keep on
treading
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GET FIT FASTER - AND
HAVE MORE FUN
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StairMasters, treadmills, and indoor cycles are good
for engaging the body. But the mind - that's another matter. If treadmill
tedium is keeping you from the gym, take heart. With a little knowledge
and technique and a few motivational strategies (see Banishing the
Boredom), exercising indoors can become something to look forward to.
Really.
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The payoff is enormous. Aerobic workouts are the best
way to burn boatloads of calories, so they are crucial if you're
determined to shed those extra winter pounds. Do them for 30 minutes,
three to five times a week, and along with slimmer hips, you'll also gain
a stronger heart and lungs and a better overall mood.
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How hard do you need to work out to reap these
rewards? A heart-rate monitor, which offers instant electromagnetic
feedback about your effort, can tell you. But we prefer the simplicity of
the "sing test." Always work hard enough so that your heart is beating
very fast but not pounding, and so that you can speak but not sing. Being
able to intelligibly tell someone the time is good; being able to sing
something from the O Brother, Where Art Thou? sound track is bad.
So jump aboard. Here's how to pick the right machine, use it well, and
have a little fun while you burn fat.
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| jump rope |
What it does: Quickly raises the heart rate and burns calories at near
conflagration levels. Jumping also tones the calves, builds foot speed for
sports such as kick-boxing and tennis, and improves agility.
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Who should try it: The healthy-jointed, reasonably fit, and well
coordinated. Jumping rope is safe but puts more stress on the feet,
ankles, and knees than other indoor cardio activities (but not as much as
outdoor running).
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How to get the most out of it: Strive for fluidity. Keep shoulders
relaxed and elbows tucked in, and never hunch your back. If you can jump
for only 10 minutes at first, trade in the rope for a machine to finish
your half-hour exercise allotment.
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Whatever you do, don't: Jump on a hard surface, such as concrete or a
wood floor. It's bad for your knees and shins. Better to skip on a gym mat
or a rug.
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| treadmill |
What it does: Because you have to support your full body weight, the
treadmill works more muscles - buttocks, hamstrings, quadriceps, and
calves - than does any other cardio machine in the gym.
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Who should try it: Anyone. Once you get used to that scary-seeming
revolving belt, exercising on a treadmill is free-flowing and natural,
more like outdoor activity than anything you'll find inside. It's a great
bad-weather alternative for outdoor runners and walkers.
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How to get the most out of it: Build up to spending at least part of
your workout at a 15 percent incline. As on the stair climber, never lean
on the handles. If your balance starts getting shaky, slow down.
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Whatever you do, don't: Heed the calorie readout, especially if you
didn't enter your weight. Calorie counters on treadmills (and other
machines) are notoriously inaccurate, usually overestimating the burn by
10 to 30 percent.
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| stationary cycle |
What it does: Shapes the backs and fronts of the thighs. Allows
sit-down exercise, which is helpful if you are pregnant or recovering from
a foot or ankle injury.
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Who should try it: Anyone - the risk of injury on a properly adjusted
stationary cycle is slight. But unless you have an injury that rules out
other machines, make sure to supplement cycling with other workouts.
Treadmills and stair climbers burn more calories because they force you to
support your own weight.
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How to get the most out of it: Before you pedal, adjust the metal.
Raise or lower the seat so that your knees bend only five degrees when
your legs are fully extended. When you start cycling, sit in a straight
posture, with chin up and eyes forward. Make sure your knees stay pointed
straight ahead as you pedal.
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Whatever you do, don't: Skip the upright bike in favor of the cushy,
sit-down recumbent cycle if you're serious about losing weight. You may be
more comfortable, but you'll burn fewer calories.
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| stair climber |
What it does: Stair climbing offers a good aerobic workout. It can
also tone the buttocks, the calves, and the fronts of the thighs.
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Who should try it: Anyone. The machine offers high-intensity exercise
with little impact. For a more difficult, true-to-life stair-climbing
experience, try a StepMill, a newfangled stair machine - treadmill
hybrid.
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How to get the most out of it: Stand up straight, and never lean on
the handles. Either lightly place your hands on them or, if you're gifted
with Michelle Kwan's balance, ignore them entirely and swing your arms.
Grabbing the handles hard crimps the effectiveness of a workout and can
even hurt your wrists. Another anti-injury tip, this time for the knees:
Don't push the steps all the way to the bottom.
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Whatever you do, don't: Believe the myth that stair climbing makes
butts bigger. If you climb regularly at a moderate resistance level,
you'll firm your derriere, not expand it.
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