One of our fabulous mums on the Lose Baby Weight plan has reviewed the Cardio Twister – see her full review below;
Product – Cardio Twister
Category – Fitness equipment
Cost – $300
Web purchase – www.cardiotwister.com.au
Lose Baby Weight rating – 3 stars out of 5
Each morning as I sat feeding the baby, I was mesmerized by the wonder of the Cardio Twister infomercials on the morning talk shows and the promise of abs of steel with just a few easy minutes a day…. I’m usually infatuated by the deals, but hesitant to take them up, concerned that I will be one of the ‘suckers’ and that my new piece of equipment will quickly become yet another ornament or clothes horse in my already cluttered life.
Due to my commitment to my new healthy life style through the Lose Baby Weight plan and my sheer desperation to lose my baby weight I found myself thinking more and more about how I was going to incorporate more exercise into my schedule (getting out for long walks and sessions at the gym seems a thing of the past)…. So I found my thoughts turning to the magical Cardio Twister more and more.
So I did a little research and found that as well as the $300+ offer advertised on tv, there were also loads of seemingly identical Cardio Twisters available new and used on ebay for a fraction of the price (ie around $100). So I bought one.
It arrived within 3 days – complete with a free Power Balance Band (whatever?!?!) – in a huge box and required a little effort to assemble and then I was off.
How it works
Cardio Twister is an exercise machine based on the notion of exercising more muscles more of the time. Therefore being more efficient at achieving results.
The Cardio Twister has two ‘pedals’ which you step up and down on in a bi-directional skating motion, which allows you to target multiple muscles from different angles, whilst the handlebars twist automatically.
Pros
- It is reasonably light weight, so easy to move from room to room to exercise where ever you need to be (watching a baby play, watching tv etc)
- It doesn’t take up loads of room, so you can stick it in the corner
- It has variable resistance for easy and harder workouts and it has a computerized step counter
- It comes with a DVD of workout routines and also a weight loss program (recommended food) and a weight loss diary – I must admit I have not looked at them in detail though, as they seem very American focused and I prefer to focus on the Lose Baby Weight advice
- It is reasonably quiet, so you can watch tv easily and HEAR it and you can also exercise whilst the kids are asleep without disturbing them
- It is easy to jump on the machine and get a quick 10, 15, 20 minute work out – whatever you can fit in – which suits me with two little kids to navigate my day around
- You do seem to get a reasonable work out – you feel it in your legs and bum
Cons
- It is not the most FUN machine I have ever used …. Can’t really say why that is. I was hoping for a machine that I LOVED…. But this is not it. But that said, it is OK.
- I expected it to give you more of a workout around the middle section, but I don’t seem to feel it there as much. Maybe it’s because I have so much of a spare tyre there already that my abs are struggling to remember that they exist?
- It is not the most sturdy piece of equipment… Whilst it is okay, it is not GREAT quality – It is not GYM standard equipment. I am glad I didn’t pay $300 for mine.
- It’s not as smooth or as much ‘fun’ as it seems on tv….. but hey, what exercise ever is?
Recommendation
If you don’t expect too much, you won’t be disappointed.
