An indoor gym might sometimes lead you to a discussion about what might be a suitable exercise machine for you. For this purpose, the elliptical and treadmill are both cardiovascular machines, but are chosen under different factors. If you are wondering which is the right option for weight loss, you are at the right place. Let’s have a look at their differences between elliptical vs treadmill and see what they have to offer us. Have a look at the blog.
Understanding the Elliptical Machine
Elliptical machines, also known as X-trainers, are a type of stationary cardiovascular machine. It combines the movement of walking, climbing, running, and cycling. The machine contains the pedals and plates. When you put your feet on the pedals, it automatically produces the natural elliptical movements, which further drive the machine’s motion. Some of these machines even have hand bars, which create the upper body movement as well.
Types of Elliptical Machine
Standard Elliptical Trainers: This is the traditional type of elliptical trainer that first came in. It is quite simple to use, as it comes with foot pedals to stand and immovable handlebars at the front. This only allows your lower body, such as your glutes and quads, to function.
Front Drive Elliptical Trainers: This type of elliptical machine has the flywheel at the front part, which spins with the motion of the users. This gives the user a little bounce while exercising to create the inclination.
Rear Drive Elliptical Trainer: Unlike front-drive elliptical trainers, rear-drive trainers have the flywheel at the back of the user. They are more comfortable and stable and give a more direct path for the movement, reducing the risk of joint strains.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Elliptical Machine
The following are the pros and cons of elliptical machines:
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Low-impact exercise machine | Requires a lot of space, especially the rear drive elliptical trainer, as it has the flywheel at the back. |
| Low risk of muscle strains and injury as your feet become in sync with the pedal movement. | Expensive gym machine |
| Some of the elliptical machines also come with handlebars that promote upper-body movement as well. | |
| Different exercise programs, such as walking, running, and ascending a steep slope |
Understanding the Treadmill
The treadmill is one of the popular gym machines. It has a belt on its surface, usually controlled by the motor, on which an individual can do running or walking exercises. For people who look for safe and controlled exercises, treadmills are for them.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Treadmills
The following are the advantages and disadvantages of the treadmills that you need to know:
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Adjustable speed to match your pace | No upper body movement |
| Convenient storage as they are foldable. | Unlike the ellipticals, there are chances of falling and experiencing injuries. |
| Some of them have advanced features such as pulse rate and step counters. | |
| Targets lower body movement | |
| High-impact cardio |
Difference Between Elliptical vs Treadmill
Now that we are aware of the ellipticals and treadmills, let’s see how they differ from each other in the given table:
| Features | Elliptical | Treadmill |
| Type of Exercise | Low-impact cardio | High-impact cardio |
| Muscle Movements | Upper and lower body both | Lower body |
| Calorie Burn | Burns fewer calories than a treadmill | Burns more calories in a short time |
| Safety | More safe as your feet remain on the pedals | Risk of falling |
| Storage | Requires more space | Requires less space |
| Suitability | Joint protection | Makes bones stronger as they bear the body’s own weight |
Final Verdict
To sum it up, whether to opt for elliptical or treadmills, this has been a popular debate among gym enthusiasts. But let me simplify this for you. Both of these are cardiovascular machines. The elliptical machines are used for low-impact exercise that is gentle on the joints and muscles, whereas the treadmills are only used for the high-impact lower-body movement. This simply impacts the number of calories burned during the exercise.
I hope you now have a detailed understanding of elliptical vs treadmill machines.
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