Treadmill vs Elliptical Trainers: Which One For The Best Workout?
November 6th, 2008Unfortunately home exercise equipment is never cheap, which means it is really important to invest in the right machine. For effective weight loss, you need to find out which piece of equipment is best at helping to burn up those excess calories.
The two best selling pieces of exercise equipment are treadmills and elliptical trainers, but which one is actually best at burning the most calories? There is certainly a lot of argument with many people liking both pieces of equipment. However when it comes down to which is best for you to buy, there really is only one definitive answer.
Both machines are able to help you burn the same out calories, depending on how you exercise with them. Working out on an elliptical can burn as many calories as running on a treadmill.
Many people find that running on a treadmill is too intense for their joints - it is true that a workout on a treadmill can have a very deep impact on your body. If you find that you cannot run on a treadmill, then a workout on an elliptical can be just as effective at burning calories, and will have a lesser impact on your joints and muscles.
Running on a treadmill, at approximately 7 mph, would burn 783 calories if you were 150 pounds, and you ran for an hour. Using an elliptical trainer, you would burn 774 calories. But if you only walk on a treadmill at 3 mph, you would only burned 297 calories. That’s a big difference!
It’s important to remember though that this is not a straight forward formula, the number of calories you can burn using an elliptical trainer vary greatly depending on how you approach your exercise routine. Some people go for a full force approach, which others decide to take a more moderate workout.
When considering which exercise machine to purchase, you simply have to decide which will give you the most pleasure. You will spend quite a lot of time working out so it is important to pick the machine which you will enjoy the most.
If for example you love to walk, jog or run, then a treadmill would be an obvious choice for you. Treadmills let you get all the benefits of walking, without having to leave your home, which means you can get your exercise even if the weather is bad outside. However, if you really want to lose weight and burn those calories then you will have to be sure to use your treadmill at a suitable speed and set the incline to give yourself a more intense workout.
If you’ve experienced pain in your knees or ankles, or simply want to enjoy a low impact routine, then you’ll want to choose an elliptical instead. As you age, an elliptical trainer is much more forgiving on your body. Of course some exercise enthusiasts invest in both machines - an elliptical and a treadmill. This lets you mix up your workouts and avoid burnout completely.
