Equipment guide
Cardio equipment is the foundation of most endurance and conditioning-focused builds, and the right machine depends heavily on which type of cardio you actually enjoy doing consistently, since the best machine is the one that gets used.
Rowers work the largest share of total muscle mass of any common cardio machine, combining a leg drive, hip hinge, and pulling motion in one movement, which makes them a common pick for lifters who want conditioning without abandoning a strength-training pattern.
Exercise bikes (upright or air/fan bikes) put less load through the lower back than rowing and are easier to use at a very low or very high intensity, which suits both steady-state sessions and short, brutal interval work.
Resistance type changes the feel and durability: magnetic resistance is quiet and low-maintenance, while air resistance scales automatically with effort and tends to hold up better under repeated max-effort intervals.
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A rower engages more total muscle mass per stroke and pairs well with strength training since it uses a similar hip-hinge pattern. A bike puts less strain on the lower back and can be easier to use at very low or very high intensities, so the better choice depends on your joints and your preferred training style.
Magnetic resistance is quiet, low-maintenance, and set to a fixed level; air resistance scales automatically with how hard you push, which many lifters prefer for interval training, at the cost of more noise.
It's more central to endurance and conditioning-focused builds, but many powerlifters and bodybuilders add a rower or bike for general conditioning and recovery work without it being the centerpiece of their training.
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