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Treadmill vs Elliptical Which is Better?

Published in December 16th, 2008
Posted in Aerobics

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Which exercise machine offers a better workout, the treadmill or the elliptical? Many opinions are out on this question. The treadmill is older styled exercise equipment and the elliptical is its newer version. The elliptical was basically designed as an improvement to the treadmill for various reasons. There is skepticism that one exercise machine offers a better cardio workout than the other but its entirely a personal opinion.

Treadmills have gained their popularity over the years because they offer the ability to run or walk indoors. If you are a jogger or walker and it is raining outside then you can stay inside and receive a similar workout as if you ran or walked outside.

Treadmills also offer less stress on your knees and lower legs as compared to exercising outdoors. The hard pavement pounds the knees and legs potentially causing problems and discomfort. The treadmill reduces the impact on your knees by offering some shock absorption.

Treadmills also have various workout programs that allow you to increase the difficulty of your exercises. You can incline the treadmill simulating running up a hill or you can speed up the treadmill for a faster jog. These different features are attractive features on the treadmill.

The drawback with a treadmill is the constant abuse they absorb from constant usage. People of all sizes, shapes, and weight use the treadmills which promote wear and tear on the belts. They need to be serviced often to ensure they continue functioning.

Treadmills are also a safety hazard to newbies. It is not uncommon for accidents to occur from gym members falling off the treadmill. Another disadvantage of the treadmill is there is still leg and knee abuse as compared to running outdoors. This problem never completely goes away it just reduces.

Elliptical trainers were designed with different workout features in mind. They take away the high impact stress on the legs and knees as compared to the treadmill. Once your feet are placed in the pedals of an elliptical machine, they never leave. This feature promotes a low impact exercise and eliminates knee and leg stress through pavement pounding.

The elliptical also offers an upper body workout. It offers you the opportunity to workout more muscles. You can workout your lower and upper body at the same time. With more muscle groups utilized during a workout, more calories are burned and you receive a more intense workout.

There are also less moving parts on an elliptical. With less moving parts, there is less maintenance required. With a reduced impact fewer malfunctions or machine problems will occur.

The drawback with an elliptical is the ease of use. Many people cannot seem to get comfortable with performing the exercise. The appearance and feel of the equipment deters people from getting the most out of the elliptical.

So if you are unsure which one is better, then it is entirely up to your preference. Some may feel like the treadmill offers a better workout for them while others may not. It is a personal decision.

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