Treadmill or Elliptical, which benefits best to the body?
JackieMonstra
Posts: 11 Member
I've been told that the treadmill makes the butt small, but burns calories like crazy and that the elliptical helps you tone up. I have both, well not exactly. I have the elliptical at home and the treadmill is right across the street in the park gym. What do you recommend best? Anyone here whose experienced in both machines..
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Cardio is cardio. Exercise effects and benefits come mostly from intensity and duration, not modality.
Cardio is not a substitute for resistance training.0 -
I'm doing 30-45 min of cardio 5 times a week. I can hang more on the treadmill than I can on the elliptical. I also lift a little, I just started with 5 pounds ha! Something is better than nothing, I also started a squat challenge so I'll see how that goes. I just thought that maybe the ellipticall would help me tone my legs up since I find it harder to do.0
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If you're talking about one of those everyday squat challenges I would stop that immediately. You should never resistance train the same muscle back to back like that. That's a lot of cardio but if you really like it then that's fine I won't get into a cardio argument here. Neither one will "tone" you as that comes from resistance training like Azdak has already said. If you really want to "tone" you should focus more on lifting and do less cardio.0
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I like the elliptical more. Find it easier to do while watching a movie, youtube, music rather than just staring at the machine or wall while doing it. Also doing a course is fun too.
Healthy mix of cardio and weights is the best route.0 -
Thanks0
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Elliptical0
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Elliptical0
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I have a treadmill and sometimes it's like watching paint dry so I'm hoping to buy an Elliptical soon to get a better workout..0
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JackieMonstra wrote: »I've been told that the treadmill makes the butt small, but burns calories like crazy and that the elliptical helps you tone up. I have both, well not exactly. I have the elliptical at home and the treadmill is right across the street in the park gym. What do you recommend best? Anyone here whose experienced in both machines..
Depends on your objectives, but both are utterly turgid so I'd question whether using them is sustainable.
What I'd suggest is using a more structured programme of resistance and CV training as both types of training have complimentary benefits.
Bluntly, if you have a park opposite you, then go for a real run...0 -
chelseafxx wrote: »that's a lot of cardio ...
Barely...
But the material point is, CV work alone will not give you the outcomes you want
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Treadmills. Probably useful if roads hadnt been invented....0
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JackieMonstra wrote: »I just thought that maybe the ellipticall would help me tone my legs up since I find it harder to do.
That's just soreness from using your body in a new way. The elliptical won't do any better of a job at building muscle than the treadmill, which is to say they don't in any measurable way. Any "toning" is the result of losing fat to reveal existing muscle. Whether one burns more calories on one or the other all depends on intensity/speed.0 -
ModernRock wrote: »
#overreaction0 -
ModernRock wrote: »
#overreaction
Do you have children?0 -
ModernRock wrote: »
#overreaction
LOL. If this were a treadmill vs outside thread my vote would be treadmill.
But since it's a treadmill vs elliptical thread, my vote is treadmill. My feet get weirdly tingly if I spend any length of time on the elliptical (and yes I have tried loosening my laces). And the elliptical gives me inflated calorie burns. Otoh, the elliptical is there for me when my knees are bothering me.
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For me, it's easier to work harder on the treadmill - so I think it's a better workout. If you can run outside though, that's probably even better and definitely more fun.0
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I have an elliptical, but miss the treadmill. I live in a city that is flat, so it would be nice if I could do some "hills"0
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goldthistime wrote: »ModernRock wrote: »
#overreaction
LOL. If this were a treadmill vs outside thread my vote would be treadmill.
But since it's a treadmill vs elliptical thread, my vote is treadmill. My feet get weirdly tingly if I spend any length of time on the elliptical (and yes I have tried loosening my laces). And the elliptical gives me inflated calorie burns. Otoh, the elliptical is there for me when my knees are bothering me.
There's a reason for this- Some nerve on the underside of your foot is pinched, as your feet never lift up.
To get rid of the tingles, try pedaling backwards for a few minutes.
OP, treadmill all the way. You're not building muscle doing either machine.1 -
Elliptical I recommend. Treadmill can burn bit more calories however elliptical help the whole body workout. Treadmill will cause knee damages in future however crosstrainers are more safe.0
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Elliptical, great for the butt and arms. Running: awesome for endurance and all over workout. I love my elliptical!0
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I find I burn more on the treadmill with my HRM, but it is harder on my knees. I go back and forth between the two pieces of equipment to keep me interested. If you like one over the other, then by all means use it.0
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I like elliptical to a point simply because I can change the level of resistance on it. You can't do that with a treadmill, it's either faster or slower. Changing the incline on it only increases your heart rate. Try doing elliptical on setting 18 in reverse for 40 minutes and your quads will feel like rubber. I actually prefer the AMT Free Motion machines better than either because it sort of combines the best of a treadmill, stair stepper and elliptical allowing you to really get those muscles burning. I don't know what you mean by "toning" because only weight loss is going to do that. You're never going to see the definition in your legs until you cut the fat off of them and no exercise is going to cut fat on it's own.0
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snowflake954 wrote: »ModernRock wrote: »
#overreaction
Do you have children?
considering the twelve hours' worth of crickets since your question, i think you got your answer.
possibly the most futile pursuit in the history of civilization is trying to convey the responsibilities of parenthood to someone without kids. if you ain't there, you don't know. and you can protest the degree of your empathy until you're blue in the face - but until you're completely and unavoidably responsible for the full well-being of another human being, it ain't gonna sink in.
having said that, i'm all in for the elliptical. a lot of folks find any kind of cardio boring, and that's fine...but from a boredom perspective, i don't really know how one can be more boring than the other - since they both involve being stationary on one or the other for a period of time.
i do an hour on the elliptical at least 3 times a week, anywhere from 6.5 to 7 miles per session - i've got earbuds, there's TV, i can listen to music, watch Netflix...in other words, anything I could do sitting on the sofa, I can do on the elliptical - within reason, that is.
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Epileptic trainer better for joints, burns roughly the same amount of calories0
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I would say switch off.
I personally don't like the elliptical.
Treadmill is great when I put the incline up and I get a good workout.0 -
Treadmill is great for doing speedwork training, there's loads of ways to structure your workout so you don't get bored, all sorts of different intervals, pyramids, progression runs etc. A quick Google search should find you enough workouts to try that'll stop boredom for many weeks to come.0
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Do both! If you are doing cardio 5x week switch it up. I did this and lost 60lbs! I started on treadmill at 20 min/miles no incline. Now I can jog a 10min/miles and power walk 13.5min/miles. No matter which you use DONT do steady state cardio! Mix up the intensity every few mins....speed, incline or resistance! You will gain more in regard to your endurance and push yourself more therefore burn more during your workout and after.
100% start strength training as well. Find a simple program to start with Dumbbells. 3x week. You can even cut down on a day of cardio to do it. Better for you in the long run.
Good luck!0
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