In some circles within the fitness industry (especially with more "hardcore" fitness fanatics), most cardio machines are thought to be like hamster wheels. You know what a hamster wheel is - the little wheel in your hamster's cage that the little guy gets on and runs and runs and runs and runs and runs...but never gets anywhere.  A lot of people think of cardio machines in the same way.  People get on these machines, and just go and go and go...but never get anywhere. One of the biggest reasons that many oppose the use of cardio machines is that there is no real "thinking" involved.  All you have to do is climb into the  machine and move.  You don't move anywhere, you don't have to think about your movements, or anything. You just put the effort into the machine. Now, on one hand, that's good, as it allows you to simply focus on the effort.  Which, theoretically, should mean that you're putting more effort in, working harder, and in the end, getting more results.  But for the vast majority, they do the exact opposite.  Instead of focusing their efforts, and getting a lot of work done, they "zone out" and just go through the motions. This is all wrong. You have to pay attention to what you're doing when you exercise.  To use an old sports adage, you have to "have your head in the game".  If you unplug mentally, and just "go through the motions", then you're really just giving a wishy-washy effort.  And that means you'll get wishy-washy results. If you're unsure of this, try and think of any other activity where you can unplug mentally and still get better.  You can't study that way - you won't learn anything.  You can't drive that way - you'll get in a wreck.  You can't work at your job that way - you'll perform subpar. There is nothing that you can just go through the motions at, and get any kind of good results.  Exercise - especially cardio - is no different. If you can get on a cardio machine, and focus on working hard, that's great.  But if don't have that kind of discipline, you very well should consider doing a workout that will make you concentrate harder.

In some circles within the fitness industry (especially with more "hardcore" fitness fanatics), most cardio machines are thought to be like hamster wheels.

You know what a hamster wheel is - the little wheel in your hamster's cage that the little guy gets on and runs and runs and runs and runs and runs...but never gets anywhere.  A lot of people think of cardio machines in the same way.  People get on these machines, and just go and go and go...but never get anywhere.

One of the biggest reasons that many oppose the use of cardio machines is that there is no real "thinking" involved.  All you have to do is climb into the  machine and move.  You don't move anywhere, you don't have to think about your movements, or anything. You just put the effort into the machine.

Now, on one hand, that's good, as it allows you to simply focus on the effort.  Which, theoretically, should mean that you're putting more effort in, working harder, and in the end, getting more results.  But for the vast majority, they do the exact opposite.  Instead of focusing their efforts, and getting a lot of work done, they "zone out" and just go through the motions.

This is all wrong.

You have to pay attention to what you're doing when you exercise.  To use an old sports adage, you have to "have your head in the game".  If you unplug mentally, and just "go through the motions", then you're really just giving a wishy-washy effort.  And that means you'll get wishy-washy results.

If you're unsure of this, try and think of any other activity where you can unplug mentally and still get better.  You can't study that way - you won't learn anything.  You can't drive that way - you'll get in a wreck.  You can't work at your job that way - you'll perform subpar.

There is nothing that you can just go through the motions at, and get any kind of good results.  Exercise - especially cardio - is no different.

If you can get on a cardio machine, and focus on working hard, that's great.  But if don't have that kind of discipline, you very well should consider doing a workout that will make you concentrate harder.