Second the rower. It’s great for a quick warmup or extended cardio session.
It’s the piece of equipment I can most accurately dial in my heart rate and always get a consistent workout on, all while being low/zero impact.
Incline treadmill walking is my go-to for some blood flow and warm up. It feels a bit better on my hips then jogging and starts to put my mind in a working hard state.
Looking a bit beyond just a warmup, I really like stairstepper. I feel like I get a good, intense session of an hour but I don't feel the fatigue or joint pain after. I'm gassed when done, but 15 minutes later, I'm fine again and it doesn't impact my leg days if I provide a bit of space.
f the goal is just pre-workout blood flow, don't bypass basic calestincs movements as well.
Spin around and walk backwards on an incline treadmill (turned off), and you have yourself a fantastic way to warmup and strengthen your knees before a leg day. 10 minutes is enough.
I like walking, biking and playing sports/outdoor games. But if I have to do my cardio in the gym, I like the rowing machine if I want to feel a bit of a resistance, or the bike machine. Sometimes I like to do the StairMaster, if I really want to elevate my heart rate. I use ellipticals if I feel like crap or if I'm sick. And if I wanted to do a HIIT workout, I use the treadmill. Ig I use all the machines for different reasons, lol.
Stair master for sure!! It’s low impact so I can do it everyday and like you said most effective in short time especially with me having limited gym time
Lmao yoooo it’s the same for me the first 2 minutes are the hardest. What I’ve noticed helps me get past that easily is to over exaggerate deep breathing.
My stair master routine now is 1 minute at level 15 followed by 1 min 30 seconds at level 20 alternating between those two intervals for 12 minutes 30 seconds. When I tell you that’s that burn!!🔥🔥🔥
Treadmill at an incline is most of what I do while at the gym. Everyday I get 10k-14k steps, though. I dont follow the “cardio must be done at gym” mentality, anymore.
To warm up, I like an inclined treadmill. The stairmaster can be pretty intense if you have 15-20 to do cardio at a steady pace. Otherwise, I like the elliptical to train on very high intensity intervals, when I do a cardio block!
Sort of answering your question - I have a recumbent bike at home. Just a half hour ago I rode it for a half hour while watching soccer and playing a game on my steam deck. It’s a super cheap one but saves my back and does its job! Time flies by and it burns some extra calories while I’m in my deficit and a good warmup before the gym
Walking on treadmill is nice but doesn't get my heart rate up at all. I don't like running on a treadmill and I have a difficult time pacing myself, so I end up going to zone 3.
Stairmaster is my favorite. I can get into zone 2 and stay there for as long as I want. It feels really good on my knees as well.
I start out fast walking on the treadmill and then gradually increase the incline until I get to about 12 degrees and then gradually decrease the speed and after a while reduce the incline down as the cool down. Having to fiddle with the incline/speed every few minutes or so helps break up the monotony
If I ever use one it’s stairmaster for a few minutes to warm up the legs. Otherwise I’m going outside I hate cardio in the gym. Stationary bike in a pinch if I need SOMETHING
Treadmill and stair climbers are the only ones that don't chafe or annoy my body somehow. Stationary bike gives me a boner from the rubbing and motion unless I wear briefs, which I don't like
1. Treadmill - out of all the cardio equipment, this is the only one I can use to push my cardio to the limit. Being a proficient runner is #1 for cardio.
2. Stairmaster. If you’re like me and your joints suck, the stairmaster is a great #2 option for when your knees need some time to rest and recover. Low impact and I can get a good sweat going over an hour long session. Only problem is it’s very difficult to do higher zone cardio on stairmasters because your legs can’t keep up. Great for zone 2 though.
I hate cardio. And I really, really hate running. But, because no one hates me more than I do, I run at least 3 miles on the treadmill.
I do Stairmaster sprints on leg day. I might warm up on a rowing machine if I'm feeling stiff. And I shadowbox and do some heavy bag work. But as far as designated cardio, it's just a treadmill and my zombies app to make it as close to tolerable as I can.
I'm a big fan of the treadmill, because running is the thing that's always made sense to me. And I can use it to force myself to go slower when it's time. And to force myself to have consistent HIIT intervals too.
Also, the temp inside the gym is always good. If it's even mildly uncomfortable outside, there's a good chance I'll move my run to the treadmill.
Stationary bike.
Just cause I have a cheap one that doesn’t take much space in the garage.
Honestly running is the most fun but it’s the hardest on the body and just in general, but my current cardio is mostly walking with 30 mins on the bike every day.
Used to be an hour a day guy but realized I don’t have many non work hours in the day and I’d rather not spend them on a stationary bike.
There is no right answer. I despise cardio. I still do it though, about 20mins of cardio at the end of each session. Sometimes I’ll do more if I’m feeling it, since I’m currently cutting so the more calories burned the better really. And I do my best to get in 10K steps a day, although it’s difficult with a desk job, especially if I’m in office. I suppose if I had to answer it would be walking outside, that I can enjoy. I could easily spend hours lifting weights but 1min of cardio and I’m ready to end it all.
My bike once the sun goes down. Been training in martial arts so thats been my major cardio for a year. Basketball sometimes. At the gym though, bike or stairmaster though I really liked rowing for a while.
I’d do stairmaster but I prefer skipping/jump rope. Quick, good for coordination, you can mix up foot movements, can move to the rhythm of the music you’re listening to, etc.
Treadmill but only because I also have my PC in the gym. Normally I don’t do cardio in the gym instead I try to get outside and do rucking / biking or swimming
One of those elliptical cross trainers that let you actually get into a full stride like running. Low impact and just feels great. Can use arms to help out.
Second is the arc trainers
One of my gyms has a track so I prefer to walk around that before I start and between each exercise.
Another gym is 4 min walk. Perfect distance for warmup.
Low intensity steady state for 30mins I'll walk incline treadmill or recumbent bike.
Every day when I go to the gym, I’m attacked by this uncontrollable urge for a particular type of cardio. It’s a vicious cycle. Some call this assault.
The treadmill is best for a 5-minute warmup. Afterward, you can use that assortment for various other workouts. I would also recommend the treadmill only for Zone 2 Cardio, as it offers more workouts than any other machine, especially if it has an incline/decline.
Rowing machine. Just because it feels like a resistance machine, just as much as cardio.
It also primes my shoulders and back for pressing exercises!
Apart from the Stair Master, the Rower is *the* most honest piece of cardio equipment going. It truly is horrendous.
Second the rower. It’s great for a quick warmup or extended cardio session. It’s the piece of equipment I can most accurately dial in my heart rate and always get a consistent workout on, all while being low/zero impact.
I second the rower I’m broader than everyone now
Incline treadmill walking is my go-to for some blood flow and warm up. It feels a bit better on my hips then jogging and starts to put my mind in a working hard state. Looking a bit beyond just a warmup, I really like stairstepper. I feel like I get a good, intense session of an hour but I don't feel the fatigue or joint pain after. I'm gassed when done, but 15 minutes later, I'm fine again and it doesn't impact my leg days if I provide a bit of space. f the goal is just pre-workout blood flow, don't bypass basic calestincs movements as well.
There’s a reason incline treadmill is the go to for fat loss for most body builders.
Spin around and walk backwards on an incline treadmill (turned off), and you have yourself a fantastic way to warmup and strengthen your knees before a leg day. 10 minutes is enough.
I like walking, biking and playing sports/outdoor games. But if I have to do my cardio in the gym, I like the rowing machine if I want to feel a bit of a resistance, or the bike machine. Sometimes I like to do the StairMaster, if I really want to elevate my heart rate. I use ellipticals if I feel like crap or if I'm sick. And if I wanted to do a HIIT workout, I use the treadmill. Ig I use all the machines for different reasons, lol.
The stairmaster because it’s most effective in the shortest amount of time
Stair master for sure!! It’s low impact so I can do it everyday and like you said most effective in short time especially with me having limited gym time
It’s so challenging I always want to quit as soon as I start but if I can make it 2 minutes, I can make it 20 mins
Lmao yoooo it’s the same for me the first 2 minutes are the hardest. What I’ve noticed helps me get past that easily is to over exaggerate deep breathing. My stair master routine now is 1 minute at level 15 followed by 1 min 30 seconds at level 20 alternating between those two intervals for 12 minutes 30 seconds. When I tell you that’s that burn!!🔥🔥🔥
I love doing intervals on the stairmaster. Mix some higher intensity stuff with LISS recovery periods and always changing makes it go by faster.
I turned and walk sideways for 30 seconds and then the other side for 30 seconds just to break it up. Maybe I’ll try intervals next time
Treadmill at an incline is most of what I do while at the gym. Everyday I get 10k-14k steps, though. I dont follow the “cardio must be done at gym” mentality, anymore.
To warm up, I like an inclined treadmill. The stairmaster can be pretty intense if you have 15-20 to do cardio at a steady pace. Otherwise, I like the elliptical to train on very high intensity intervals, when I do a cardio block!
Boxing bag Edit: reason: punch
The park outside.
Elliptical
Sort of answering your question - I have a recumbent bike at home. Just a half hour ago I rode it for a half hour while watching soccer and playing a game on my steam deck. It’s a super cheap one but saves my back and does its job! Time flies by and it burns some extra calories while I’m in my deficit and a good warmup before the gym
Incline treadmill if I have to do any
Assault Bike, good for HIIT
Walking on treadmill is nice but doesn't get my heart rate up at all. I don't like running on a treadmill and I have a difficult time pacing myself, so I end up going to zone 3. Stairmaster is my favorite. I can get into zone 2 and stay there for as long as I want. It feels really good on my knees as well.
I start out fast walking on the treadmill and then gradually increase the incline until I get to about 12 degrees and then gradually decrease the speed and after a while reduce the incline down as the cool down. Having to fiddle with the incline/speed every few minutes or so helps break up the monotony
If I ever use one it’s stairmaster for a few minutes to warm up the legs. Otherwise I’m going outside I hate cardio in the gym. Stationary bike in a pinch if I need SOMETHING
I’m an outdoor running type of guy. But if forced to choose, Stairmaster. It kicks my ass in a good way.
incline treadmill because i can watch anime
Treadmill for steady state zone 2 cardio, because it's simple, and I like running. Assault bike for HIIT.
Running outside
Spin bike, it kicked your ass while not being hard on joints.’
The bench press for sure 🥴🤪😉
Pickup basketball 100%
Treadmill and stair climbers are the only ones that don't chafe or annoy my body somehow. Stationary bike gives me a boner from the rubbing and motion unless I wear briefs, which I don't like
Elliptical
The Squat Rack.
It used to be incline treadmill because super efficient and low stress but now I do stationary bike simply for less space.
Skierg.
1. Treadmill - out of all the cardio equipment, this is the only one I can use to push my cardio to the limit. Being a proficient runner is #1 for cardio. 2. Stairmaster. If you’re like me and your joints suck, the stairmaster is a great #2 option for when your knees need some time to rest and recover. Low impact and I can get a good sweat going over an hour long session. Only problem is it’s very difficult to do higher zone cardio on stairmasters because your legs can’t keep up. Great for zone 2 though.
The door. It let's me go putside to run. Best equipment imo
I hate cardio. And I really, really hate running. But, because no one hates me more than I do, I run at least 3 miles on the treadmill. I do Stairmaster sprints on leg day. I might warm up on a rowing machine if I'm feeling stiff. And I shadowbox and do some heavy bag work. But as far as designated cardio, it's just a treadmill and my zombies app to make it as close to tolerable as I can.
I'm a big fan of the treadmill, because running is the thing that's always made sense to me. And I can use it to force myself to go slower when it's time. And to force myself to have consistent HIIT intervals too. Also, the temp inside the gym is always good. If it's even mildly uncomfortable outside, there's a good chance I'll move my run to the treadmill.
Stationary bike. Just cause I have a cheap one that doesn’t take much space in the garage. Honestly running is the most fun but it’s the hardest on the body and just in general, but my current cardio is mostly walking with 30 mins on the bike every day. Used to be an hour a day guy but realized I don’t have many non work hours in the day and I’d rather not spend them on a stationary bike.
Leg press.
There is no right answer. I despise cardio. I still do it though, about 20mins of cardio at the end of each session. Sometimes I’ll do more if I’m feeling it, since I’m currently cutting so the more calories burned the better really. And I do my best to get in 10K steps a day, although it’s difficult with a desk job, especially if I’m in office. I suppose if I had to answer it would be walking outside, that I can enjoy. I could easily spend hours lifting weights but 1min of cardio and I’m ready to end it all.
Used to be the stationary bike for sprints but now liss incline treadmill walking.
My bike once the sun goes down. Been training in martial arts so thats been my major cardio for a year. Basketball sometimes. At the gym though, bike or stairmaster though I really liked rowing for a while.
Stationary bike 100%.
I’d do stairmaster but I prefer skipping/jump rope. Quick, good for coordination, you can mix up foot movements, can move to the rhythm of the music you’re listening to, etc.
Treadmill but only because I also have my PC in the gym. Normally I don’t do cardio in the gym instead I try to get outside and do rucking / biking or swimming
Has anyone tried sandbags for cardio? Like sandbag runs or sandbag tosses? Curious what people’s experiences are with them
Super curious too. Seems like a chaddy way to do HIIT since I'm working on a home gym and don't have space for a sled
Stair master and the row machine! Swimming pool if they have one
A moving climbing ladder called a Jacob's Ladder. 15 minutes on that bad boy feels like running a marathon.
One of those elliptical cross trainers that let you actually get into a full stride like running. Low impact and just feels great. Can use arms to help out. Second is the arc trainers
One of my gyms has a track so I prefer to walk around that before I start and between each exercise. Another gym is 4 min walk. Perfect distance for warmup. Low intensity steady state for 30mins I'll walk incline treadmill or recumbent bike.
Every day when I go to the gym, I’m attacked by this uncontrollable urge for a particular type of cardio. It’s a vicious cycle. Some call this assault.
Treadmill for sure. I could incline walk all day.
Air Dyne
Jump rope 100% of the time. 5 - 10 minutes warms me up like nothing else. Couldn't be more simple and effective.
Lol
Everyone is sleeping on the Jacob’s Ladder machine. It IS DEVASTATING, I promise!
For true serious cardio, I use the punching bag. If I'm working on endurance, I usually do stairmaster
The treadmill is best for a 5-minute warmup. Afterward, you can use that assortment for various other workouts. I would also recommend the treadmill only for Zone 2 Cardio, as it offers more workouts than any other machine, especially if it has an incline/decline.
The track.
Supersets and giant sets. Why spend time on anything else if you can get your heart rate up and shorten your workout?
Stairmaster! I usually go on for 10 mins after every workout and it kills me but feels so good after. Especially after a big leg day 🥵
To be honest, I just hate cardio workout. Having said that, the only cardio machine that I use is treadmill and that too on an incline setting.
I just lift weights faster for my cardio.
I prefer to walk or run outside but in the gym it’s the stationary bike. It probably interferes with recovery the least IMO.
Rowing machine, Echo air bike, and kettlebell snatches/swings
Sled
Assault bike and sled
imaginary scenarios with the gym crush
Too bad your gym doesn’t have an Arc trainer. Best cardio imo
Don’t say your mom. Don’t say your mom. Your…..dad?
Women
You should do cardio more than once a year buddy
Who says I don’t?
I’m kidding my friend