Peak Performance Fitness Gear’s wide selection of exercise equipment includes treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes, Cardio Striders and weights. If you’re only just beginning your fitness journey, then you might rightly wonder which type of equipment would make the best addition to your home. That’s why we put together this handy primer. Read it and you’ll have an easy time zeroing in on the equipment that’s ideally suited to your unique physical abilities and fitness goals!
Treadmills
A treadmill is built for walking or running in place. It can’t provide the same exact experience as training outdoors, however, as its flat surface doesn’t challenge muscles to overcome varying inclines and uneven terrain. That’s why treadmill-only runners generally have less developed hamstrings, calves and glutes.
Despite its shortcomings, a treadmill workout does burn more calories than a bike or elliptical (assuming equal effort across the board). Likewise, no other piece of exercise equipment rivals the treadmill’s potential to improve cardiovascular health and bone density (especially in the lower extremities). And thanks to modern treadmills’ programmable incline and decline settings, you can closely simulate the experience of traversing hilly terrain.
Ellipticals
An elliptical doesn’t have a belt. Instead it has pedals which never separate from your feet as they rise and fall, as well as handles that you can push and pull to supplement your leg movement. If we had to compare an elliptical workout to a form of outdoor exercise, we would liken it to cross-country skiing.
Although it doesn’t burn as many calories as a treadmill, an elliptical does make you feel like you are exerting yourself less than you actually are. Better yet, its handles give you the option of working out your upper body muscles, including your chest, triceps and traps. An elliptical provides a lower-impact workout than a treadmill as well. And if you’re worried about falling off a treadmill while you’re watching TV or looking at Instagram, then you’ll love the greater peace of mind an elliptical offers. It’s a perfect machine to zone out on!
Stationary Bikes
Look at any Tour de France competitor and you’ll notice the same thing: they’re in fantastic shape. Granted, a stationary bike can’t fully simulate the workout you would get from pedaling across the Alps, but it’s a great way to get your cardio without worrying about falling down or getting clipped by a semi.
Like an elliptical, a stationary bike offers a truly low-impact workout – excellent if you’re worried about straining your joints with each stride. Unfortunately, gentler exercise does come at the cost of a lower calorie burn. But biking does improve posture and coordination in ways that treadmill and elliptical workouts can’t, and it is an excellent choice of exercise if you’re especially trying to improve your endurance. A stationary bike will probably represent your most economical option when it comes to cardio equipment, and it will take up the least amount of space in your house as well.
Cardio Striders
A Cardio Strider is essentially a cross between an elliptical and a stationary bike. It has pedals that rise and fall with the motion of your feet, as well as handles which you can push and pull to get an upper body workout.
Because you remain seated while using it, a Cardio Strider will not work out your stabilizer muscles. It also will burn relatively fewer calories than a treadmill, elliptical or bike. But those shortcomings both go hand in hand with the Cardio Strider’s greatest advantages: a safer workout for people who are at risk of falling, as well as a very low-impact workout that places little stress on the joints.
Weights
You don’t need to be a big, strong ox moving around several hundred pounds in order to benefit from weight lifting. No matter your age or physical abilities, you only stand to increase your strength, improve your bone density, tone up your muscles, and burn calories by lifting weights. Weight lifting is also a great way to relieve stress and boost self-esteem!
The current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans advises everyone to engage in muscle-strengthening activities at least two days per week. Just take care not to overdo it. You should warm up before lifting and cool down afterward, as well as observe regular rest days. You should also take care to exercise safe form while lifting weights – and never push yourself to lift weights that you can’t handle confidently.
We know that exercise equipment can be daunting. That’s why our team is standing by to help you understand all the relative pros and cons of treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes, Cardio Striders and weights. And because we have an actual brick and mortar store in Sioux City, IA, you can come in and try out any piece of equipment before adding it to your fitness regimen – an amenity online shopping can never offer.
Contact us today to learn more about our expansive selection of high-quality exercise equipment in stock, as well as the athletic shoes you’ll need to exercise safely and comfortably!