I am thinking about buying a treadmill, a row machine , or an elliptical trainer. Which one would be the best if I am looking to do low-impact cardio? What brand is a good brand to buy?
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SHOWER TUBES

You'll usually get a better workout on a treadmill...the elliptical would be easier as far as impact goes though.


Cybex usually has pretty good stuff.

We have a Concept 2 Erg. I like the erg more than a treadmill. I have never used an elliptical machine so I can't compare.

I think you are more likely to do the Eliptical or treadmill regularly versus the rowing machine.

As ksigkid kid said, the eliptical is less impact.

James, about how much protein should I have daily? I've read that it is important with weight loss and lean muscle yet I don't know how much I need.

Thanks baby!

Its not hard to figure out....how much do you weigh?

I should have known that James would have a thread like this. Apparently he is the all-knowing master of everything on GC. Whatever your question, he has the answer. Way to go. :)

FYI:

I just figured out how to lose 150 pounds in 2 days.....


Break up with it. :p

Bump! ;)

Question for James or any knowledgeable person. Because I was progressing in my fitness goals, I recently upped my workout routines to the next level. As is expected, I end up sore for 1-3 days after. My visits to the gym always consist of a combination of cardio and weightlifting. I don't split workouts to focus on upper or lower body on any given day - I employ a combination of sets to work all limbs.

I always read that people should allow their bodies to rest for 24-48 hours after a solid workout. I'm reluctant to do that as I feel like I am slacking off; yet, sometimes I'm just too sore and I'm concerned I'll injure myself.

People who have been though military, fire or police training have probably been forced to exercise everyday, sore or not. They probably weren't excused for 24-48 hours.

So, what's the deal? Should I be allowing myself to rest or should I push through it?

Thanks for any insight!

.....Kelly :)

I think that it's 24-48 hours for the body part in question. So, if you do shoulders one day, you should give 24-48 hours before you do another shoulder workout. Now, one of your other workouts may incorporate shoulders (like a chest workout), but you should wait the 24-48 hours before you focus on that muscle group.

I may be wrong on this, but this was always my understanding.

That's correct. You should have your training days (particularly for lifting) divided up into splits.

This is how I do mine, for example:

Monday - Shoulders & Triceps
Tuesday - Back
Wednesday - Day off from lifting, cardio ok
Thursday - Legs and Calves
Friday - Chest & Biceps
Sunday - Day off from lifting, cardio ok

The reason for the rest is this: when you are lifting and you feel that "burn", what you are actually doing is putting tiny microscopic tears into the muscle (it sounds bad, but it is actually good). However, the body needs ample time to repair those muscles, so you don't want to be working the same muscle group every day; the muscles will not have adequate time to heal and repair. I hope this helps.

navane: you didn't mention what order you are doing your workout in, but you should be lifting weights first, doing cardio second. If you do cardio first, you will use up a lot of glycogen in your muscles, and you will not have as much energy stores to draw on when lifting. With cardio, it doesn't really matter, but with weights, you don't want to hurt yourself doing resistance exercises.

P.S. Don't make Monday to be "Chest Day" for you, as you will have a hard time finding free chest equipment. This is because Mondays are "International Chest Day" for ALL MEN, EVERYWHERE, AT ALL GYMS. Just drop in to any gym on a Monday and see if I'm right! ;)

Thanks! So it sounds like my issue is that I'm not splitting the workouts to accommodate this process.

I just read an article last night saying the same thing! Though, I've read articles saying the opposite and some saying that it doesn't matter! I do my workouts cardio first, then weights. Sometimes it has to do with what's actually open in the gym. As in, if I don't grab the cardio equipment asap, I'll not get a chance at all later. I'll try and start doing the workouts in reverse to see how that fares.

LOL! I'll have to check that theory tomorrow!

.....Kelly :)

I find Mondays in general to be "International Everybody Go to the Gym Day." It's like people were bad over the weekend....ate and drank too much and didn't work out so they make up for it on Monday. I make Mondays my day off from the gym because it's way too crowded there. I spend the majority of my time just waiting for equipment or weights.

Absolutely - there are always more people in my gym on Mondays than any other day. It's not just the chest equipment that's taken up - every cardio and ab machine is occupied as well.

It's kind of the same thing as the gym being packed in January, after people have made their New Year's resolutions.

What magazines that says "It doesn't matter" are these articles published in? If it's Oxygen or Muscle & Fitness, those are pretty good. SELF and Shape can go right into the trash heap, unless a woman aspires for that "fat-skinny look" (i.e. thin'ish, but no tone nor definition whatsoever)

The glycogen thing that I told you is accurate, which is why you want to lift first, do cardio second.

Most places that say "it doesn't matter" are using shorthand for "the glycogen effect is real, but for the majority of casual enthusiasts its impact will pale in comparison to other, less subtle effects like 'not showing up' or 'self-limiting' - so it's more important to do whichever one you're more serious about first." Personally, I always lift first, but I can see their point.

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but the effect you're referring to is less important for lower-weight "circuit"-style training that most women employ (as it is primarily based on slower/less efficient ATP replenishing) and/or can be somewhat offset with more time in between sets, right? Although since navane is going to the "next level" these may well be completely obviated.