which is better? Intensity or Resistance?

kiawya
kiawya Posts: 73
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I LOVE the elliptical.. But which is the better workout?

Higher intensity or higher resistance?

So, would a 45 minute workout at level 4 with a faster speed be better, the same or worse then a 45 minute workout at higher resistance, and less speed?

I seem to burn about the same calories either way, and my heart rate is about the same too, so calories arent an issue, just which is better for my body?

Replies

  • serabee5
    serabee5 Posts: 89
    I prefer the higher resistance - it builds muscle which in turn burns fat :) win! win!
  • Mcctin65
    Mcctin65 Posts: 507 Member
    I change my constantly.. go fast, slow down. higher resistance then lower then back up.. depends on the song thats on at the time and how energetic I am! It's all good!
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    Both of you above my post are incredibly brave. the elliptical is my worst nightmare, I try to go for endurance, after a while for me it became a psychological thing and not a physical thing just to survive 45 minutes without getting off or killing someone nearby. For what it's worth, i start at level 8 and change intensity between 8 and 12 for the duration of the 45 minutes but maintain a constant 12 for the last 5 minutes, im one of those who believes in a strong finish.
  • 27strange
    27strange Posts: 837 Member
    I do the weight loss programs on my machine because the resistance level changes constantly and therefore so does my intensity and speed. If you don't have programs then I would do resistance in a stair step fashion, every couple of minutes increase the resistance by one. Once you get up to 8 or 9 or 10 or whatever then back back down to 3 or 4 and start your way up again. You could do this 4 times in 30 minutes.
  • tolygal
    tolygal Posts: 602 Member
    I prefer to go faster. However, I like to change up the resistence too because I like to work those muscles as much as possible. So I usually chose a random setting and try to keep the same speed the whole time (so I'm working even harder when the resistance jumps up). Sometimes I do intervals where I go super super fast for 60 seconds and then recover at a slower pace for 2 minutes, etc.

    As far as which is better? Well - as long as you're intensity is high, I don't think it really matters if you choose speed or resistance. Just make sure you're pushing yourself to a good overall intensity level. I got to where the machine was flashing at me for going too fast.... So I had to find a different way to increase my intensity (thus, increasing the resistance and running instead).
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