Which Exercise Machine Gives You The Best Workout in the Shortest Time?

With Summer around the corner, some of us are looking at getting our health back on track! And what better way to get the heart rate pumping than a cardio machine. But which exercise machine delivers the most to your body you ask, we’ll break down the pros and cons of the most popular cardio machines found in gyms and homes.

EXERCISE BIKE

One of the most popular cardio items is an exercise bike and there are many benefits to this piece of equipment.

Pros

• Small footprint, so great for moving around and not invading your home
• Suitable for all fitness levels
• Seat and handle adjustability for different heights of users
• Low impact workout so great for joints
• Adjustable resistance to increase your workout intensity
• Great for recovery and rehabilitation after an injury
• Some machines come with a range of pre-set programs to assist you in creating variations to suit your workout goals like the Horizon Paros Pro Upright Bike

Cons

• Exercise bikes provide a limited range of muscle workout due to only using your legs
• You have to be consciously aware of abdominal muscle activation to engage your core 
• For some, using an exercise bike can be quite boring
• Exercise bikes can cause discomfort on your neck and back if you posture is not right, or you already have concerns in those areas

With its low impact style workout and ability to take up little space, an exercise bike is a favourite amongst many households and with its great price point you don’t have to break the budget to start your workout from home.

ASSAULT AIR BIKE

The Assault bike takes the typical stationary exercise bike to a whole other level. Instead of just giving you a lower-body workout, with the assault bike that comes with long handles, you can include upper body movements in there, so you get an all-round session that’ll work your entire body.

This bike uses a fan to function. When you pedal, it creates wind that acts as resistance. The harder you pedal, well, the more wind resistance is generated and the harder it will be, hence you’re in for one sweat-inducing, heart-pumping HIIT workout. There is no limit to the assault bike.

Pros

• Suitable for all fitness levels
• Full body workout
• Low impact on joints
• Perfect for HIIT training
• Safer option than outdoor cycling
• The fan provides a great air flow on your face
• Seat adjustability for different heights of users
• Engages your core muscles giving you great ab activation

Cons

• The handles are not adjustable, and they cannot be locked into one position
• Given its fan function, it can be noisy
• There are no set levels of resistance for you to set as you create your own resistance based on output
• Similarly, to the above, there are no pre-set programs that the machine has inbuilt for you to work with

The Assault Air Bike has quickly taken storm in the cardio world since its introduction and it is easy to see why with its ability to provide you with a full body workout, you will learn very quickly that this machine is what we like to call “the devil in cardio”, but you will never regret the time you spend on one. Discover the range of Air Bikes here.

TREADMILL

We are all familiar with the iconic treadmill, whether you’ve used one in the past or have seen one, for most when we think cardio, we think of a treadmill.

Pros

• The treadmill is a relatively easy exercise machine to use
• Foldable design so it can take up less space when not in use
• Suitable for all fitness levels
• The treadmill has a predictable surface that is much easier to negotiate than sidewalks, curbs or trails and the risk of tripping is reduced
• Running on a treadmill generally burns calories faster than most other forms of in-home exercise, such as biking
• All aspects of the workout can be controlled by the user: speed, incline, warm up period, cool down period, and energy spend
• A range of pre-set programs to assist you in creating variations to suit your workout goals

Cons

• The cushioned surface of the treadmill may still inflict too much of a jarring impact on the back or stress the hip, knee, and ankle joints.
• Treadmills provide a limited kind of exercise - walking to running
• Due to the limited kind of exercise, you don’t work as many muscles in your workout
• For some, using a treadmill can be quite boring
• Larger footprint when in use, so you would require the extra space to be able to use the machine

Similarly, to the Assault bike, the treadmill is great for those who want to go for a run without having to battle outdoor elements. It’s an easy way to get your heart rate pumping in the comfort of your gym or home. You can adjust the treadmill incline to your ability to make it harder or easier for you. A great treadmill that offers incline and a range of pre-set programs to really challenge your workout is the Horizon T101 Treadmill.

ELLIPTICAL

Elliptical machines provide a cardiovascular workout, but the low-impact exercise you obtain does not provide an effective way to gain muscle strength.

Pros

• Increased levels of calories burnt
• Ellipticals are relatively easy to use and give you the option to eliminate a workout on your arms by holding centre fixed bars
• Full body workout
• Ability to have a HIIT workout
• Low impact workout so great for joints
• A range of pre-set programs to assist you in creating variations to suit your workout goals
• Adjustable resistance to make your workout more challenging

Cons

• Not necessarily suited to all heights due to the fixed stride length
• Large footprint so do take up space. However, you can find foldable designs now like the Horizon Andes 3 Elliptical
• Unlike treadmills, ellipticals have no incline functionality so targeting your glutes is far more difficult

The elliptical machine allows you to get a good aerobic workout, which can strengthen your heart, lungs, and muscles. This, in turn, can help build your stamina and endurance.

With an elliptical, you can perform both a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout as well as steady-state cardio workouts.

Picking a piece of cardio equipment for yourself can be challenging when trying to figure out which is the best for you. Really, any piece of cardio equipment that gets you up and moving is a wonderful addition to your lifestyle and whilst each piece has its own pros and cons, there is one that will suit you and your goals more and hopefully the above helps you identify which one is the right fit for you.