Elipitical machine or treadmill

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lamaemay
lamaemay Posts: 6 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have treadmill and considering eliptical. Do you get just as good of workout, is it really easier on joints, anything negative about them?

Replies

  • joanie152
    joanie152 Posts: 159 Member
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    It all depends - do you run or walk on the treadmill? Mixing up the cardio is always a good idea anyway.

    The elliptical is a good workout, easy on the joints etc - You get a good workout if you put in the effort on the elliptical - ie higher speed or resistance...
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
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    I like the treadmill but the elliptical is easier on my knees. You can get a good burn from either one though.
  • ghsamia
    ghsamia Posts: 18 Member
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    Mixing up your cardio is best, so your body has to keep adjusting. For me, the elliptical hurts my knees if I stay on for extended times. I think a lot of people say it is better on the joints than jogging, but not for me. Mix it all up, and you will get the most out of your workouts. :happy:
  • Seanb_us
    Seanb_us Posts: 322 Member
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    I love the elliptical. At the gym, I do 45-60 minutes alternating between 17 and 20 out of 20 for resistance. However, it does not translate well to real-world exercises like ... jogging. I find the continuous hammering of jogging, especially on hard surfaces (tarmac, treadmills, etc) to be uncomfy. Is there any way for me to make this comfy?

    Anyway, doing both sounds like a great idea, even though I mostly do elliptical.

    Cheers,

    Sean
  • Mgrogers09
    Mgrogers09 Posts: 61 Member
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    I would agree with megsmom-- if you have joint issues or problems running then the elliptical is where its at. When i started and was heavier i started with the elliptical to burn the cals off and lose some of that weight- i wanted to run but it just wasn't efficient enough. Now that I have shed some weight running is not nearly as hard (and even fun...sometimes) . The only difference i think is that unless you are doing a high resistance on the elliptical (which i suggest) you build more muscle running.
  • memmers
    memmers Posts: 112
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    i love the elipticial, it is easier on the joints, you can have the speed of jogging without hurting your knees!
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    They're both good machines. I find it a bit harder to get my heart rate up on the elliptical because the motion is slightly awkward for me. At the gym, I like to do High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on the treadmill, followed by steady state exercise on the elliptical.
  • wackyfunster
    wackyfunster Posts: 944 Member
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    From a health standpoint, elliptical is superior (very low impact).
    If you are training for a marathon, or want to become a better runner, the treadmill will be better.
    From a fitness perspective, there is no real difference.
  • Seanb_us
    Seanb_us Posts: 322 Member
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    Do either the treadmill or the elliptical really build any muscle? I though exercise bikes were the only cardio equipment that built muscle?

    Sean
  • lamaemay
    lamaemay Posts: 6 Member
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    Thank you to eve.ryone for your comments. You answered my questions. Thanks again

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