!#7# Elliptical Trainer vs Treadmill - Which One is Better?

!±8± Elliptical Trainer vs Treadmill - Which One is Better?

If you are planning to buy an exercise machine for your home, you may be wondering which one to buy with so many varieties available. Often the choices boil down to a treadmill or an elliptical trainer, as these are the most basic and easy-to-use exercise machines of all. However, before buying either of these two, you may want to know which one is better. Let us study the differences between these two excellent exercise machines and try to find it out.

Type of exercises

On a treadmill you can either walk, jog, or run. In case of elliptical trainer you will be kind of walking or jogging in mid air while exercising your arms along with it. Walking and running are definitely the best possible exercises that help you build up stamina, develop your bones, strengthen leg muscles and of course burn calories. The unique exercise in elliptical trainer however will help you achieve all these with less effort.

Body parts exercised

In case of treadmill, you are exercising only your lower body parts however, in an elliptical trainer, 30% of the upper body parts are also exercised. In case of elliptical trainer, you are also working out your arms and shoulders with a motion that simulates cross-country skiing.

Impact on joints

When you are using a treadmill, the impact on your knees and joints are definitely less than when you jog on road. Elliptical trainers almost eliminate impact on knees and joints, as in this case you are never leaving the pedals.

Varieties

Treadmills offers walking and running and there are not many variations besides. You can of course vary the resistance or adjust slopes. However, ultimately, you are working out the exact same muscles in every exercise in different degrees. In elliptical trainer there are two different kinds of workouts that you can do by simply reversing the way you were exercising. While pedaling forward, you are exercising different muscles than when you are pedaling backward.

These are the major differences between a treadmill and an elliptical trainer. Before buying either, you can probably join a gym for a month and use both the machines to see which one is more suited to your needs.