Elliptical Speed vs Walking Speed

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PrfctGdess
PrfctGdess Posts: 257
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
When I run on my elliptical, it gives me a speed reading of x.x mph. When you enter "walking" as a cardio exercise in MFP, it lets you specify x.x mph.

Here's where I get confused - If I walk at 3.5-4 mph, it is fast for walking, yes. But if I try to keep a pace of 3.5-4 mph on my elliptical, it is RUNNING. Seems a lot faster than walking the same speed.

I"m confused. What's the deal here? Am I missing something? I assume my elliptical speed measurement is accurate since it's calculated by the computer, and walking speed can be accurately measured by using distance walked and time spent walking, so......?


**This doesn't really matter much - I love running on my elliptical, and since it tells me how many calories I burn, I don't really care if the mph reading is accurate or not. But I'm curious if anyone can clarify this for me**

Replies

  • PrfctGdess
    PrfctGdess Posts: 257
    bump
  • lipt8611
    lipt8611 Posts: 60 Member
    This is just my opinion, but I would say because the two machines mimic different bodily motions they feel different. however, the speeds are calculated the same way. the motion you do on the elliptical works you "harder" and therefore is able to get your heart rate higher. (if you walk at 3.5-4 at a 10% incline, though, your heart rate would increase dramatically too)

    as a side note, please do not rely on the calories burnt from the machine. a HRM is much more reliable. I say this because I was doing the same thing for awhile and was drastically overreporting my calories burnt in MFP. I would eat back most of my calories, but as it turns out, I was eating over the amount that I actually burnt. For example, on the arc trainer machine, after an hour the machine would say I burnt about 950 calories (and I was sweaty and working hard) where my HRM would say I burnt about 550-600. Big difference!
  • samb
    samb Posts: 464 Member
    bump
  • PrfctGdess
    PrfctGdess Posts: 257
    lipt, I've wondered if my elliptical accurately calculates calories or not - hoping a HRM is coming for Mother's Day :) When I get one, I'll wear it when I workout and see how close the elliptical numbers are to the HRM calculations. How close was the MFP calculations to what your HRM tells you? For example, if you put in an hour on the arc trainer in MFP, did it tell you 550-600 calories or 950? Just curious how it compares.
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