Treadmill, transport, bike or stair simulator: which device is better to reach your goal –

Christian Relative (/)

You probably know that if the goal is to lose weight and strengthen your heart, equipment such as a stair simulator, treadmill, transport and bike – which are usually located in the cardiorespiratory training section of the gym – are the most recommended. What you may not know is that there is indeed a difference between them even when it comes to common goals. For example: if you’re about to hit the gym or are very overweight, it’s better to do transport than to opt for the stair simulator or running on the treadmill. Ronaldo Freitas, a teacher at Les Cinq Gym (SP) analyzes each of these devices, explaining what they are best about:

stair simulator

Muscles activated: quadriceps (front of legs) and glutes
Calories spent: varies between 350 and 500 per hour. In terms of caloric expenditure, it is equivalent to walking (climbing three flights of stairs is the same as walking 10 minutes).
User profile: who wants to strengthen legs and butt and is used to practicing aerobic activities. It is not an exercise indicated for those who are overweight. “For those who are overweight, the ascent is relatively easy, but on the descent, the spine and knees are overloaded”, says Ronaldo

Belt

Muscles activated: it affects a larger number of muscle groups compared to the stair simulator: legs as a whole and core (muscles that support the spine and hips).
Calories spent: varies between 300 and 750 in an hour of running.
User profile: who wants to improve cardiorespiratory conditioning through running and eliminate a few more kilos, but is not overweight. After all, there is a great impact on hips, knees and ankles. For this reason, it is also not recommended for anyone suffering from any chronic or acute injury in these regions.

Transport

Muscles activated: the same as the treadmill.
Calories spent: up to 500 in an hour.
User profile: who has just arrived at the gym and is not used to exercising, who is overweight (needs to lose a lot of kilos) or is coming back from a knee injury. “Although the movement is similar to that of running, the impact on the joints is reduced, making this device safer”, says Ronaldo.

stationary bike

Muscles activated: quadriceps, hamstrings (back of legs) and gastrocnemius (calf)
Calories spent: between 300 and 550. “Scientific works show that the caloric expenditure on this device can be up to 40% lower than that of running on the treadmill. This means that if the objective is to lose weight quickly, this is not the best exercise”, says Ronaldo.
User profile: who has just arrived at the gym and is not used to exercising or is overweight. If you fit this profile and don’t enjoy transport, the bike will be your best companion.