Treadmills and elliptical trainers

Treadmills and elliptical trainers are two of the most common pieces of fitness equipment used. Let's look at why they are so popular and favored over other devices.

Treadmills have been around for quite some time and are used by beginners as well as a portion of an experienced athlete's workout. It is appealing because most people believe that they can handle 'walking' without going wrong. They don't have to learn new skills.

The elliptical is a newer piece of equipment and is overtaking the popularity of the treadmill. Advantages of the elliptical include working out the whole body (not just the legs) without the grinding impact on the feet and knees.

Are these machines comparable? How do you determine which piece of equipment is best for you?

Elliptical trainers

Elliptical trainers simulate jogging, but since the feet never leave the pedals, there is no jarring impact on the body. You can burn a lot of calories and your back, knees, hips and ankles don't pay the price for it. In contrast, on a treadmill, your feet are constantly hitting the surface with the force of two and one half times your body weight. Elliptical trainers are like running in air.

Elliptical trainers are ideal for older people and anyone that has had injuries that require low impact workouts. A whole generation of people that fall into this category is now looking at elliptical trainers as their primary workout equipment.

When running or  walking, the human body moves the feet and legs in an elliptical motion. This is duplicated on the elliptical machine giving the entire lower body a workout.

The added bonuses over treadmills is that at the same time, the elliptical motion machines can add the upper body to the workout though the use of moving handlebars. The dual handlebars add the motion of cross country skiing to the workout which means in the same amount of time that you work your legs and lower body, you can also tone your arms and upper body. Hence, a more efficient workout.

Treadmills

The most popular piece of fitness equipment is the treadmill. It is simple to use and gives a great cardiovascular workout by simulating walking, jogging, running, or hill climbing.

Running and waling are the two most popular forms of exercise. Treadmills can be setup to simulate casual walking to serious climbing to  meet your desired cardiovascular goals.