Cardio... Do you switch machines?

[SunlovinCO]

For those of you doing an hour or more of cardio, do you switch machines During the Session?

For Example, if you are doing 60 mins of AM Cardio, would you switch between the elliptical and the treadmill halfway or do you just stick to the same machine the entire session.

I see people switch machines constantly and the other day I overheard a trainer telling his client that is the worst thing you can do.... Just curious what you gals think.....

[bree marsh]

switching machines is the worst thing you can do????? yea, that's horrible!:nuts: get a life people! please don't take that seriously! i do not do an hour of cardio, but believe me....that is not a bad thing! damn!:banghead:

[teri]

ahahhaha i think not...if i CAN GET my clients to do cardio then they can do whatever makes them happy as long as they do it.....I myself hate it and switch on different days...tread-one day,bike the next etc....but not during a session-if im on it I STAY THERE..HAHA:nuts:

[Erik]

I'm sure perhaps some of the high volume cardio proponents simply switch due to boredom perhaps?

I suppose one argument that could be made for switching it up is the fact that the more you do one activity the more efficient you get at it. So the muscles, etc., learn how to get the same work done, but more efficiently.

It's kind of like why some people can run on a treadmill and not have too much trouble but then they take it to the stationary bike and get their asses kicked. LOL

And there's research to support the idea that doing exercise on equipment that isn't your habitual equipment results in a greater hormonal (catacholamines) response. Then again, using your habitual form of cardio will generally let you burn more calories since you can get more work done at the same heart rate.

So in the end, does it really even matter? LOL Probably not. Just getting it done first and foremost is what's most important.

[Badgergrl]

I'm a switcher!
When I have to do an hour of cardio, I get bored out of my mind from the monotony. Sometimes I'll break it up by doing a half hour on the step mill and a half hour on the treadmill.

[teri]

EXACTLY.........:cool:

[Badgergrl]

EXACTLY.........:cool:

Hi Teri! :waving:

[MsGuns]

Im a switcher...
Plus at 24 they have machines Ive never seen or used b4....

[want2blean]

I have to switch otherwise I would go insane. :D It seems to go by faster and I am more motivated knowing I am not stuck on one machine for the whole time.

[frannyfran]

I switch just to break it up. Not all the time though it just depends on my mood. Someday I can be on the stairmill the entire time and it goes by quick and others it draggggggsssss on and the same can be said for switching it up too.

God I hope that's not the worst thing you can do or else I'm F&%#ed!!!

[jenscats5]

I can't imagine why switching would be a bad thing......I sometimes switch due to the boredom factor.....

[teri]

hey maryann-how ya doing????getting ready??? as said b4-it takes alot for me to get on a 'cardio' machine-so i get in the ZONE and stay there..got my do-rag on(yes i wear them-long story)ipod in -and EVERYONE stays away from me..hahhaa get r done....:cool:

[SBT]

I stay put each session but do change machines day to day! Right now been going outside though with the beautiful weather!!

[SunlovinCO]

Great responses!
I do cardio twice a day and I switch machines during my morning but I don't switch during my afternoon session... I really haven't noticed a difference in anything but my attitude.

When I heard him telling her that I wanted to ask him what his reasoning is but he is the type of trainer that thinks he knows everything and I just didn't have the energy to engage him in conversation....

[Rainy]

I am a switcher too and that is purely out of boredom. 60 mins on the stepper/tread/elliptical sounds like being a POW but splitting it up 20/20/20 makes it so much easier :tr:. Whatever it takes to get it done IMO.

[Cindy M]

I also switch. Its good for your mind and your body. I try to do at least 20 min on the machine before I switch.

[ripitupbaby]

IMO, cardio is cardio and just needs to get done. Focusing on the heart rate and the use (or not) of the leg muscles is most important, not the particular machine. Whatever floats your boat as long as you get it done!!

[IslandGirl]

For me personally, I don't typically switch to different cardio equipments. When I use to do cardio at the gym, I use to do it on the step mil. If that was taken (we only have 3) then that is when I would use a different equipment. Here at home, I only have a stairmaster so I've been using that for the last couple of weeks.

Like Lori mentioned, the most important thing is that you get your heartrate to where it needs to be.

[ParadiseCup]

Like Lori mentioned, the most important thing is that you get your heartrate to where it needs to be.i know of a few other ways that get your heart rate where it needs to be and you do that well !! :kiss:

[IslandGirl]

i know of a few other ways that get your heart rate where it needs to be and you do that well !! :kiss:

:p

[Miss Silly]

Whatever it takes to getter'done. I'm a switcher cause mentally i think i would go crazy otherwise.

[Suzanne]

I do what J tells me for cardio
whether it is all stepmill, part stepmill part treadmill, cardio plyo torture..

Not that i agree with much of anything they had to say but here is the reason given at 24 Fitness personal trainer training for not switching machines:
you body adapts to what it is doing so if you are mixing up machines you are adapting to all at once so you can't us change of machine as a new stimulus you would have to either add time or intensity

But i HATE the bike hurts my butt and knees, hate the new precor ellipticals again really hurts knees they changed it from the efx 546 and the angle of my feet feel really weird and no where to put water (half gal jug)

No cardio goes by fast regardless of same machine or switching machines cardio just sucks! :banghead:

[BLZ77]

I switch machines, but I also split cardio if I have more than an hour a day to do ( close to shows)..If I have 90 min total, I do 45 a.m. and 45 p.m...My feet would fall asleep if I did the elliptical that long LOL!

[dvsness]

Generally I don't, but I did yesterday because I was uncomfortable with the machine. Sometimes I do if I'm bored. It's really unimportant, just don't bs and waste time when you switch.