Which type of Elliptical burns more calories?

jenniator
jenniator Posts: 475 Member
edited November 14 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone,

At the gym I go too there are two different type's of Ellipticals. One elliptical is the normal one, where the feet petals go in a circular motion. The other elliptical has the feet petals that go up and down, kind of like stairs. I was wondering which one would be the best for burning calories. They both have moving handle bars as well. I attached some pictures below so you guys could see the difference. Sorry that the pictures are really blurry and not as clear. The first one is the normal elliptical and the second picture is the one with the petals that go up and down. :)

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Replies

  • never2bstopped
    never2bstopped Posts: 438 Member
    One is a stair stepper I think.
  • jenniator
    jenniator Posts: 475 Member
    edited March 2015
    I think you might be right LOL! Gym equipment is such a foreign concept to me. I think they look identical beside the foot petals. My husband said it looked like a stair stepper, but I didn't think it was since I've never seen a stair stepper with moving handle bars. I looked up stair steppers and found one called a stair climber pedal-based climber and I think that might be it. But I wanted to hear other people's opinions first since I have no idea. :persevere:
  • SaintGiff
    SaintGiff Posts: 3,679 Member
    The one that you're not using because you're on a rower.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Your burn is going to have far more to do with your level of effort than what machine you are using...just pick one and rock 'n roll...
  • panda4153
    panda4153 Posts: 418 Member
    One is a climber, I forget the name but it is more of combo between a stair climber and an elliptical. I have used both, based on my HRM I burn about the same amount of calories. I like the climber because I can adjust my stride, and get a different type of workout. I wider slower stride is more like and elliptical, and shorter faster is more like stairs. Calorie burn is about the same, it really probably just depends which one you like better.
  • jenniator
    jenniator Posts: 475 Member
    panda4153 wrote: »
    One is a climber, I forget the name but it is more of combo between a stair climber and an elliptical. I have used both, based on my HRM I burn about the same amount of calories. I like the climber because I can adjust my stride, and get a different type of workout. I wider slower stride is more like and elliptical, and shorter faster is more like stairs. Calorie burn is about the same, it really probably just depends which one you like better.

    I think it is called a stair climber pedal-based climber. That's what I found when I searched for the name of it. :) Thank you so much for the information. I have tried both of them myself. I find the elliptical much more difficult than the stair climber pedal-based climber. On the stair climber pedal-based climber, it is a challenge, but not too difficult. On the elliptical I am literally dead and sweating so much. That's why I was curious about the calorie burn rate.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    The limit for cardio is you and not the machine.
    Do the one you enjoy or do a bit of both.
  • jenniator
    jenniator Posts: 475 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    The limit for cardio is you and not the machine.
    Do the one you enjoy or do a bit of both.

    Well I mean I do a hour of cardio 4-5 days a week. So I was wondering if one burned more than the other.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    jenniator wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    The limit for cardio is you and not the machine.
    Do the one you enjoy or do a bit of both.

    Well I mean I do a hour of cardio 4-5 days a week. So I was wondering if one burned more than the other.

    It depends how much effort you are putting in or can put in!
    You are driving the machine not vice versa.
  • jenniator
    jenniator Posts: 475 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    jenniator wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    The limit for cardio is you and not the machine.
    Do the one you enjoy or do a bit of both.

    Well I mean I do a hour of cardio 4-5 days a week. So I was wondering if one burned more than the other.

    It depends how much effort you are putting in or can put in!
    You are driving the machine not vice versa.

    I understand that but say if I put the same effort in both machines for a hour, will one burn more than the other or will the be about the same?
  • syedsaad
    syedsaad Posts: 156 Member
    When I checked the stair one was burning more calories .... but I used to mix
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    jenniator wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    jenniator wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    The limit for cardio is you and not the machine.
    Do the one you enjoy or do a bit of both.

    Well I mean I do a hour of cardio 4-5 days a week. So I was wondering if one burned more than the other.

    It depends how much effort you are putting in or can put in!
    You are driving the machine not vice versa.

    I understand that but say if I put the same effort in both machines for a hour, will one burn more than the other or will the be about the same?

    Can you sustain the same effort on both? If yes then any differences would be minimal.
  • robschwenck
    robschwenck Posts: 2 Member
    Sounds like the elliptical wiped you out. They both likely burn similar calories, but use different specific muscles to do it. I'd alternate for that reason alone.
  • whitebalance
    whitebalance Posts: 1,654 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    jenniator wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    jenniator wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    The limit for cardio is you and not the machine.
    Do the one you enjoy or do a bit of both.

    Well I mean I do a hour of cardio 4-5 days a week. So I was wondering if one burned more than the other.

    It depends how much effort you are putting in or can put in!
    You are driving the machine not vice versa.

    I understand that but say if I put the same effort in both machines for a hour, will one burn more than the other or will the be about the same?

    Can you sustain the same effort on both? If yes then any differences would be minimal.
    Second this. If you're putting in the same effort, you're burning the same amount. If I were using those machines, I would probably change it up like robschwenck suggests above.

    :| ... Well... in truth, that would last about 15 minutes, and then I'd mosey off to do something I like more.
  • ROBOTFOOD
    ROBOTFOOD Posts: 5,527 Member
    Same effort = same burn
  • Woodspoon
    Woodspoon Posts: 223 Member
    edited March 2015
    The top one is called an "Adaptive motion trainer", they have the same thing at my gym.
    No idea what that's meant to mean, but I wondered what the difference was as well so went to the manufacturers website to find out what it was, didn't really help much.

    precor.com/en-gb/commercial/products/amt-885-with-open-stride-adaptive-motion-trainer

    Honestly I think the only difference is just working different muscles in different ways.
This discussion has been closed.