Our cardio section is the perfect way to stay active whilst in an air conditioned environment. With a range of equipment available, Amazon Gym allows for a wide range of exercises and cardio options.
All cardio machines have adjustable difficulties that are set by the user. This allows for each user to independently assess their ability to train at their level.
Cardio often gets treated as an afterthought — something to squeeze in before or after the "real" training, or a punishment reserved for missed diet goals. At Amazon Gym, we see it differently. Whether your main focus is building strength, losing weight, improving your general health, or training for a specific event, cardio plays a genuine role in getting you there faster and keeping you injury-free along the way. Getting more from your cardio isn't about spending hours on a treadmill — it's about understanding what you're actually training for, and using the right intensity to get there.
One of the simplest ways to get more out of your cardio training is understanding heart rate zones, and using them to guide what you're doing rather than just picking a pace at random. Broadly speaking, your heart rate during exercise falls into a few key zones, each with a slightly different purpose.
At the lower end, light or "zone 2" training sits at a pace where you can comfortably hold a conversation. It doesn't feel particularly hard, which leads a lot of people to dismiss it — but this is genuinely valuable training. It builds your aerobic base, improves how efficiently your body uses fat for fuel, and supports recovery between harder sessions. A steady walk on the treadmill, an easy ride on one of our recumbent or upright bikes, or a relaxed session on the cross trainer all fall into this category.
Moving up, moderate intensity work pushes your heart rate higher, to the point where conversation becomes noticeably harder. This is a strong zone for general cardiovascular fitness and calorie burn, and it's where a lot of steady-state sessions on machines like the rowing machine or Stair Master naturally sit.
At the top end, high intensity efforts — think sprint intervals, a hard push on the ski erg, or a fast-paced session on our sprinting curved treadmill in the Functional Hybrid zone — take your heart rate close to its maximum for short bursts. This kind of training is brilliant for building fitness quickly and improving your body's ability to recover between efforts, but it's demanding, and it's not something your body can (or should) do every single session.
The real value comes from mixing these zones deliberately rather than training at the same moderate pace every time you're on cardio equipment. A rough approach many members find works well is spending most of their cardio time at lower intensities, with one or two higher intensity sessions worked in each week. It's a simple shift, but one that tends to produce noticeably better results than treating every cardio session the same.
For a lot of our members, cardio isn't a separate session at all — it's woven into the same visit as their strength training, and there are a few common ways this tends to play out on the gym floor.
Some members use light cardio as a warm-up, spending five to ten minutes on a bike or cross trainer to raise their heart rate and get blood flowing to their muscles before they start lifting. It's a simple habit, but one that can genuinely improve how a session feels, particularly on cold days or first thing in the morning.
Others prefer to save cardio for the end of a session, once the heavier lifting is done. A steady row, a walk on the treadmill, or time on the Stair Master makes a natural way to finish, helping bring your heart rate down gradually while still adding a genuine cardiovascular benefit to the session.
Then there are members who train cardio and strength on entirely separate days, dedicating full sessions to each rather than combining them. This tends to suit anyone training with a specific performance or event goal in mind, where both sides of fitness need focused, undiluted attention.
None of these approaches is more "correct" than the others — what matters is finding a structure that fits your goals, your schedule, and what you actually enjoy doing consistently. That's ultimately more important than any specific heart rate number.
Whatever your approach, having the right equipment available makes a real difference, which is why we've built out our cardio area to genuinely support every style of training. Eight treadmills mean you'll never be left waiting for a warm-up walk or an interval session. Recumbent and upright bikes give you options depending on how supported you want your riding position to be. Cross trainers and Stair Masters offer low-impact alternatives that are easier on the joints without compromising on intensity. And for members who want a more varied, full-body approach to cardio, our Functional Hybrid zone brings rowing machines, ski ergs and sprint-style training into the mix alongside strength-focused stations.
Whether you're a complete beginner just starting to build a cardio habit, an experienced lifter looking to add structure to your conditioning, or training toward a specific goal, our team is always on hand to help you put together an approach that actually fits how you train.
Based in Shropham and easily reached from Watton and Attleborough, Amazon Gym is built to support every side of your training, not just the parts that feel most obviously "hard work." Getting more from cardio isn't about grinding through the same session every time you're on the gym floor — it's about understanding what different intensities are actually doing for your body, and using that knowledge to train with purpose. Come in and speak to our team, and we'll help you build a cardio approach that genuinely works for you.
The range of cardio equipment makes training for everybody a realisitc opportunity! With a selection of higher intensity and lower intensity machines, all with adjustable settings, there truly is a range to challenge every experience level
"TRAINING AT AMAZON PREPARED ME TO COMPLETE MY BLEEP TEST AT WORK"
Once you've had your induction and a few sessions under your belt, the next question is usually what to actually do each week. Plenty of members work this out themselves, and there's nothing wrong with that — a simple full-body routine, repeated consistently and nudged slightly heavier each fortnight, will take most people a very long way.
Others would rather have it written down by someone who knows what they're looking at. Every one of our membership options come with a free, personalised program built specifically for you by one of our expertly qualified trainers.
This is going to help you hit your targets and make a great start to your gym journey. Additionally, all programs have the option to be reviewed at any point, so your program can grow with you throughout your journey!
