Treadmill or Elliptical, which benefits best to the body?

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  • Manly_hood
    Manly_hood Posts: 83 Member
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    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.
  • leahkathleen13
    leahkathleen13 Posts: 272 Member
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    Elliptical, great for the butt and arms. Running: awesome for endurance and all over workout. I love my elliptical!
  • treehopper1987
    treehopper1987 Posts: 505 Member
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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.
  • wilsoncl6
    wilsoncl6 Posts: 1,280 Member
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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.
  • MomGotHerSexyBackOnKeto
    MomGotHerSexyBackOnKeto Posts: 4 Member
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    ModernRock wrote: »
    eldamiano wrote: »
    Treadmills. Probably useful if roads hadnt been invented....

    Some people only have a regular chance to run when their young kids are in bed. Child Protective Services generally frowns upon leaving them alone to go for a run.

    :p
  • hamptontom
    hamptontom Posts: 536 Member
    edited April 2016
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    snowflake954 wrote: »
    eldamiano wrote: »
    ModernRock wrote: »
    eldamiano wrote: »
    Treadmills. Probably useful if roads hadnt been invented....

    Some people only have a regular chance to run when their young kids are in bed. Child Protective Services generally frowns upon leaving them alone to go for a run.

    #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. :)
  • robs_ready
    robs_ready Posts: 1,488 Member
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    Epileptic trainer better for joints, burns roughly the same amount of calories
  • NaturalNancy
    NaturalNancy Posts: 1,093 Member
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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.
  • sarabushby
    sarabushby Posts: 784 Member
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    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.
  • lavrn03
    lavrn03 Posts: 235 Member
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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!
  • arussell134
    arussell134 Posts: 463 Member
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    Well, as a runner - I do love my treadmill! However, when I was sidelined last year with a knee injury, my P/T told me that the elliptical would do very well to help keep up my endurance, without the impact. So I did find myself some days opting for the elliptical. I will say, with any cardio machine, you get what you put into it. Putting the treadmill at 0.0 incline and a speed of 2.0 is probably not going to give you a great cardio burn. You can also make the elliptical an easy walk in the park or an intense workout.
  • coalz
    coalz Posts: 308 Member
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    Running in general is really hard on the body. Elliptical will eliminate the shock impact factor on your bones& joints & encourages upper body work out. I try to walk outside a lot but will also walk on treadmills. Had a trainer once tell me the best machine is actually the stairmaster. I normally force myself to do at least 5 minutes on the death machine lol!
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    coalz wrote: »
    Running in general is really hard on the body.

    Not really any harder on the body than anything else, if one is doing it properly. It's easy to run badly though, hence people injuring themselves through too much, too soon, or not complimenting running with something else like cycling or strength training.

    Material point is, don't just do one thing...
  • texasf1ght
    texasf1ght Posts: 70 Member
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    Don't forget that you can do more than just running on a treadmill. You can walk on a steep incline, side shuffle, etc.
  • JackieMonstra
    JackieMonstra Posts: 11 Member
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    Yes, I always make it fun and try to kill calories lol
  • JackieMonstra
    JackieMonstra Posts: 11 Member
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    Thank you, this was very helpful to me. I Will change my cardio up and do more training. I'll take advantage and run across the street to the park and run some laps.
  • magnusblikstad
    magnusblikstad Posts: 3 Member
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    Elliptical if something is aching. Otherwise treadmill and only if outside is out of the question. Cardio is cardio unless you're looking for some specific training. Example would be training for a Spartan. Then you'd need the treadmill up high on a slope if you have no hills near you.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    the one that will benefit the body the best is...

    the one you enjoy doing and will use consistently

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