For some, Friday marks the start of a weekend filled with lots of food, alcohol, and sleepless nights at the clubs. For us, Friday is a day for working out and taking care of our bodies. That’s why we decided to tell you about the most popular fitness machines and their benefits.
Here they are:
-
Treadmill
Without a doubt, this is the “queen” of every fitness club. Everyone knows it and is convinced that spending more than an hour on the treadmill, will deliver spectacular results. But what exactly are the benefits of this machine? The treadmill is an excellent piece of equipment for aerobic exercise, better known as “cardio.” For a weight-loss program to be effective, you must first determine your target heart rate—the range in which your workout will be aerobic and burn the most fat. Your target heart rate while running on the treadmill should be 65–85% of your maximum heart rate. Calculate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. This means that for a 30-year-old, the maximum heart rate is 190 beats per minute, and the heart rate during this type of workout should be between 123 and 161 beats per minute. Anything lower is ineffective, while anything higher puts your heart at risk. To find the best workout for you, try different intensity levels. Interval running will not only help you spend more time on the treadmill, but also make your workout more varied. Effective fat burning requires between 40 minutes and 1 hour of running, during which you’ll burn between 300 and 700 calories. If you’re a beginner, start with a workout of at least 20 minutes and gradually increase the intensity.
Read more: How to Beat the Gym Routine
-
Hyperextension machine
Hyperextensions are an excellent exercise for the lower-back and gluteal muscles and, to a lesser extent, the hip flexors. The exercise involves extending your lower back from a prone position, with your upper body suspended in the air. You can do it without extra weight or with a barbell across your shoulders. Hyperextensions are mainly used to improve lower-back and gluteal strength, endurance, and stability. They help shape these muscles, but contribute little to increasing overall muscle mass. Add them either at the end of your back workout or after all your other exercises during your visit to the club.
-
Abdominal bench
Sit-ups are the most popular exercise for shaping your abs. They can work the rectus abdominis, the obliques, or both at the same time. They primarily target the upper abs. They also engage the hip adductors to some extent. In all variations of sit-ups, the movement takes place only at the waist, without moving your arms or legs. In a full sit-up, you raise your entire torso, but there’s also a variation where you lift only your upper body—the head and shoulders. These are known as “crunches.” In every case, your ankles should be secured so your legs don’t move through momentum. Perform the exercise at a moderate pace, and crunches quickly. Your speed matters for your lower back: if you go too fast, you’ll put unnecessary strain on it. Repetitions of exercises targeting the different abdominal muscles help create a balanced, well-defined six-pack.
Read more: Build Muscle Fast with a Protein Diet and Strength Training
-
Cable machine
Whether vertical or horizontal, the cable machine is extremely popular in fitness clubs. Almost anyone can use it, as the exercise is not particularly technical and offers many benefits. These mainly relate to good posture and your overall health, as it is not a strength-building exercise. Do 3–4 sets of 12–15 reps on the cable machine at the end of your upper-body workouts to enjoy better, straighter posture and help prevent shoulder problems and back pain.
-
Leg press
The leg press is a unique exercise that will help you shape your legs. It works the quadriceps, or quads. . If your goal is to develop your lower-body muscles as much as possible, you should train them twice a week. Do 3–4 sets of 15–20 reps, gradually increasing the weight. We recommend consulting one of the fitness club’s trainers for advice on the right workload for you based on your fitness level.
There are many other machines that make good fitness clubs exceptionally varied and useful, and workouts more enjoyable. We recommend seeking guidance from a personal trainer, who can create a program for you and explain in detail how to use each machine and the benefits it offers.
And don’t forget: comfortable workout sneakers are a must!
Read more: 13 fascinating facts about the human body