Elliptical Vs. Treadmill

The elliptical and the treadmill are the two most popular pieces of exercise equipment, but if you’re trying to decide which one to invest in here’s all you need to know.

Elliptical

No impact

The number one benefit of an elliptical over a treadmill is there’s no impact. When you’re running (either outside or on a treadmill), every step means you’re placing stress on your joints and up your back and can risk damaging your knees and ankles. With the elliptical your feet never leave the platform so you’re getting all the workout and benefits of running but you’re not slamming the weight of your body down with every step.

This also means you’re less prone to accidents too. Since your feet never leave the platforms it’s much harder to fall off this machine whereas if you land wrong on a treadmill you could do some serious damage to yourself.

Working out legs and arms

The treadmill is great at stimulating the workout you get from running, but that’s about all it does. With the elliptical you’re not only working your legs out but your arms too. Because you’re pumping your arms, this means you’re not only burning off more calories and increasing your cardiovascular workout but you’re toning your arms at the same time.

Quieter

If you’re looking for a machine for your home the elliptical is the more practical of the two machines. They tend to take up slightly less room than the treadmills. Due to the fact they’re not an impact piece of equipment, this also means they’re a bit quieter too, and because they’re quieter, it means you can hear any other noises in the house like phones or door bells or even the television.

Adaptability

The elliptical also offers a wider workout scope. You can change the stride or go backwards which is not something that’s advisable or safe on a treadmill.

Treadmill

More intense cardiovascular workout

When it comes to a good intense workout nothing quite beats the treadmill. Although you can work up a sweat on the elliptical, the treadmill will usually get a higher heart rate much quicker and offer a more intense cardiovascular workout. We’ve all heard the term ‘runners high’ when the endorphins the body releases when running gives you that extra push to keep going and a natural high. Although any form of exercise will encourage the body to release endorphins, there’s a reason it’s called a ‘runners high’ and not a ‘elliptical high’.

More suited to training

For anyone who is serious about running there isn’t going to be any substitute for the treadmill. With some treadmills offering speeds of up to 12 miles an hour, they’re a necessity for anyone who runs regularly or enters marathons or runs competitively. They offer the body the chance to go for a real run without the dangers of running outside in the cold and dark, and because they’re cushioned, they offer less chance of impact damage than running outside too.

More social

If you can run on a treadmill, you can run anywhere; next time you’ve got a spare sunny Sunday afternoon you could go for a run round your local park. You could also enter fun runs or a marathon, which means your running could become more social especially if you were to join a running club. There are very few elliptical clubs out there or elliptical charity runs, and you can’t take your elliptical down the part next time you’ve got some nice weather.

At the end of the day it’s going to be down to personal preference and what you’re looking to achieve. If you’re new to exercise then you’re probably going to be more suited to the elliptical. If you’re getting over a sporting injury the elliptical is also more appropriate. If you’re looking to do some serious training or you want to increase your endurance levels then the treadmill is more suitable. Either way it’s important not to push your body into doing anything that doesn’t feel right, and if anything starts to hurt, it’s essential that you stop right away.

For a competitive selection of ellipticals and treadmills visit JTX Fitness to get help and advice and make sure you make the right choice.

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