How Many Calories Are You Actually Burning With Your Cardio Workouts?

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5 Worst Cardio Machine Mistakes For Fat Loss Ever!

On today’s episode of Live Lean TV, let’s talk about how many calories you’re actually burning with your cardio workouts.

I’ll also be covering why you may not be burning as many calories as you think because, let’s be real, you could be making some of the most common mistakes on these cardio machines.

Table Of Contents: Jump Links

At the end of this blog post, you’ll find a chart containing data from Harvard Health, where they calculated the approximate amount of calories burned on the following cardio machines:

• Treadmill
• Elliptical Machine
• Row Machine
• Stationary Bike
• Stair Step Machine

Even though you may think this data answers the question of “how many calories are you burning with your cardio?”, it really doesn’t.

Why?

Well, this data just provides approximate averages.

4 Factors That Affect Your Calorie Burning Potential

When it comes to burning calories, it depends on so many factors, including if you’re doing it right.

Other calorie burning factors depend on your:

1. Gender: Men and women burn calories at a different rate.
2. Body Composition: The percentage of lean body mass vs. body fat affects calorie burn rate.
3. Intensity: The harder you workout, the higher your heart rate, meaning the more calories you’ll burn.
4. Form: Form is very important, even when using a cardio machine.

When it comes to cardio machines, proper form is often forgotten, which is why I want to cover its importance in this post.

I’ll do this by showing you examples of how your poor form when using cardio machines, is not only lowering the results from your cardio workouts, but it’s also deceiving you into thinking you may be burning more calories than you really are.

Just like poor form can ruin your results with weight training, poor form can also greatly reduce the effectiveness of your cardio workouts.

Let’s look at examples of the most common cardio machines and why you’re not burning as many calories as you may think, when using these cardio machines.

Cardio Machine #1: Treadmill Form Mistakes

I like the treadmill because it incorporates movement from all body parts, and allows you to move your body the way it was intended to move.

However, I see many people doing it incorrectly.

Treadmill Poor Form Mistake: Holding on to the handles with your hands.

I get why some people do this: safety.

However, what I don’t get is that you could avoid holding on to the handles by lowering the speed and/or the incline.

I made a specific post about this over on my Instagram.

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A post shared by Brad Gouthro – Live Lean TV (@bradgouthro)

I’m referring to the concept of trying to increase the difficulty of the treadmill, by increasing the speed and the incline, only to perform the exercise in a way that you actually don’t get the added benefit.

By holding on to the handles of the treadmill, you decrease the exertion that is required by your body.

Your body doesn’t know how high of an incline you’re using or the speed. Your body only knows what type of stress and exertion you’re placing on it.

Remove your hands from the treadmill handles, and focus on form, at a speed and incline you can do safely, while still pushing your limits.

By doing that, not only will the results come faster, but you’ll also be doing it in a healthier and safer way.

Plus, if you’re using the calorie counter on the treadmill, don’t forget to input your age and weight into the system.

If you don’t do this, the treadmill will just use a random calculation based off of someone else’s gender and weight.

Even though the calorie counter on the cardio machine is not exactly accurate in the first place, by failing to input your data, it will make the calorie burn even more deceiving and inaccurate.

Cardio Machine #2. Elliptical Machine Form Mistakes

I have mixed feeling towards the elliptical machine.

I like that it still incorporates full body movements and is safer on your joints compared to the treadmill.

However, I don’t like the idea that the elliptical machine locks you into an unnatural movement pattern.

In addition to that, many people are not burning as many calories as they should because of poor form, technique, and lets be real, the laziness that the elliptical machine often creates.

How many times have you seen that same person at the gym, who gets on the same elliptical machine for every workout, turns on the TV, and just goes into pure elliptical zombie mode.

Elliptical Machine Poor Form Mistake: This person basically doesn’t progressively increase the intensity level at all, they maintain the same slow pace, and they focus more on what’s on the TV, then applying any stress on the body.

On top of this, many times they don’t even place their hands on the handles, meaning they don’t use their upper body, thus decreasing the calorie burn even more.

If you’re going to use the elliptical machine, use one of the pre-programmed elliptical machine interval workouts, so you alternate between more intense resistance for short bursts, followed by lighter resistance for active recovery.

Or if you’re doing low intensity steady state cardio, you still need to increase the resistance to get your heart rate into that fat burning zone.

I repeat, don’t be an elliptical zombie!

Cardio Machine #3. Concept 2 Rowing Machine Form Mistakes

I really like the concept 2 rowing machine because it’s an excellent low impact combination of cardio and strength, that is a major calorie blaster when performed correctly.

When I say, “when performed correctly”, I mean you’re not just pulling the handle as fast as you can.

To perform the rower correctly, you should be creating all the power by using your lower body, core, and upper body.

Rowing Machine Poor Form Mistake: I see too many people only using just their back and biceps to pull the handle, without using and driving with their legs.

All the power, and a lot of the calorie burn, will come from powering through each row by driving with your legs.

Remember, a faster and higher stroke rate doesn’t always mean better or that you’re actually training harder.

Focus on the power and the intensity of each stroke for the greatest calorie burn.

Cardio Machine #4. Stationary Bike, Upright Cycle, and Recumbent Cycle Form Mistakes

I like the upright cycle when I’m doing a quick bike HIIT session as you can really jack up the resistance.

It also lowers the impact on the knee joints, which can be good, if that’s an issue for you.

However, from a calorie burning perspective during the workout, unless you’re doing an intense 60 minute spin class, which is a whole other story, it may not be the best option as it only uses your legs.

During the bike cardio workout, your entire upper body is inactive, and lets be real, the seat turns off your glute muscles, and is not the best for the swimmers.

It’s also another cardio zombie option, especially the recumbent bike.

Bike Poor Form Mistake: Too many people fall into the trap of turning on the TV,, and just going through the motions, without adding much resistance.

This means your heart rate really doesn’t get very high, thus the calorie burning is kept to a minimum.

If you’re going to use the bike, jack up the resistance level.

Cardio Machine #5. Stair Step Climber Machine Form Mistakes

First off, I was surprised by the lower calorie burn data, as reported by Harvard Health, found at the bottom of this post.

In my opinion, one of the most intense cardio machines is the stair climber machine.

Maybe the data was collected using an easier form of the stair stepper machine.

Update: I did more searching and found a 150 pound person would burn approximately 680 calories in an hour on the stair climber.

Regardless, the stepmill stair climber is a fantastic calorie burning cardio machine, when performed correctly.

However, I see so many people taking the easy way out with the stair climber machine.

I’m sure you’ve seen them too.

Step Mill Stair Climber Form Mistake: Hands on the handles, bent over, just holding on for life.

If you want the most calorie burn from the stair climber, select a speed that allows you to safely take your hands off the handles, and pump your arms as if you were really walking or running up stairs.

That’s when you’ll really going to maximize your calorie burn.

Other Types Of Cardio For Calorie Burning

I’ve included only the most common cardio machines in this post, however there are many other forms of cardio activities that you can be doing, that are just as good or better, for calorie burning.

These include the:

• Jump Rope
• Prowler Sled Push
• Airdyne Bike
• Jacob’s Ladder
• SkiErg
• Calisthenics Bodyweight Training
• Speed And Agility Ladder Training
• Playing Sports

The key to cardio is finding something that you enjoy.

Think back to when you were a kid, what kind of fun activities did you do to burn off all that child-given energy?

If your goal is fat loss, but you hate cardio, do more of that activity.

Seriously, try focusing on getting back to your inner child.

How Many Calories Do Each Cardio Machine Burn?

According to Harvard Health, in the chart below I’ve included the approximate calories that a 125 lbs, a 150 lbs, and a 185 lbs person would burn in 30 minutes when doing each of these various cardio activities.

Note: another post showed a 150 pound person would burn approximately 680 calories in an hour, or 340 calories in 30 minutes, on the stair climber.

Cardio Type	125 lbs	150 lbs	185 lbs
Jump Rope	300	372	444
Swimming (laps, vigorously)	300	372	444
Running (6 mph = 10 min/mile)	300	372	444
Ski Machine	285	353	422
Elliptical Machine	270	335	400
Concept 2 Row Machine (moderate intensity)	210	260	311
Step Aerobics (low intensity)	210	260	311
Bicycling, Stationary (moderate intensity)	210	260	311
Rollar Skating	210	260	311
Stair Step Machine	180	223	266
Hiking (cross country)	180	223	266
Aerobic exercise (low intensity)	165	205	244
Dancing (disco, ballroom, square)	165	205	244
Calisthenics (Moderate Intensity)	135	167	200
Treadmill Walking (4 mph = 15 min/mile)	135	167	200

Try Our Live Lean 15 Follow Along Calisthenics Workout Program

If you prefer to get incredible cardio results, in just 15 minutes at home with no equipment, you need to check out my Live Lean 15 bodyweight follow along workout video program.

You can get all the follow along workout videos here.