Which one is better for me treadmill or elliptical?

Jennvandemark
Jennvandemark Posts: 179 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I love the elliptical and use the Crossramp elliptical 6 times a week for my cardio. I am on there for 35 mins with good resistance and work up a great sweat.

Lately when I look at the elliptical I think to myself "Not you again". So I have tried the stair master and well I believe that thing was invented by the devil :)

So I have been trying out the treadmill and I like it and think it would be a good break from the elliptical a few times a week.

But the real question is this am I getting just good of a work out on the treadmill as I am getting on the elliptical?

I get on the treadmill and do 35 mins and can get my heart rate up pretty good and work up a real nasty sweat. But I am only making it a 20 min mile. I walk at 3.0 for 2 mins and jog at 3.5 for 2 mins off and on for 35 mins. I know 3.0-3.5 is slow and most of you can walk faster then that but I weight 299 (started with MFP at 346) I am not embarrassed about how slow I move but wondering if I am getting a equal work out with the treadmill. I am trying to better my time and get the mile in sooner but its going to take time to build up to it.

So what do you guys think, am I getting a good enough cardio work out with the treadmill or am I wasting my time and should just go back to the elliptical?

Thanks for any help you able to offer me.

Replies

  • PJ64
    PJ64 Posts: 866 Member
    I'm NO expert and this is my personal experience. Treadmills are rough on your joints and less effort than regular running because they "kick" your leg by their movement

    Eliptical NO joint stress and you can get upper body work also

    BUT I fully get the boredom factor, also your body can adjust to it and burn less. have you tried interval walking? Wlak at a medium pace and then short 30 second to 1 minute bursts of fast walking or a light jog?
  • paulwgun
    paulwgun Posts: 439 Member
    I worked up my fitness on an elliptical as the treadmill was giving me shin pain, I then got fitted for proper running shoes and went back to the treadmill to do C25K, I then took my running outside and last Sunday ran a 10K

    Small steps at a time, the elliptical is kinder to your joints but depending on effort and resistance I think both are equally beneficial
  • stephsteph76
    stephsteph76 Posts: 54 Member
    I am the opposite. I love the treadmill and would work out on it for 30 minutes running at 5.5 to 6.0. Well I got sick of the treadmill and decided to use the elliptical for a change. The first week I could not stay on the elliptical for too long because I was working out muscles that I guess the treadmill does not work out. After a while, I began using the elliptical and feel in love. When I get bored with the treadmill I go to the elliptical and when I get tired of the elliptical I use the treadmill.

    I would use what machine you feel you get a good workout for that day. Good luck to you!!
  • HotCuppaJo
    HotCuppaJo Posts: 476 Member
    I change it up every once in a while, but I DO prefer the elliptical. I think I get a better burn and my arms are starting to really look toned, as well, because of it. I have bad hips, and I think my back/hips hurt less when I'm done w/ the elliptical, than when I get done w/ a 6 mile walk. BUT, it's really up to you. :)
  • Annette_rose
    Annette_rose Posts: 427 Member
    For one thing, you have done WONDERFUL with your weight loss!!!! I found that I kind of liked doing 15 minutes on the elliptical and then 15 on the treadmill. I am assuming you are going to a gym. I enjoyed spinning classes also, along with a class called "Sculpt and Burn". This is at our local Y. I get bored with one thing easily also.
  • Jennvandemark
    Jennvandemark Posts: 179 Member
    Thank you guys for all the response.

    So it looks like going in between the two will work out just fine.

    Since MFP tells me I burn more in 35 mins on the elliptical VS. 35 mins on the treadmill am I hurting my weight loss goal of 2 pounds a week but burning less on those 2 days of treadmill.

    Elliptical 722 burned
    treadmill 262 burned

    I know MFP over estimates calories burned but that is a big difference. I don't eat my exercise calories and stay with in my calorie limit.

    So I guess this is my real question.
  • high5girl
    high5girl Posts: 90 Member
    This is my opinion - I started on my WL journey in April and have been using the elliptical (sometimes DVDs like Zumba, 30DS but not often). I started on the treadmill but found that I wasn't getting as good of a workout in the same amount of time as I did on the elliptical. In 10 min on that thing I am already sweating like a crazy woman! Also with the elliptical I tend to push myself harder. It helps if you listen to music and pump yourself up. At least for me it does. Good luck!
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    Whatever it takes for you to work your heart rate up. It's cardio.

    If you get bored of the elliptical, switch it out with something else. Maybe try some lifting every other day for variety and toning. But the treadmill, jumprope, running in place, bicycling or stationary bicycle, swimming, getting outside and running for real, whatever gets your heart rate up is good.
  • Cschwarze45
    Cschwarze45 Posts: 9 Member
    The important thing is to just keep moving! Get your heart rate up, sweat, work toward a worthy goal. The more you enjoy it, the more likely you are to come back tomorrow for more. If you feel you need some variety, rotate in the other equipment.
    We all have our favorite form of exercise, and there will always be someone ready to tell you (me), that it's not the best things we could be doing. Evaluate your progress, and go forward.
  • MNA76
    MNA76 Posts: 1,541
    I hear you. I started around where you are now. Here are a few things that I've been doing to mix up my routine:

    On the elliptical, I do intervals. I do light resistance for 2 minutes, then high resistance for two minutes. After awhile, I started alternating between going backwards and forwards.

    On the treadmill, I warm up by walking backwards (at a slower pace) on an incline. Then I turn around and alternate between walking at 4 mph for 3 minutes and walking on incline at 3.5 mph for 3 minutes. Try not to hold on to the treadmill. It lessens the effectiveness of your work out.

    This has helped me break up my routine and make the time pass quicker. I also alternate days between weight training with light cardio and days of intense cardio. I recommend gradually increasing your resistance/speed/time each time it starts to feel easy to keep your body from completely adapting.

    Hope this helps.
  • marieautumn
    marieautumn Posts: 928 Member
    the elliptical is a better burn, therefor its harder. i wish i could really kick butt on the elliptical, but really it kicks my butt. i use the treadmill and stairmasters, which sucks because i dont burn as much as i would on the elliptical.
    i'd say keeps building your strength on the elliptical and allow yourself one day a week break and use the treadmill.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    If calorie burn is a major issue get a heart rate monitor to make the numbers more accurate for both, that way you're making your decision based on better information.

    Assuming there's no significant difference (and you're not experiencing shin or knee pain on the treadmill) between the two I'd say mix them up to vary your workouts.

    Have you started doing any strength training yet? A little bit goes a long way towards complimenting your cardio (injury resistance, increased bone density etc)
  • Edwin_S
    Edwin_S Posts: 440 Member
    I dislike my treadmill. Ellipticals are great!
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  • mcrowe1016
    mcrowe1016 Posts: 647 Member
    I love the treadmill. It is much easier to customize to the workouts I want to do. I can walk, run, jog or walk up steep inclines.

    The treadmill burns more calories for me becuse I push myself hard on it. It is really hard for me to get my HR up to the 90% range on the elliptical (which I do on the treadmill during HIIT).

    What is also nice about the treadmill is that it translates to other more pratical areas as well. The ellipitical is an unnatural motion that will not benefit you beyond burning calories. The treadmill gets my body a good workout using activities that I use in real life. In otherwords, hiking is a lot easier if I had been on the treadmill every day before the hike rather than the elliptical.

    I used to only do elliptical, and now I just can't enjoy myself on one. To each his own, and either way you are getting a good work out in.

    Also - I look bada$$ running all out on the treadmill.
  • Jennvandemark
    Jennvandemark Posts: 179 Member
    Yes I do strength training 6 times a week about 30 mins a day rotating upper body and lower body.

    I am waiting on the heart rate monitor til I hit my next mini goal (28 more pounds to lose) but have been shopping around already and don't think I will be able to wait for that reward.

    I already do intervals on the elliptical (resistance is set at 12 and incline set at 10) so the elliptical moves from anywhere between 5-12 for 30 mins and I do half the work out moving the feet backwards.

    So I get what you guys are telling me. Its okay to switch things up I am not going to hurt my progress.

    Thank you MFP folks you guys are the BEST and make this weight loss adventure just that much better.
  • stevewardfilm
    stevewardfilm Posts: 3
    Are you using an elliptical with a calorie read out? I use a LifeFitness model and it allows me to put in my weight and monitors my heart rate. While it's still an estimate, and it doesn't factor in that according to some stuff I've read, men burn more calories than women (so the machine seems to give me a read out half way between a male and female estimate), the machine is still much, much more accurate than MFP's.

    I've had the machine tell me I've burned around 600, while the app has me breaking 1000. While I'd love to believe the app so I can eat a giant steak when I get home from the gym, I think the machine is far more accurate. 100cal per 10mins seems to be my average.

    Also, that's a brutal resistance/incline. Good freakin' work.

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