Treadmills vs Elliptical Trainers – Which One Is Better?

Two of the most popular pieces of exercise equipment on the market are the treadmill and the elliptical trainer. While treadmills are still the #1 exercise equipment on the market, elliptical trainers are gaining ground quickly, and the quality of elliptical trainers has come a long way in a short period of time.

When comparing treadmills vs elliptical trainers, one of the most striking differences is how impact free the elliptical trainer is compared to the treadmill. The elliptical trainer provides no impact on the ground; therefore the joints in the lower body do not suffer the strains that often occur with running or walking on a treadmill.

On the other hand, the serious runner or jogger may prefer the superior workout experience provided by a treadmill. When comparing treadmills vs elliptical trainers it is important to take their intended use into account. Those training for a marathon or similar event will most likely prefer the more realistic running experience only a quality treadmill can provide.

If simulating running or walking isn’t that important to you, an elliptical trainer provides an excellent cardiovascular workout with a great amount of efficiency. An elliptical trainer with dual action handlebars is able to provide a total body workout, while the treadmill focuses on working the lower body primarily (although you can work the upper body some on a treadmill if you carry weights and swing your arms while walking).

In addition, according to the results of several recent studies, users of elliptical trainers were able to burn roughly the same amount of calories as treadmill users with the impression of using considerably less effort. This perception of a more effortless workout is probably due to the low impact nature of elliptical trainers.

This is one of the reasons why elliptical trainers have been so popular with the elderly and those with knee problems, and why many physical trainers prefer to use elliptical trainers in their rehabilitation practices. In the fight of treadmills vs elliptical trainers, the newer elliptical trainers definitely have a number of important advantages.

When comparing treadmills vs elliptical trainers, it is important to look at the variety of workouts they provide. With a treadmill, the main variety comes with changing the incline and speeding up or slowing down the speed of the workout. With an elliptical trainer, not only can the incline and intensity be adjusted but the dual action handlebars can add variety to the upper body workout as well.

Another advantage of elliptical trainers is that the foot pedals feature forward and reverse motion. When in forward motion, the elliptical trainer can accurately simulate cross country skiing, but when the motion is reversed an entirely different lower body workout can be achieved. This reverse motion helps to target the quadriceps muscles, something that is difficult to achieve on a treadmill or other exercise machines.

One area to be aware of when comparing treadmills vs elliptical trainers is the price. While the price of a quality treadmill ranges in price from $1,000 to $2,000 - the same quality elliptical trainer can be found in the $600 to $1,400 price range.

Not only are elliptical trainers generally less expensive than treadmills, studies have found no significant difference in the quality of workout provided by elliptical trainers of vastly different prices. One recent study by the University of Mississippi tested four elliptical trainers, ranging in price from $200 to $600. All four machines were surprisingly similar at providing a quality workout, and all four provided a challenging yet comfortable workout to study participants. The workout provided was equal in intensity to running an 11½ minute mile!

So while treadmills have been all the rage for quite some time, elliptical trainers certainly have their advantages and are giving the treadmill a run for its money. The bottom line is, both of these machines provide superb cardiovascular workouts and in the final analysis of comparing treadmills vs elliptical trainers, it really comes down to personal preference. You won’t go wrong with either machine so pick one that provides the most comfortable workout for you!