Fitness tools - Treadmills, Ellipticals etc..

Nikoruo
Nikoruo Posts: 771 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello world of MFP, long time no write at haha. First off i just wanted to say that i've posted this exact same thread in another part of the MFP world but it was brought to my attention that it was likely the wrong one haha. So here I am trying again! xD

Today's question goes out to all those "Pro's" out there. You know, the ones who have been at this a long time, tried new things (and new machines) and shopped around. You may possibly be a trainer, someone who sells these pieces of equipment or have learned from personal experience!

Regardless, whoever you may be, my question(s) are as follow:

Which burns the most calories: Treadmills, Ellipticals or stationary bikes. Which would you suggest?

I'm currently looking more towards a treadmill myself so what should i be looking for IN my treadmill exactly? I want to get the best bang for my buck! I just don't know anything about these machines except that you run on them! So pro's needed! I've been shopping around but i just don't get what most of them are talking about and why in the world the prices seem to go from $100- $2 000.


Also, I'm not too worried about price, again it's more bang for my buck. Something that'll last and do it's job without being overly expensive (especially if, say, i could have gotten the exact same treadmill for a much cheaper price!)

I want to have sort of a at home gym eventually because i do not have a car and no gyms are convenient enough to fit into my schedule (I'd have an extra hour or so of busing I'd have to try and fit in to ye ol schedule, which at the moment is not a possibility.) I also imagine it to be very nice to just wake up on those cold winter mornings and go for a jog in your own house!! haha. Let me know everyone :) I'll be browsing around still trying to learn more in the meantime haha.

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,420 Member
    They are all effective cardio machines. The one that burns the most calories is the one you enjoy using - therefore you will look forward to the exercise.

    I cannot stress enough finding things you enjoy. The calorie burns are comparable across the board on cardio. You can only go so hard.

    Pick things you like that you will do.
  • Nikoruo
    Nikoruo Posts: 771 Member
    They are all effective cardio machines. The one that burns the most calories is the one you enjoy using - therefore you will look forward to the exercise.

    I cannot stress enough finding things you enjoy. The calorie burns are comparable across the board on cardio. You can only go so hard.

    Pick things you like that you will do.
    Yes i do understand that of course. I'm speaking more hypothetically. I'm not sure which i'd like more at this point. It may be between treadmill and elliptical once i get over the 'how do i walk on this thing' phase haha. I'm not really one for biking because it hurts my butt too much aha. It was more in a matter of this: You take one person who loves them all equally, he/she wants to burn 500 calories, who would reach that goal first and at what different levels of exertion would each have to use to burn the same amount in the same amount of time.

    Mostly just looking for what to look in my life partner machine haha
  • l_ashley
    l_ashley Posts: 154 Member
    I tend to burn more calories on the elliptical myself. But I would definitely try out each machine before buying it. There are days when I can sit on the elliptical for 45 mins, and there are days when I prefer the treadmill
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    They are all effective cardio machines. The one that burns the most calories is the one you enjoy using - therefore you will look forward to the exercise.

    I cannot stress enough finding things you enjoy. The calorie burns are comparable across the board on cardio. You can only go so hard.

    Pick things you like that you will do.

    ^ This. I'll say that for me getting off machines and outside is key
  • shirleygirl910
    shirleygirl910 Posts: 503 Member
    Eliptical, treadmill, or spinning type bike. It's how you use them. Look up HIIT workouts. I like the spinning type classes. I can burn 600+ calories in 60 min. But you can do a HIIT workout on the eliptical or treadmill too. I don't sit alot on my bike, so my rear doesn't suffer.
  • missdrizz
    missdrizz Posts: 17 Member
    Bumping to read later.
  • Nikoruo
    Nikoruo Posts: 771 Member
    I tend to burn more calories on the elliptical myself. But I would definitely try out each machine before buying it. There are days when I can sit on the elliptical for 45 mins, and there are days when I prefer the treadmill
    I suppose this is true. I've tried the treadmill mostly when i used to go to the gym but right now i don't want to spend the high money for a gym membership that i can't get out of. There are no gyms i can easily access and therfore they'd be taking a very large chunk of my day away.
  • Nikoruo
    Nikoruo Posts: 771 Member
    They are all effective cardio machines. The one that burns the most calories is the one you enjoy using - therefore you will look forward to the exercise.

    I cannot stress enough finding things you enjoy. The calorie burns are comparable across the board on cardio. You can only go so hard.

    Pick things you like that you will do.

    ^ This. I'll say that for me getting off machines and outside is key

    I do love running outside myself but for these cold winter months that we have in canada i cant get outside because it's too cold and because i'm likely to break my neck on the ice haha. So my machine will mostly be seasonal or on a rainy day.
  • Nikoruo
    Nikoruo Posts: 771 Member
    Eliptical, treadmill, or spinning type bike. It's how you use them. Look up HIIT workouts. I like the spinning type classes. I can burn 600+ calories in 60 min. But you can do a HIIT workout on the eliptical or treadmill too. I don't sit alot on my bike, so my rear doesn't suffer.

    I'll definately have a look at what a HIIT workout is. Thank you!
  • GamerLady
    GamerLady Posts: 359 Member
    I have an elliptical and a spin bike, the treadmill is way too tough on my knees. My elliptical sits i the corner of our guest room as I never use it anymore. Love my spin bike. I think you have to find something you like doing and can stick with for a good cardio machine. It depends what you like to do.
  • fbcarlson
    fbcarlson Posts: 283 Member
    The wife and I have had a recumbent bike, an elliptical and a treadmill over the years. The bike is the only one that I ever used for an extended period of time. I never cared for the treadmill as it always felt like it was going to fall apart when I used it and the belt always wandered. As for the elliptical, it kills my knees. But I have had the bike for about 5 years now and I still love to use it. Yet at the gym I go to, I hate their recumbent bikes and love their treadmills (but the elliptical machines still kill my knees).

    The bottom line is what works best for you. It sounds like you have already decided you want a treadmill so I would recommend that you try out as many as you can, including any commercial or gym grade ones you can find, and try them out more than once before buying!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    D - none of the above…

    join a gym and get on a program of compound lifts…wish I would of done this years ago …

    if this is not an option:

    build a home gym with olympic bar, squat rack, some dumbbells etc…

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