We perform 10-15 times.
- Lumbar , hips, knees
Hands on the belt. We make rotational movements with our hips to the right and left.
After a 7-10 minute warm-up, you can begin aerobic training.
Rowing machine
The rowing machine is one of the least favorite devices for many people due to the fact that the exercises on it are quite difficult and time-consuming. However, labor intensity is a direct consequence of the device being efficient. The effect of the simulator can only be compared with rowing a boat, and, therefore, exercise on it quickly tires a person. In return for the effort spent, you will receive significant weight loss within a short time after starting training. The device promotes effective work overnight of muscle groups in the upper and lower parts of the human body, as a result of which the corresponding results are achieved. When conducting training, you need to pay attention to the condition of the spine. If you have had or have back injuries, it is better to postpone training on the rowing machine.
Basic tips for losing weight on your own using exercise equipment
If you finally decide and install a machine at home, then you should not limit yourself to training exclusively on it. There is inexpensive sports equipment that can dilute your training and correct your figure: expanders, horizontal bars, abdominal benches, dumbbells and weights and many other types.
You should not think that by purchasing a machine and exercising from time to time, you can effectively lose weight. No, it will take significant self-control to literally force yourself to exercise sometimes. At first you will have to push yourself. In addition, there is no trainer at home who copes with this task perfectly in the gym. Combine exercise with a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition.
It is believed that “good” weight loss during regular cardio is from 1 to 4 kg per month. This is a completely physiological rate of weight loss and will not harm your health.
Yuri Alisievich, Trade portal Shop.by
Is stability always a sign of mastery?
If you always perform the same set of exercises, you may forget about good results. The muscles get used to the monotonous load and stop responding to it. To restore the “muscle response”, urgent measures need to be taken.
First of all, it is important to regularly increase the load and increase the number of approaches. The body should not get used to the elements of the workout, otherwise calories will be burned very slowly. The trainer will help you choose the optimal load and outline a training plan.
Expert advice:
A series of fitness mistakes can kill your desire to exercise. Don't give up, even if you have to start over!
