Hit the fat: four best exercise machines for weight loss

A simulator
(from the English train - to educate, educate, train) is a mechanical, software, electrical or combined educational and training device that artificially simulates various loads or circumstances (situation).
Simulators can be educational (imitation) or sports. running simulator
based on the T-64 tank. Belongs to the BTT operation training group

Exercise machines – advantages:

• Excellent for beginners who still have a low level of general physical fitness, poorly developed intermuscular coordination, practically undeveloped brain-muscle communication, ligaments, tendons and joints are also in a rather untrained state
• Exercise machines help to specifically load the muscle group for which the exercise is intended. For example, almost no beginner will be able to do pull-ups several times, and even with the correct technique, but the Gravitron simulator perfectly helps to immediately set the load on the latissimus dorsi muscles, which should work the most in pull-ups
• Simulators help beginners more accurately follow the trajectory of the correct movement
• Exercise machines allow you to keep the muscle tense throughout the entire range of motion, especially in the initial and final positions of the exercise, which is very difficult to do when using free weights.
• On exercise machines, you can change the load in just a few seconds by moving the lock, tightening the handle, etc.

A separate point is that exercise machines allow many beginners to avoid a common mistake, which is stated in the principle “ Lift the weight, not your ego .”

That is, a beginner who is embarrassed by his low level of fitness when using free weights often tries to lift more weight than he can, which entails unreasonable risks of injury.

Machines usually don't show you how much weight you're lifting, so you can focus on your technique without worrying about being seen as weak.

Exercise machines – cons:

• The main disadvantage, for which all simulators suffer, is the fixed line of movement. And it is rightly believed that with prolonged use, exercise machines put our joints in a position that is not optimal from a physiological point of view. And then in real life, when we have to reproduce such a movement, joints and ligaments can fail us
• This is also partly due to the fact that, for example, when performing the same squats in Smith, small stabilizer muscles work very weakly, unlike conventional squats with a barbell or dumbbells
• It's difficult to make a machine that suits everyone, so it's designed for the average person. If you have long or short limbs, tall or short, doing exercises on conventional exercise machines will be difficult

Aerobic training equipment

The action of cardio equipment is based on aerobic stress on the body, which perfectly solves the following problems:

• copes well with the issue of fat burning;
• develops endurance;
• strengthens the heart and blood vessels;
• increases immunity;
• increases lung volume.

Thus, if your goal is to get rid of hated fat deposits, feel free to choose one of the following options.

Ellipsoid or orbitrek

We can say with confidence that this is the safest and most effective of the existing types of cardio equipment, a kind of hybrid from previous generations of equipment. Its advantages:

• movements on an ellipsoid imitate skiing, involving almost all muscle groups in the training process, including “hard-to-reach” ones, for example, the gluteal;
• complete safety for joints and ligaments;
• easily controlled intensity;
• The structure of the orbit track allows for variations in the training process, and, therefore, it will not tire you with monotony. Movement can be carried out both forward and backward; with or without the use of handrails;
• It has virtually no contraindications and is suitable for most users.

The orbitrek has no disadvantages. The only thing that needs to be clarified here is that the ellipsoid requires healthy coordination in the trainee to avoid the risk of falls. The cost of ellipsoids starts from 8000-10000 ₽.

Rowing machine

This type of sports equipment is conventionally classified as “cardio”, but in fact its principle of operation is capable of loading the muscle corset, including. As the name suggests, the movements here imitate rowing techniques. Advantages:

• combined effects on the body (aerobic and anaerobic);
• involvement of 80% of the body’s muscles in the training process;
• relatively small dimensions.

There are no significant drawbacks in this case, but in order not to cause harm to health, it is necessary to remember that such training significantly loads the spine, and, therefore, is contraindicated for people with back problems. The price tag for a rowing simulator starts from 9,000-10,000 rubles.

Treadmill

The running track is a classic home sport. It is represented by a sufficient range of products and in a wide price range. Advantages:

• suitable for any level of training;
• involves natural, intuitive movements;
• easily controlled intensity;
• folding models will save space at home.

The disadvantages include insufficient involvement of the arms and upper shoulder girdle in the training process. In addition, running is contraindicated for those who have problems with joints and some problems with the cardiovascular system, for example, thrombophlebitis of the lower extremities. “Artificial” jogging can be quite traumatic in terms of falling, so be careful about following safety rules and monitor your heart rate. The cost of decent treadmills is from 20,000 rubles.

Exercise bike

Another “veteran” of personal gyms, which can be selected to suit different budgets and needs. Exercise bike:

• makes it possible to conduct long-term cardio training, in particular interval training;
• perfectly strengthens and develops the cardiovascular system;
• safe, does not load the vestibular apparatus, ligaments and joints.

The disadvantage of cycling training is that it does not involve the body and arms in the work. You can buy a “decent” exercise bike starting from 15,000 ₽.

Rider

This is one of the relatively new sports devices that simulates the dynamics of equestrian sports. Rider:

• works well on all major muscle groups, working out the abs especially convincingly;
• perfectly helps to deal with excess fat;
• has a positive effect on the musculoskeletal system, strengthens the spine;
• has no contraindications due to health conditions, gender or age;
• It has a fairly simple and therefore stable design.

The disadvantage in this case is that the training process is somewhat monotonous, which can cause rapid fatigue and loss of interest. Buying a rider will cost 5,000-10,000 rubles.

Home mini-stadium

For those who want “everything at once” and are not limited in financial resources, you can consider purchasing a mini-stadium. This equipment combines almost all of the above varieties, as well as a vibrating massager and a disk. The key advantage in this case is the ability to create a varied individual program. This way, training does not become “boring” and provides a diverse, comprehensive effect on the human body.

The obvious disadvantage of such a purchase is the dimensions. No matter how much you would like to purchase such universal equipment, it is worth adequately correlating your desires with your capabilities. The second drawback is the price. To purchase this multifunctional assistant, you will need to allocate 25,000-35,000 rubles from your budget.

Free weights – advantages:

• When performing exercises with a barbell and dumbbells, there is a more powerful and massive impact on muscle groups, in contrast to local training effects
• Exercises with free weights seriously involve not only large muscle groups, but also small stabilizer muscles, the strengthening of which is very important for our musculoskeletal system, the health of joints, ligaments and tendons
• Exercises with free weights create a load that causes a faster and more consistent increase in fitness levels than machines

Training effectiveness

Bodyweight exercises can be quite effective and lead to pleasant results:

• Exercises can develop strength if your body weight is high and your level of fitness still leaves much to be desired.
• Regular training increases endurance. This is especially pronounced in the case of a normal or slender physique, and also if such training is a forced temporary measure for a person who is well trained in sports.
• Working with your own weight perfectly tones and is ideal for people who do not plan to achieve heights in sports, but exercise for a general improvement in well-being.
• A well-designed set of exercises helps in the fight against excess weight. If an athlete has such a goal, then training must be combined with a healthy diet.

The only thing that cannot be achieved by working without additional weights is pronounced progress in gaining muscle mass. To do this, you definitely need either free weights or, preferably, strength machines.

Free weights - cons:

• Mastering the technique of strength exercises when using free weights is more difficult than when working on simulators
• Therefore, at the beginning of classes, it is recommended to take several personal training sessions from a trainer in the gym specifically to correct the exercise technique.
• Or you need to film yourself, and then compare your technique with training videos, film again, compare again, etc. (this thoughtful approach may work even better)
• Using incorrect technique or excessive loads that are more difficult to recreate on machines increases the risk of injury or overtraining.
• Inability to engage target muscles, such as in pull-ups. A beginner has little strength to do 10 pull-ups, but even if he succeeds, almost no one can immediately do the exercise with the correct technique; he has to use a “gravitron”, a chair, rubber bands, etc.

Selecting a simulator

Let's look at the dimensions of the Rule simulator. The length is approximately 300 centimeters, width - 200, height - 100. The angle formed between the arms is 90 degrees, and the same between the legs. For beginners, intermediate fastenings are made (not everyone can do the splits right away). Height is of great importance: the lower, the more effort there is to stretch; the load on the legs and arms is very high. Work with the lower back is carried out from a low position. The average height of the simulator ranges from eighty to one hundred and twenty centimeters.

The kit includes cuffs (or grips) - the most important part of the simulator, since almost everything depends on their convenience. They should be soft. They are made either with Velcro or with self-release fasteners. The material used is very different, the main thing is durable. At best it can be genuine leather, it is hygienic. Leather substitute is not recommended as it is slippery and lacks durability and is not reliable. Any fabric crumples and slides, and rough fabric damages the skin. The kit also includes cables and blocks.

Eventually:

• It makes sense for beginners to use exercise machines in the first 2-3 months of training in the gym to master safe exercise techniques, eliminate the risk of injury, establish a “brain-muscle” connection, etc.
• It makes sense for experienced trainees to use simulators, periodically including them in training for a more local impact on muscle groups and to reduce the risk of injury, since in exercises with barbells and dumbbells your weights have already approached the upper limits, beyond which it is undesirable to cross
• It makes sense to use free weights only after mastering the correct, read – rational technique, after which the main emphasis in training should be on their use

I was recently in Thailand and worked out in a gym that was located in a hotel. There were a lot of simulators with a fixed course of movement. To be honest, I couldn’t do this all the time.

And the point is not only that the load is unusual, but also that the joints really don’t feel very comfortable. Especially those joints that are accustomed to constant work with free weights - kettlebells and dumbbells.

Now let's look at the basic exercise equipment that is found in most fitness rooms on our planet. To disassemble all the exercise machines that are currently produced on the fitness market is an impossible task, and practically unnecessary, so let’s analyze the “classics”