Elliptical or Treadmill?

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  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    If you run and use an incline on the treadmill, you can get a similar burn.

    Personally, I prefer the elliptical if I MUST exercise indoors.
  • BootCampC
    BootCampC Posts: 689 Member
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    500 cal in 30 min? what level ? 20? running treadmill will burn more calories , unless you are really up in the levels of the elliptical where you are what I like to say running in mud
  • PinkyFett
    PinkyFett Posts: 842 Member
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    I personally have always liked treadmill better.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    I prefer the elliptical because it's low-impact. You can burn just as hard as running on a treadmill, but your knees won't be paying the price in the long-run.

    I agree. Elliptical is better for your knees and back, and less weight bearing. You can burn just as much doing the elliptical, as you would the treadmill/

    I disagree, unless the elliptical is designed for someone with your exact stride length in mind. The problem with elliptical is you have to adjust to it's plain of movement, with the treadmill you don't have to. For some the range/stride length can cause issues if it is not a "normal" movement for you. It is lower impact than treadmill, but I think the unnatural movement is worse for most than the treadmill.

    That and also don't use the elliptical for an estimate of cals burned, they all pretty much overestimate. If you want to compare cals burned vs. treadmill use an HRM.

    Another benefit to the treadmill is that it is directly transferable to the real world, walking, jogging, running, you will never use the elliptical motion in real life, and as such may increase endurance a bit, but will not translate nearly as well to the real world as the treadmill will.
  • cscruggs1991
    cscruggs1991 Posts: 5 Member
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    I prefer the elliptical because it's low-impact. You can burn just as hard as running on a treadmill, but your knees won't be paying the price in the long-run.

    I agree. Elliptical is better for your knees and back, and less weight bearing. You can burn just as much doing the elliptical, as you would the treadmill/

    I disagree, unless the elliptical is designed for someone with your exact stride length in mind. The problem with elliptical is you have to adjust to it's plain of movement, with the treadmill you don't have to. For some the range/stride length can cause issues if it is not a "normal" movement for you. It is lower impact than treadmill, but I think the unnatural movement is worse for most than the treadmill.

    That and also don't use the elliptical for an estimate of cals burned, they all pretty much overestimate. If you want to compare cals burned vs. treadmill use an HRM.

    Another benefit to the treadmill is that it is directly transferable to the real world, walking, jogging, running, you will never use the elliptical motion in real life, and as such may increase endurance a bit, but will not translate nearly as well to the real world as the treadmill will.

    Anyone recommend any good heart rate monitors?
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Anything by Polar or Garmin, the higher the number on Polar the more accurate. i.e the FT40 is more accurate than the F7, but only the F4 and up count calories at all.
  • bornofthorns
    bornofthorns Posts: 143 Member
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    I prefer the elliptical because it's low-impact. You can burn just as hard as running on a treadmill, but your knees won't be paying the price in the long-run.

    I agree. Elliptical is better for your knees and back, and less weight bearing. You can burn just as much doing the elliptical, as you would the treadmill/

    I disagree, unless the elliptical is designed for someone with your exact stride length in mind. The problem with elliptical is you have to adjust to it's plain of movement, with the treadmill you don't have to. For some the range/stride length can cause issues if it is not a "normal" movement for you. It is lower impact than treadmill, but I think the unnatural movement is worse for most than the treadmill.

    That and also don't use the elliptical for an estimate of cals burned, they all pretty much overestimate. If you want to compare cals burned vs. treadmill use an HRM.

    Another benefit to the treadmill is that it is directly transferable to the real world, walking, jogging, running, you will never use the elliptical motion in real life, and as such may increase endurance a bit, but will not translate nearly as well to the real world as the treadmill will.

    Not really disagreeing, but adding that I tend to go to the "open-stride elliptical" I have found that this allows much more for your normal stride and allows you to sort of switch between small stride, high step and long strides. As for how it actually works in real life, I have found, when using more in terms of high steps, it does help me a bit on form for inclined runs in the real world.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
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    You can burn more calories on the treadmill. That said, you may want to use an online calculator or heart rate monitor to calculate the range of calories you may be burning. I just played around with several online calculators- to burn 500 calories you would have to be at the highest exercise level ("Vigorous" vs "Moderate" or "Low") for 30 minutes. Also, you would have to weight 350 lbs. If you weigh 350 lbs and were "Vigorous" for 30 mins, then yes, you burned that much.
  • 4daluvof_candice
    4daluvof_candice Posts: 483 Member
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    Better? Better for what? Just do whatever you enjoy and will stick to.

    PS - there is 0% chance that you burn 500 calories in 30 mins on the elliptical. I only mention this to warn you against possible overeating due to overestimated exercise calories.


    I'm just going off what the elliptical is telling me I burn everytime. Not sure how accurate they are

    the most Ive burned in 30 min (using a HRM) is 328 calories
  • scraver2003
    scraver2003 Posts: 528 Member
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    When I first started exercising, I used the elliptical. At some point I switched to the treadmill. Now, I mostly run outside. But I would use a treadmill before an elliptical, just because it translates to "real life" better. I run 5k's with friends, chase after my son, etc. If not the treadmill, I would do a spin class.
  • loubidy
    loubidy Posts: 440 Member
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    I hate both. Treadmill? I think I'll just go outside and Elliptical? my hips feel kinda sore.

    Also agree there is no way your burning 500kcals in 30mins. I tend to go with the rule it is incredibly difficult to burn more than 10kcals a minute and my polar FT7 tends to match that rule.
  • SEAFOODMAN
    SEAFOODMAN Posts: 342
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    I use both, treadmill readings are more accurate. but both are good.
    on treadmill I use the incline between 12-15............if you use treadmill make sure you do it handsfree.
  • smpearce13
    smpearce13 Posts: 32 Member
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    Elliptical is better for your knees and body (impact based at least) as others have said. You'll burn more on the treadmill however.

    I try to mix it up. I don't like the treadmill much (hurts my knees - although running I'm ok generally). I usually do about 30-45 minutes on the stair climbers now, and another 20-30 minutes on the elliptical for my "cool off" cardio. I generally get from 800-1000 calories burned total (obviously the 1000 mark is when I break the 60 minute barrier and then some.

    If you can find a spin class nearby, you should give that a shot as well. It'll burn about as much as the others, but in the group setting it's easier to push yourself I think. It will kick your butt - even after you get used to it (I've been spinning 2-3x a week for over 2 years now, and I still dread it.....) :)
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
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    Better? Better for what? Just do whatever you enjoy and will stick to.

    PS - there is 0% chance that you burn 500 calories in 30 mins on the elliptical. I only mention this to warn you against possible overeating due to overestimated exercise calories.


    I'm just going off what the elliptical is telling me I burn everytime. Not sure how accurate they are
    not accurate, you're lucky if you are burning half of that.
  • Abells
    Abells Posts: 756 Member
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    I prefer the elliptical because it's low-impact. You can burn just as hard as running on a treadmill, but your knees won't be paying the price in the long-run.

    I agree. Elliptical is better for your knees and back, and less weight bearing. You can burn just as much doing the elliptical, as you would the treadmill/

    I disagree, unless the elliptical is designed for someone with your exact stride length in mind. The problem with elliptical is you have to adjust to it's plain of movement, with the treadmill you don't have to. For some the range/stride length can cause issues if it is not a "normal" movement for you. It is lower impact than treadmill, but I think the unnatural movement is worse for most than the treadmill.

    That and also don't use the elliptical for an estimate of cals burned, they all pretty much overestimate. If you want to compare cals burned vs. treadmill use an HRM.

    Another benefit to the treadmill is that it is directly transferable to the real world, walking, jogging, running, you will never use the elliptical motion in real life, and as such may increase endurance a bit, but will not translate nearly as well to the real world as the treadmill will.

    strongly agree with E here -- it teaches un-natural movement. run outside. I don't use either. I work on cardio in other forms like body weight movements or I bike or run outside and the jump rope :)
  • teresamurphy81
    teresamurphy81 Posts: 7
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    I agree...it's usually about 100 calories per 10 minutes. Might get a little more out of the elliptical if you put the resistance way up.
  • Domineer
    Domineer Posts: 239 Member
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    For a beginner, I would suggest the elliptical. I am a die hard elliptical fan however after a while, it will get boring. Took me three years to get bored with it lol. I started the treadmill a couple weeks ago due to a considerable amount of weight loss in the past 6 months and extra energy. I like the way I feel when I'm pushing my own body. The treadmill can be low impact if you go at a sustainable pace, rather than at a pace someone else goes at. If you are not a runner, I suggest you try speed walking, then increase the incline. When you get bored, increase the speed to a light jog over time. I now use a 30 min elliptical session as a warm up and the treadmill to finish my cardio workout.
  • NH_Norma
    NH_Norma Posts: 332 Member
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    I hate the elliptical because I've yet to find one that feels natural. The stride is a set length (maybe there are some that are adjustable but I've not used one), and to me it always feels jerky, either too short or too long, usually too short. I call it a hell-iptical. :devil:

    Treadmill I can do pretty much every day if I can't get outside (translation= November-March :grumble: )

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