Nowadays, we are all so busy working, taking care of the kids, and preparing meals that there is very little time to think of fitness and do the odd workout to shed that excess weight which seems to be creeping ever slowly upward. By using a cardio machine, however, you can get all your work done and still find time for regular workouts. But the big question is: “What are the best indoor cardio machines for weight loss?”

Of course, it is very difficult to say which cardio equipment is best. It is also hard to pinpoint the particular exercise that is best for weight loss, especially are there is so much equipment out there used for weight loss such as the bike (or recumbent bike), the rowing machine, the stair climber, and so on—all of which offer a really good cardio workout. Read on to see which we think are standout indoor cardio machines.

Exercise and Weight Loss

Before we get into the best machines, however, we should talk a little about the best ways of going about weight loss. Exercise plays a prominent role in weight loss, especially when you combine it with a healthy, balanced and calorie-controlled diet. Even the simplest of exercise helps with weight loss in different ways. First and foremost, calories are burned through exercise, although not quite as many as people are led to believe. Overestimating the number of calories burned during exercise is all too easy. Exercising by yourself purely for weight loss without controlling the calories—especially if you like snacking all day—will most likely end up not showing any positive results and you will give up and throw yourself back on the sofa in a huff, resigned to the fact that you just can’t shift those stubborn extra few pounds. However, with a little planning and care regarding the food you eat, combined with regular exercise you most certainly can achieve your goals.

Next, strength training workout exercises can help boost your metabolism and speed up the number of calories you burn. How? I hear you ask. As your muscle mass increases through strength training, your body will need more calories to fuel the muscle that was recently developed or increased. It is of paramount importance not to judge too highly the metabolic effects of new muscle mass. Gaining muscle strength is not a good reason for you to eat more. If you fail to do this, you increase the chances of not losing weight. Again, as already mentioned, combining a healthy, balanced diet and watching your calorie intake along with regular exercise is the way to go.

The Best Workout/Exercise Equipment for Weight Loss

In all honesty, you can turn any workout exercise equipment into the best equipment for weight loss. This is because the calorie burn depends on how you use the exercise equipment (interval training, low-intensity training and so on). This simply means that there is no “best” indoor equipment as such for losing weight. In general, whether you prefer the stair climber or a rowing machine, the workout equipment that will burn more calories are those that will bring more muscle groups (the core, the legs, the arms, or the back) into the action. On that note, a rowing machine or elliptical trainer is likely to be more effective than a standard treadmill or standard bike. However, this is not always so. While exercising, more major muscle groups will burn calories during exercise, as does the level of intensity at which you carry out the workout exercise. For instance, the number of calories you will burn while running on a treadmill will be more than the calories you will burn walking on a treadmill. Also, when you add resistance to your workout using any gym equipment like the rowing machine, it can increase your intensity. This is to show that you can even burn more calories during an intense treadmill workout than a sluggish elliptical workout where there is little intensity.

Workout Equipment Evaluation

There are many factors to consider when evaluating workout equipment for its weight loss potential. Some of the factors include:

How many major muscle groups are involved when using workout equipment?

If the equipment maximizes the use of many muscle groups, it will burn more calories. This is where the rowing machine has the upper hand. Rowing machines include the water rower, the air rower, the magnetic rower, and the piston rower and generally work on the entire body and major muscle groups. Other exercise equipment that works in major muscle groups are the Nordic Track and elliptical trainers.

Does the workout equipment permit different intensities and speeds? 

When a workout machine allows different resistance, intensity and speed settings, the number of calories burned will be high. Various rowing machines have these features. Water and air rowers allow the user to create resistance. Rowing machines also increase and strengthen muscle groups. Therefore, to specifically say which of the rowing machines is the best indoor cardio machine for weight loss is incredibly difficult to pinpoint. As already stated, it depends on how you use either of them.

Is the workout machine something you will love to use to lose weight? Is it a low-impact machine that won’t add stress to your joints, such as your knees? There are many machines used for weight loss as mentioned above; however, everyone has different tastes and objectives and some prefer a water rower to an air rower or a magnetic rower to a piston rower. This calls for buying the type of rowing machine that will be appealing for you to use. While a rowing machine is less risky for weight loss, when compared to other exercise equipment, the different types of rowers have different characteristics. While some are noisy, others are not. Therefore, finding the one that will suit you personally, is a good way to decide if it is the best indoor cardio machine for weight loss or not. If in doubt, try before you buy!

Workout Machine Recommendations

While you can turn any workout machines into weight loss machines, there are few options you can use for weight loss aside from the popular rowing machine. They are:

• Elliptical trainers
• Bowflex machines
• The Nordic Track

Once again, don’t just rely on the aforementioned exercise equipment and rowing machines for weight loss—always combine the exercise you do with a healthy diet. Exercising with any of the rowing machines or the other exercise equipment without eating good food is an exercise in futility.

Rowing Machines

Rowing machines are a great addition to a gym. One of the advantages is that you can use it at home and in comfort. There’s no need to put on your best workout gear and have to travel to the gym. Just sing on a pair of sweatpants and you are good to go. Some of them are wooden in design and, as such, can even be used as furniture. The rowing machine can help you to lose weight more than most other exercise equipment with less risk. You can even buy affordable rowing machines from almost anywhere. A rowing machine is a combination machine as it combines cardiovascular elements with building resistance. Through the use of a rowing machine, there is an increase in the heart rate. A rowing machine works on major muscle groups such as the core, the back, the shoulders, the arms, the legs, and the glutes. It is low-impact but will still get your heart pumping.

Rowing Machine Workouts

The rowing machine will assist you in burning calories at a very high rate during your workout. Even when you are done, calories continue to burn. This is as a result of the additional resistance from the flywheel that your muscles will take some time to get used to. Through this, there is muscle activation increment. The set-up of a rower permits you really build up some sweat with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts. HIIT involves intense workouts followed by less intense workouts. You stand a chance to burn more calories through this type of high-intensity interval training. The good news is that all types of rowing machine support it.

Types of Rowing Machines

Rowing Machines with Pistons

The piston rowing machine is the easiest machine and the least expensive among other rowing machines currently on the market. It uses hydraulic pistons as resistance. These pistons are attached to the rowing machine arms or handle. This makes the motion of the rowing machine fairly quiet and slightly choppy. Piston-based rowing machine has many variations available for purchase.

Magnetic Rowing Machines

This type of rowing machine is silent. Unlike the piston rowing machine that uses hydraulic pistons as resistance, this rowing machine uses electromagnets to control the resistance on the machine wheel at the rower’s front. Through this, athletes, crossfitters, and other users can tailor their workouts. Another key difference between this type of rowing machine and the piston-based rowing machine is its size. Magnetic rowers are larger and bulkier. Just like the piston rowing machine, magnetic rowers also have a number of different models.

Air Rowing Machine

The air resistance rowing machine is one of the commonest rowing machines on the market for fitness and cardiovascular exercise.It is mostly used by experienced athletes and other professionals during the offseason. The resistance of a rowing machine becomes harder when it is rowed faster. However, air rowers are very noisy. It makes use of a fan and not water as the water rower. People who love rowing and watching movies or playing music at the same time do not love this rower so much because of the noise it creates. Air rowing machine has different models.

Water Rowing Machine 

Similar to the air rowing machine, the water rowing machine’s resistance increases when you pull it faster. You can customize your workout exercise in a water rowing machine when you add or remove water from the reservoir. A water resistance rowing machine is not as noisy as you row. You can use it to lose weight even while you are watching your favorite movie.

Rowing vs. Sports

A rowing machine is a piece of wonderful training equipment for athletes, crossfitters, and more. It does not matter the sport you are into; a rowing machine will give your whole body a good workout. Rowing machines are excellent for burning calories. A dancer who weighs 125 pounds can burn up to 180 calories in one active 30-minute dance session. However, this is low compared to the number of calories you may not lose if you are injured. Dancing has a negative effect on joints leaving them prone to injury, whereas using a rowing machine is far less risky—and you can use them at any age. You can use any types of the rowing machine at your own pace.

Start Rowing

No matter which type of rowing machine you end up buying or using for weight loss, you are guaranteed to enjoy great cardio, resistance, and strength training exercise workout in one. So, to answer the question of which is the best indoor cardio machine for weight loss…the answer is all rowing machines are great for fat loss. Happy rowing and start to see those calories burned in no time!