Anchor Intro
First of all,congratulate yourself on making the
committment to join a club and get in shape. But are you getting
the shape you want, and without injury?
Last week Bonnie Kaye showed you tips on using the
stairclimber properly. This week Bonnie takes you Inside Fitness
for safety tips on two other popular pieces of cardio equipment.
cgs
Bonnie Kaye (on set intro)
Debbie Griffith/Personal Trainer
BK on set Intro:
Cardio equipment is oftentimes misused, leading to injuries, and poor results.
bkstand up
"Getting to the club to use the cardio equipment is half the battle. The rest involves using the equipment properly so don't injure yourself and you get better results."
bk track 1
Debbie Griffith is a trainer and wellness director, and sees well meaning exercisers hurting themselves unnecessarily while inhibiting their progress.
Today we'll just focus on the misuse of treadmills and stationary bicycles.
sot Debbie Griffith/Personal Trainer, Denver Athletic Club
"People increase the elevation to a really high level. They hold on tight so it takes the pressure off the big muscle groups."
bk track 2
Or they lean on the side rails for support, not getting an effective lowerbody workout.
Lower the elevation and only go as fast as you can comfortably go without using your arms for support
. bk & Debbie Griffith
bk: "So where do people go wrong on the bikes. Debbie: Usually I see people have their seats too low, and if you see that puts alot of bend on my knee, that puts alot of pressure on the knee cap."
bk track 3
And pressure on the lower back.
Adjust your seat so your knee is slightly bent, when your leg is fully extended, and so you feel comfortable. Another misuse of the cardio equipment is overuse.
bkstand up
"For instance, if you're a person who just loves to use the stairclimber and nothing else, you may be getting some results you hadn't bargained for."
bk track 4
Some women complain they have, what they call, "stairclimber buns", a building up of the gluteus maximus area. There's a logical explanation of this, as the stairclimber is:
sot Debbie Griffith/Personal Trainer, Denver Athletic Club
"Real intense on the thighs and the gluteal muscles. And it gives you an imbalance of quadricep to hamstring work."
bk track 5
The solution? Cross training, alternating between different types of cardio equipment so you're using different muscle groups.
TAG
Bonnie suggests talking to a qualified trainer about how to change your program if you're not getting the desired results, as you may be using the wrong types of equipment for your bodytype, and your particular goals. And as always, consult your physician before beginning any type of exercise program.