Quick Tips: Cardio Machines

The other day I was at the gym and I watched numerous people making some serious errors on the cardio machines! Today I wanted to share with you my tips for using cardio machines correctly: 

1. NEVER hang onto the machine. MOVE your arms and support yourself. Do not lean on the machine. Try to move your upper body as much as possible. Your arms are closer to your heart than your legs. To get the highest cardio response, you need your arms! 
2. If you don't feel like holding onto the moving handles of the elliptical machine, get off and get on one that doesn't have moving arms. People like me hate waiting for the good machines while you rest your arms! 
3. Switch it up. Don't just stay on the elliptical for an entire hour. My favorite inside cardio day is 20/20/20: 20 minutes on the bike, 20 minutes on the elliptical, and 20 minutes running or rowing. Don't allow your workout to get boring! 
4. Don't read a book or magazine while doing cardio! It should be impossible for you to focus on the words. If you can read, you are NOT moving enough! 
5. For the best cardio response, workout in intervals! Intervals are great for burning more fat while building muscle. Don't stay on the same level and speed for the whole hour. Go faster for a minute and then slow down for two minutes. Or, use more resistance or elevation for a minute then back down for two minutes. Change it up! 

Now that you're armed with the dos and don'ts of cardio machines, go out there and get your workout on!