Energy expenditure with indoor exercise machines

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Sports Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Determining optimal indoor exercise machines for energy expenditure is crucial for effective fitness programming.
• Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is a subjective measure used to guide exercise intensity.
• Variability in energy expenditure across different exercise machines at similar RPE levels necessitates comparative studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the rates of energy expenditure at specific Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) levels across six different indoor exercise machines.
• To identify which indoor exercise machine provides the greatest energy expenditure for a given subjective intensity.

Main Methods:

• A repeated measures design was employed with 13 healthy young adults (8 men, 5 women).
• Participants completed a 4-week habituation to the RPE scale and six exercise machines: Airdyne, cross-country ski simulator, cycle ergometer, rowing ergometer, stair stepper, and treadmill.
• Exercise tests involved 5-minute stages at RPE 11, 13, and 15, with oxygen consumption, heart rate, and blood lactate measured.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in energy expenditure were observed across machines at fixed RPE levels (range: 1093 kJ/h).
• The treadmill demonstrated significantly higher energy expenditure compared to all other machines at equivalent RPEs.
• The cross-country skiing simulator, rowing ergometer, and stair stepper showed higher energy expenditure than the Airdyne and cycle ergometer.

Conclusions:

• The treadmill is the most effective indoor exercise machine for maximizing energy expenditure when exercise intensity is regulated by perceived exertion.
• These findings provide valuable guidance for selecting exercise equipment to achieve specific energy expenditure goals.