Healthrider usage?

[diemde]

I am going to start a 3 day split next week, doing back/delts/biceps one day, then chest/shoulders/triceps, then LB/Legs. I plan to workout 6 days per week with one day off. I've been doing a whole body workout, but that just takes too long and then I have to take a day off. I really want to workout daily and keep my workouts to about a half hour.

I bought a used Healthrider pictured below (mine's an older version without the bells and whistles) and I want to incorporate using it, but I'm not sure when I should use it. I really like using it, but it's supposedly used for cardio. Realistically, at my weight, it is a resistance workout. It leverages body weight, which I still have too much of. :lol:

Right now I can only do a little over 2 minutes before I have to stop. It feels to me like it's working the quads and lats the most. At least those are the muscles I feel afterwards!

I'm sure once I build up the muscles and lose some of this excess weight, I will need to use it for just cardio, but in the meantime, when would you suggest I use it?

Also, for those doing strength training 6 days per week, when do you do the bulk of your cardio? Just after your strength training or at a different time of day?

Thanks for your help!

http://i.walmart.com/i/p/00/04/36/19/89/0004361989155_500X500.jpg

[ValerieL]

I don't strength train everyday, but from what I've read, you should lift first, always. You want the best strength/energy you have for your resistance workout. Cardio after or later in the day.

I had a Health Rider ages ago, too, I really enjoyed it. I actually found, even at high weights, that I was able to build up to using it for cardio for 30 minutes or so pretty quickly. You might be able to use it for cardio sooner than you think. I'd be tempted to use it on my cardio days, starting with it then moving to whatever I plan to do for cardio when I'm finished. I don't think you'd have to worry about not giving your muscles time to recover, especially if you concentrate on using your leg muscles for it. I can remember using my health rider and not pulling with my lats as much as pushing with my legs if I thought about it. Since you are only doing legs once a week, that wouldn't be too much.

I'll be interested to see what others have to suggest.

Val

[diemde]

Thanks Valerie. I know if I do cardio in the same session, that I should do it after strength training. I guess I was wondering more if people do them in 2 different sessions or not? For example, maybe cardio in the morning, then strength training after work... or vice versa... Just trying to get ideas of how other people have found success.

I'll be doing each of these workouts twice per week, not once. I can't imagine building up enough strength to where the healthrider would be cardio, but I hope it turns out that way. It kicks my butt after 2 minutes. :lol:

Thanks for the input! Anyone else?

[Helen H]

Really, the most important thing about cardio is that you do it.

For instance, I know lifting first, cardio second works for most people, but I find that if I go for a decent cycle, I'm much more likely to hit the gym on the way home, and being well warmed up, I'll do a good workout. If I go straight to the gym, it seems to take me ages to work up a decent sweat and I'm more likely to wimp out halfway through.

Incorporating cardio and weights in the same workout is good for spiking human growth hormone, as long as you don't ingest any carbs. But if you do cardio as a separate session, you are likely to do it harder, and so burn more calories.

[Scented1]

hey there!

I just got an older HR as well. I did 70 reps, not sure how long it took me, but I rested in between for a few seconds (35/35)

Is this supposed to be a cardio machine or ???

This is the FIRST exercise I have done on purpose in years.

I am going to try and do more tonight. Also, do you know how to work the timer/counter thing?

TIA!
Rach

[Scented1]

OH and
i wanted to track this on my PLAN, but am not sure what to categorize the HR under for cardio. What do you label it as?

[Helen H]

If the HR itself doesn't give a calorie per hour guide, I'd suggest you pick something from the other cardio options, maybe stationary bike or gentle rowing and just use that. If you can, take your pulse when working out, and put that in. My Plan should give you a fairly accurate idea of calories if it knows your heartrate.

[Scented1]

cool thanks helen!

[diemde]

The electronics on mine doesn't work, so I can't help with that.

It's supposed to be an all over workout and many people consider it cardio. I think at our weight it also builds muscle. It's leveraging body weight, so that's a lot of resistance that our muscles have to pull!

[Scented1]

i did 80 more reps tonight. I am not even sure I am doing it right. LOL

I did get a bit out of breath. This is in no way high intensity.he he