Combining several cardio machines into an exercising routine?

[oldcarnutfred]

I have recently purchased a gym membership and for the first two weeks I have only been walking on a treadmill every other day and nothing else (literally just low impact walking with 3.0 incline for ~30-45 mins). I feel like I am ready to up the intensity but I don’t want to run. I also want to start using other cardio machines, especially rowing and elliptical, because they provide a more all-body-workout experience and I wanna use them to help with my overall strength a little before I move onto machines next (rn I still feel too weak/unprepared and intimidated).

What would be the best way to combine several cardio machines into a workout? I can only do 5 minutes of elliptical on lowest setting before I need to stop and I haven’t tried the rowing machine yet.

Any insight is appreciated.

 

[dinafrancis]

@oldcarnutfred Doing cardio isn't gonna build enough strength to matter. If you want to start building strength, go pick up some weights. Machines are intimidating, start on the lowest weight if necessary. But they are literally designed to go one way. Most of the time, the machine will even have a start and end position picture. If your gym is set up where you can watch the weights area from the treadmill, just watch people use them. They're simple!

Same goes for free weights. If you gotta start with the tiny 1-2lb weights, well you start there. The movements are the same. You wan watch other people as well, but I would encourage you to look up exercises on YouTube first.

It's way easier than you think to start lifting.

 

[dawn16]

@oldcarnutfred

• Find cardio and conditioning templates for the equipment you wish to use, I like these ones - https://www.jtsstrength.com/conditioning-how-to-do-it-right/
• There is also more here - https://thefitness.wiki/routines/cardio-and-conditioning/
• Allocate a couple to each day you are wanting to train.
• Write them down and progress them over time.

That's kind of all there is to it.

 

[oldcarnutfred]

@dawn16 thank you

 

[amber101]

@oldcarnutfred Make sure that your doctor approves your cardio exercises but for me the first 5 minutes on the elliptical is the hardest…just getting my heart rate up but once I do it is great…I hit a plateau and can go for 20 minutes or more…it feels great!