Which Is Better: Treadmill or Elliptical Trainer?

Trying to choose between a treadmill and an elliptical trainer? When it comes to purchasing an expensive piece of home fitness equipment you want to make sure you buy something you'll actually use. Here's a good article that can help you to make a more informed decision...

From SmoothFitness.com:

Everyone who has a gym membership most likely has a favorite preference in exercise machines. People who purchase exercise equipment for their personal use in a home or office environment typically buy something they think they would enjoy using.

Is one fitness machine better than another machine? Does one draw more favoritism over the others? If so, which machine is it and why?

Top-Ranked Exercise Machines

For convenience, ease, and best results, the treadmill is ranked at the top of the list of fitness machines. Go into any public gym or health club during its busiest time of day, and you'll probably have to wait in line to use one of the treadmills.

However, the elliptical trainer, a machine that is relatively new among fitness equipment, is gaining in popularity, as well! And, with good reason! It gives a great cardiovascular workout in less time, because it works both the upper and lower body simultaneously. This machine is also pretty much impact free! That fact makes the elliptical trainer ideal for older people and for individuals who suffer from knee or other joint problems.

With a treadmill, the impact experienced when walking is also relatively low. Nonetheless, the impact when running on a treadmill increases in proportion to your body weight and is, therefore, considerably higher than that felt during an elliptical workout. Now, that isn't necessarily a bad thing! In fact, your body needs to be put through such impact in order to build stronger bones and muscles!

Although a treadmill works only the lower body, there are ways to increase the intensity of workouts for quicker, more efficient results. For instance, you may set the incline at a higher level or adjust the speed to go faster. In turn, you'll increase the number of calories burned as well as give your body a better cardio workout.

Exercise Versatility

Most decent treadmills come with a variety of preset programs from which to choose. You may also manually set the speed and incline as desired. You may choose to walk at a slow, casual pace. Or, you may pick a simulated hill-climbing workout. You may jog or run, provided the treadmill can handle that type of pounding. And, if you really want to be creative, you can include moves such as side steps and knee raises.

With the dual action handlebars and foot pedals that can go forward or in reverse, the elliptical trainer also offers versatility in exercise sessions. Additionally, some elliptical trainers allow the user to change the cross ramp incline. And, they may also be equipped with a feature that gives the user the option to NOT use the handlebars and, thus, work only the lower body.

When you pedal forward on an elliptical machine, the motion is similar to the movements of a cross-country skier. Change the foot motion into reverse, and your lower body will be worked in an entirely different manner. Note that some elliptical trainers automatically adjust the pedaling difficulty as your workout progresses. And, a good elliptical trainer also provides special features, which include preset exercise programs that can add variety to your workouts.

So, Which Machine is the Better Choice?

It remains to be seen whether the elliptical trainer will replace the treadmill as the fitness machine of choice. However, its popularity is certainly gaining on that of the treadmill!

If you happen to be a runner, the treadmill will obviously provide you with the best training. If you don't particularly care for running or jogging or cannot participate in such exercise, an elliptical trainer may be more feasible and/or enjoyable for you.

A treadmill can provide a great aerobic workout. However, according to Thomas Altena, an exercise physiologist at the University of Missouri-Columbia, "the physiological responses associated with elliptical exercises were nearly identical to treadmill exercises. Both exercise machines are effective for increasing the amount of calories burned and for producing cardio respiratory health and training benefits."

Which exercise machine is better? The consensus is still up in the air!

Learn more at SmoothFitness.com...


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