Gym Equipment to Burn Calories
So you’ve decided to lose weight. Maybe you’ve joined a gym or invested in some fitness equipment yourself. There is much advice regarding weight loss, particularly in terms of exercise. But what is the best equipment to burn calories?
Treadmills / Running Machines
Firstly, the classic way of burning calories is running. Get on the treadmill and run for half an hour for around 7 to 8mph and you’ll burn upto 400 calories. Try to do this on a slight incline though as a treadmill does help you somewhat by pulling your feet underneath your body.
Of course, running faster will burn more calories and how fast or far you run depends on your goals. If you’re simply using the equipment to burn calories, a long, steady run is best although other fitness pursuits require different running techniques.
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Ellipitcal Trainers / Cross Trainers
Perhaps more effective is the elliptical machine, or cross trainer. An average person is estimated to burn similar on a cross trainer, compared with a treadmill, however they are also very low impact machines, meaning you won’t put on muscle and potentially less impactive on your joints.
Again, to use the equipment to burn calories, you should go for longer, steady sessions although picking up the pace will give you a great cardiovascular workout. Changing your workouts from fat burn to a hill session gives your body different challenges and keeps it guessing whilst you inject some variety into your routines.
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Rowing Machines
Gaining in popularity, a rowing machine is a great way to burn calories and a get an all over body workout - including your core. There's lots of types and variants, but if you get advice on how to row and keep your form, this is a great way to burn those calories.
Be sure to keep the resistance modest to help replicate the feel of water and you could burn up to 800 calories an hour; more if you really go for it. They also have very low impact on joints and work a variety of muscle groups.
Step Machines
Not usually a home gym piece of equipment due to price and the need for space. The step machine is however a great way to burn calories.
The alternative to this machine is to use a step (they’re often found in the stretching/core area of a gym) and step on and off. With one riser underneath the step you could be burning up to 800 calories an hour.
You’ll burn even more calories if you use a higher step or hold dumbbells to make it more intense.
Skipping Ropes
An often overlooked piece of equipment to burn calories the skipping rope. Not only is it one of the most intense cardio workouts, it also works your quads, calves, biceps and triceps. For the best results, simply perform a single rep jump. The little double bounce people do is actually detrimental and, removing it can double the amount of calories you burn.
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Finally, Building Muscle Burns Calories
Yes really. I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but adding muscle should increase your metabolic rate therefore ensures you burn calories more quickly. It’s estimated that for every extra kg of muscle you put on, you’ll burn around 120 calories a day.
This is due to the fact that muscle is metabolically active; meaning it burns calories faster than other body tissues, even when you’re not exercising. The gym is full of equipment to build muscle although if you’re looking to slim down, pumping iron may not be the obvious routine but it can help tighten muscles and dependant on your reps and weights can build too.
