Cardio training

Why should I train my endurance?

Endurance training gets your heart pumping and reduces stress. You can train your endurance in a number of ways. The most popular cardio sports are: Running, cycling and rowing.

That's why you should train your endurance:

• You increase your performance.
• It boosts your fat metabolism.
• It strengthens your immune system.
• It calms you down, reduces stress and has a relaxing effect.

How does endurance training work?

Your goal should be to perform your workout at a steady pace over a period of time. How long that is depends on your fitness level. To start, it's a good idea to do two to three cardio workouts a week for about 30 minutes each. In this way you can set moderate stimuli at regular intervals and your body can always recover in between. It is important not to train at too high an intensity and speed. If you train too fast, you overstrain your body. A leisurely pace is therefore just right.

How does endurance training help me lose weight?

• It strengthens your muscles
• Tones your tissues
• Increases your calorie consumption

Your fat burning is boosted and your "good" HDL cholesterol is increased. At the same time, it lowers your "bad" LDL cholesterol. The "good" cholesterol increases in the long term and thus protects your blood vessels. You can find more information about this in our Fitness Knowledge article: Positive effects of cardio exercise.

Which cardio machines at home are particularly suitable for losing weight?

You can burn a particularly high number of calories on a cardio machine, with which you can complete high-intensity training programmes or interval training as soon as you are fit enough to do so. This is particularly effective on a Treadmill , Speedbike or Crosstrainer .

How does exercise boost my immune system?

Cardio exercise benefits your body in many ways:

• It increases blood flow to your muscles
• It improves your oxygen and nutrient supply
• It makes your lungs work more effectively

New blood vessels and cells are formed, which not only counteract viruses and bacteria, but also improve your oxygen and nutrient supply. In this way, your immune system is permanently strengthened through cardio training.

Why does endurance training make you happy?

During exercise, happiness hormones such as endorphin and serotonin are released. Stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, on the other hand, are inhibited.

Exercise also has a balancing and calming effect on your nervous system because it stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. It is responsible for your overall recovery. Thus, cardio training calms your psyche, reduces stress and has a relaxing effect.

Can I train my endurance in old age?

Regular exercise is particularly important in old age. Training stimuli trigger adaptations in the organism and can counteract signs of ageing. The fact that sport can be fun in old age is regularly demonstrated by participants in the American Senior Olympics. In 2011, 15,000 athletes (minimum age: 50 years) took part. The oldest participant was 101 years old and set a new world record in his age group in the hammer throw with 11.32 metres.

Why is it so important to check your pulse?

Your pulse (heart rate) shows how many times a minute your heart beats and changes depending on the load on your body. Therefore, you should always keep an eye on your pulse during exercise. This way you can adjust the load exactly to your body and to your goal. If you train your endurance regularly, you will often have a lower resting heart rate. How high your heart rate should be during training depends on the individual.

You can determine your maximum heart rate using the formula HFmax= 208 - 0.7 * age. To make it easier for you to measure your pulse, our fitness equipment has various methods of pulse measurement (ear clip, hand pulse sensors or telemetric recording via a chest strap).

What is the best way to train your endurance?

There are several methods you can use to train your endurance:

With the continuous method, you train without interruption for at least 45 minutes or longer. This method is suitable for everyone as you can choose the intensity of your training. It helps you to improve your blood circulation and strengthens your cardiovascular system.

With the interval method, you alternate the individual exercise phases with small breaks. During the breaks you wait until your heart rate has dropped below 120 bpm. Ideally, you should do 9-12 workouts over a period of 40-45 minutes. Interval training improves your strength endurance, speed endurance and maximum oxygen uptake capacity. It is well suited to beginners  and many endurance machines come with interval training programmes pre-installed.

The repetition method is ideal for advanced exercisers and involves short, high-intensity bursts followed by full recovery periods. Here you should pause until your heart rate has dropped below 100 bpm. This method is ideal for preparing for competitions.

How can I get even more out of my training?

We present two effective training tips that you can use to make your cardio training even more efficient:

Many professional athletes are convinced that training on an empty stomach is particularly effective, especially in the morning after waking up. Since your blood sugar level is low after waking up and you haven't eaten breakfast yet, the glucose stores of the muscles are used up relatively quickly. The energy requirement must therefore be covered from another source - the fat reserves. Fasting training is therefore an effective form of endurance training that can improve fat metabolism and boost fat loss. However, it is important not to do a too intensive and long session. In the beginning, about 20-30 minutes is quite sufficient.

Caffeine has an excellent lipolytic effect. This means that the free fatty acids that need to be broken down are released in greater quantities. Caffeine only provides the free fatty acids for energy production.

In the Fitness Knowledge article 7 facts about endurance training you will learn everything you absolutely need to know about endurance training.

Which machines are suitable for endurance training?

The best cardio devices to use at home are Ergometer , Exercise bike , Crosstrainer , Treadmills or Rowing machines for cardio training. Which machine is right for you depends on your fitness level and individual preferences. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable with your machine and that you have fun while exercising.

Ergometers are particularly suitable for cardio beginners as they are individually adjustable and easy on the joints. They are easy to use and the motion sequence is similar to that of a typical bicycle (cycle ergometer). They are very effective and are in no way inferior to other machines in terms of calorie consumption.

The Crosstrainer is one of the most popular pieces of endurance equipment for the home, because you can really work up a sweat. The flowing movement is easy on the joints and back. Depending on the resistance, you can burn up to 600 calories per hour on the cross trainer.

Did you know that you can also run backwards on a cross trainer? The so-called "reverse cross" works other muscle groups and thus adds variety to your workout.

In this category you will find classic cross trainers and elliptical trainers as well as so-called air-walkers and steppers. Basically, cross trainers are popular as a cheaper entry-level option, whereas elliptical trainers offer a workout that is even gentler on the joints. Here, the flywheel mass is at the front and the stride is even longer and flatter.

With a Treadmill you can train up to five muscle groups simultaneously. The particularly good damping of our treadmills reduces the impact on your tendons, ligaments and joints. Another advantage is the adjustable incline function, which makes your cardio training even more intensive and effective. Train in any weather and in all seasons and start your cardio training at home. Discover the different treadmills for different fitness goals and get advice so that you can find your individually suitable Buy a treadmill .

Both treadmills and cross trainers are excellent home cardio machines. The crosstrainer is easier on the joints. When exercising on the cross trainer, the feet always remain firmly on the tread plates, whereas the joints are subjected to more stress during treadmill exercise due to the jerking motion when the feet hit the floor. If you already have knee problems, we therefore tend to recommend a cross trainer as the machine of choice for endurance training at home. But don't worry if your heart beats more for running - our treadmills are equipped with an orthobelt running surface and excellent cushioning system, so you can almost run on clouds here.

Rowing is one of the healthiest sports and trains all the main muscle groups in the body. The movements are gentle and work the muscles in a complex way. This is why training with the rowing machine is also particularly efficient.

You are not sure which fitness machine suits you best to train your endurance effectively? You would like to buy accessories for your new fitness equipment? Our team of experts will be happy to advise you in detail on our service telephone.

Give us a call: HAMMER expert phone: +49 731 974 88-518 (Mo - Sa 9am - 7pm). We will also be happy to call you back.

Would you like to test your new fitness equipment before you buy it and get advice on the spot? Then we look forward to your visit to one of our HAMMER stores near you.