Cardio Equipment training modes

Rattle

I have just joined a gym, and know little about all the equipment. I've done one session, it was quite busy and I didn't see any staff around to ask questions. The aerobic equipment has a few training modes. Most of them say to use a chest band when you select them, but I did not have one, and no one else around seemed to be using one. Is there any benefit in these training modes?

I will be going back when it is a bit quieter, so hopefully then there will be someone to show me the equipment and weights in particular.

EileenG

The chest bands are to track your heart rate. Most gym cardio machines also have a mechanism where it can track your heartrate from your hands. Look out for a couple of metal handles that are easy to grab while using the machine.

There is a thing called "The Fat burning Zone". The theory goes that by exercising slowly at low intensity, you'll burn more fat. It's a total myth. It doesn't work. Common sense should tell you it won't work.

Taking some fictitious figures out of the air, if you cycle very slowly, you could burn 300 calories an hour, of which 60% is fat (180 cals). But if you cycle hard, you could burn 800 calories an hour, of which 40% is fat (320 cals). At high intensity, you burn more calories overall, including more fat calories. Even more important, after exercising at high intensity, you continue to burn calories when when you stop.

So when you do your cardio, work hard at it.

Rattle

EileenG wrote: »

There is a thing called "The Fat burning Zone". The theory goes that by exercising slowly at low intensity, you'll burn more fat. It's a total myth. It doesn't work. Common sense should tell you it won't work.

Thanks. I had heard it is better to try and keep a moderate heart rate but I find I don't enjoy the run until mine is way higher than what is suggested. Guess that is just a sign of low general fitness and might get better over time.

EileenG

What is the point of a moderate heart rate? Using that logic, you should only ever lift light weights. There are times when light weights are appropiate, but mostly you lift hard and try to increase the weight you can lift. Same with cardio. Sometimes you can take it easy, but you'll get the best effect if you try to push your limits, whether they are speed, duration, intensity or heart rate.

I get a real kick out of trying to get my heart rate as high as possible. I can't keep it up for long, but every time I get it really high (usually cycling up a hill in a headwind), I feel fitter for several days afterwards.

rubadub

EileenG wrote: »

There is a thing called "The Fat burning Zone". The theory goes that by exercising slowly at low intensity, you'll burn more fat. It's a total myth. It doesn't work. Common sense should tell you it won't work.

Not a total myth, very often misunderstood though, as you explained perfectly. People pick it up wrong. I find it interesting, but not worth bothering with in practise.

The only time I could see it being useful is for people travelling a fixed distance, e.g. cycling to work and not worrying about the time factor at all, and so going at whatever speed/heartrate means they most burn most fat. But most do exercise for a fixed time, I simply switch to a slower bike or take a longer route if I want to burn more calories on the way to work.

This is the exact opposite of somebody finding out at what speed & revs that their car is most efficient at, in this case to conserve fuel on a long journey, regardless of how long it takes.

j@utis

According to my HR monitor if I want to keep myself in 'fat burning zone' my HR should be below 130bpm. This equals to myself on the treadmill set to 4% incline and speed of massive 5.4km/h I feel like doing next to nothing, almost like laying on the couch & watchin telly.
Also HR monitors says that 15%-17% calories I burn come from fat on my cadio days comparing to 28%-34% on weight lifting days. I don't know to believe this or not :rolleyes:

EileenG

Ignore the whole calories from fat thing. What matters is the total calories burned, and in particular, if you have burned them in a way that will keep you burning after you stop exercising.

Rubadub, the only way I can see that being relevant is if you are a competitive bodybuilder who has the time to walk for three hours on a treadmill in order to burn the most fat without risking muscle loss. For us average types, who have plenty of fat to spare, faster is better.