When most people think of strength training, they envision lifting heavy weights or performing bodyweight exercises, such as squats and push-ups. However, cardio workouts—especially those using machines like treadmills, ellipticals, and exercise bikes—can also play a key role in building strength, particularly when done with intention and proper technique.
Support your strength training with cardio workouts. Here’s how using treadmills, ellipticals, and exercise bikes can give your workout routine a boost.
Work Major Muscle Groups
Treadmills, ellipticals, and exercise bikes primarily serve cardiovascular fitness goals, but they engage major muscle groups that contribute to overall muscular endurance and tone. For example, walking or running on a treadmill activates the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. When you increase the incline or use interval training, you’re essentially mimicking hill sprints or stair climbing, activities that challenge and strengthen the lower body.
Low-Impact Workouts
Similarly, ellipticals provide a low-impact full-body workout. Many models feature movable handlebars, allowing users to engage their upper body—particularly the shoulders, chest, and arms—while the pedals target the legs and core. Increasing resistance on an elliptical simulates pushing against a greater force, which promotes muscle activation and endurance, much like lifting lighter weights for higher reps.
Improve Muscular Endurance
Additionally, cardio machines improve muscular endurance, which complements traditional strength training. Stronger muscles with greater endurance can perform more reps, recover faster, and resist fatigue during weight training sessions. Exercise bikes are great for building endurance, especially in your lower body. Building endurance and promoting recovery helps prevent injury and allows you to progress faster in your strength training.
Tips for Maximizing Cardio Workouts
To maximize the strength benefits from cardio machines, vary your workouts. Use the incline and speed features on a treadmill to simulate resistance training, or adjust the resistance and pace on an elliptical to challenge your muscles. Consider incorporating high-intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions, where short bursts of intense cardio alternate with recovery periods, to further engage and build muscle. Many cardio machines have HIIT settings so you can easily add these sessions to your workout routine.
Support Strength Training with Treadmills, Ellipticals, and Exercise Bikes
Using cardio machines supports strength training by improving endurance, working major muscle groups, and providing low-impact full-body workouts. If you’re building your home gym or adding to your existing setup, we have everything you need at Fitness Equipment Maine.
