Treadmill
vs Elliptical
VS 
Are
you ready to buy a home fitness machine and can't decide between
an treadmill vs elliptical trainer?
I
know I had some debate of my own (and with my wife) when we were
looking for a new cardio machine when we moved into our most recent
home a couple years ago...
I
was all red-hot to get one of the new treadmills (the Sole
F85) and was ready to make a purchase online, until my wife
put an end to my dream by outright rejecting the idea without
so much as apologizing for it.
She
did have a defensible position when she dug her heels in and refused
to hear my argument about a getting a treadmill vs an elliptical,
as she has some nagging shin splint issues, and an old neck injury
that acts up under heavy stress and repetitive impact.
Can
you guess if we bought a treadmill, or an elliptical?...
Treadmill
vs Elliptical Function and Performance Comparisons
Compare
the strengths and weaknesses of treadmills and ellipticals in
the following categories for easy comparison:
Calorie
Burning
I hate to say it, but I'm sick and tired of answering this question!
You wouldn't believe how many emails I get wondering if a treadmill
burns more calories than an elliptical.
Here's
my simple answer, "There's not enough of a difference to
lose any sleep over!"
If
you want to burn more calories, work harder when you exercise!
That's my million dollar secret for the ages...
Advantage
- Neither
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Cost
Both treadmills and elliptical have a wide price range, starting
at around $200 and going up to over $4000.
The
nice thing about elliptical trainers is you can get a pretty decent
machine for under $1000 that will serve you for many years. With
a treadmill, I wouldn't even consider buying a treadmill for under
$1000 for any type of running, or you're asking for problems (there
are a few exceptions - see best
treadmills for my picks).
Advantage
- Elliptical Trainer
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Durability
Trying to predict reliability between ellipticals and treadmills
is more difficult due to the fact that quality and reliability
vary greatly among manufacturers and price ranges.
As
a general rule, elliptical trainers have a smaller chance of breaking
down due to the fact that there is less stress and impact on the
components of the machine.
Advantage
- Elliptical Trainer
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Chance
of Injury
Unlike what most people think, there is a chance getting injured
on an elliptical trainer, especially in your ankles and Achilles
tendon due to the unique motion of the machines (you lessen this
risk on better machines with better ergonomics).
Treadmills
have a much higher incidence of injury for the simple fact that
exercising on a treadmill is a higher impact activity. You can
greatly reduce your chance of injury by warming up properly and
building up the intensity of your workouts slowly so your body
can adjust.
Advantage
- Elliptical Trainer
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Space
Requirements
Treadmills and ellipticals both require a fair amount of dedicated
floor space to use, there are exceptions to this fact, but I'll
assume you're looking for a quality treadmill or elliptical and
not some rinky-dink piece of junk.
Most
treadmill manufacturers make good folding treadmill models that
will help free up floor space when not in use, so the actual floor
space of a treadmill can be quite small except for when you're
actually using it.
As
a general rule, elliptical trainers are quite large and do not
fold away for storage as they have fixed stride length rails and
a large flywheel.
Advantage
- Treadmill
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Warranty
Warranties on elliptical trainers and treadmills vary substantially
between manufacturers and individual models, and range from 90
days on budget equipment, all the way up to lifetime warranties
on club quality equipment.
Advantage
- Neither
Resale
Treadmills have enjoyed a loyal following for years and have a
higher perceived value than elliptical trainers, but that's slowly
changing as ellipticals become more mainstream and gain acceptance.
Advantage
- Treadmill
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Treadmill
vs Elliptical - Which is right for you?
I
won't pretend to know your unique situation, so I won't tell you
what to do, you'll have to come to that decision on your own when
you assess your wants, needs, budget, space requirements and workout
goals.
go
to treadmill reviews, best
treadmill, treadmill guide
go
to elliptical trainer
reviews, best elliptical,
elliptical trainer guide
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