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Treadmill Vs. Elliptical – which one would be the best for your workouts?
Is the treadmill truly superior to the elliptical? Or is it the other way around?
If you are deciding which machine is the best one for you, you may want to consider what muscles are primarily worked and if there is any danger to either machine. The treadmill Vs. the elliptical might be what you want, but do your research and figure out which is best for you.
The elliptical motion is similar to running and cross country skiing. A treadmill however, is only for walking or running. The Elliptical uses the arms and the legs, so it is more of a whole body workout than the treadmill. The elliptical motion glides and is a mixture of running, climbing and cross country skiing. One advantage of the elliptical is that the directions can change from forward to backward. Don’t count the treadmill out, while it may not work as many muscles as the elliptical is is best for those who are not currently physically active or who are starting at a less experienced level.
The Muscles that the Treadmill Works
Workouts on a treadmill primarily work the legs and don’t work out as much of the body as the elliptical. Treadmills can increase the incline making the workout on the legs more intense than that of the elliptical. The treadmill works the heart muscle and muscles found in the legs, such as hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes and the calf muscles.
The Muscles that the Elliptical Works
The elliptical works the heart muscle and respiratory system. Muscles in the rest of the body are also worked. Since the elliptical gives a full body workout, more muscles are worked in the arms and legs. Though the primary muscles that are being worked are muscles found in the legs- hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps and calf muscles- the heart and the lungs.
Impact on Your Joints
Running on a treadmill is similar to running on a sidewalk. Joints can get impacted while running and the risk of injury is increased on a treadmill. Making sure that good shoes are worn can help reduce the risk of injury. On an elliptical the feet remain stationary on the pads so there is no impact on the joints.
The risk of injury or harming the joints is dramatically reduced whereas the treadmill does impact the joints. You can help to reduce the impact on your joints during a treadmill workout if you use a treadmill that has a cushioned running surface. While many older models do not have cushioning almost all new models have good cushioning and when you read over the product description it will tell you what type of cushioning it uses and also how much less joint impact you will have due to the cushioning.
Calories being burned
If you think that because working out on a treadmill Vs. elliptical is slightly harder that you are burning more calories. This is incorrect. It takes the same amount of time on both the treadmill and elliptical to burn 100 or 1000 calories.
It all depends on the programs that you use, the product’s incline or decline and how much energy you put into your workout. While you may see charts or graphs that show that one piece of fitness equipment burns more calories than the other, it will really depend on how much you enjoy using your equipment.
If you don’t enjoy your workout you won’t put your heart & soul into it and you will also find yourself skipping workouts. So while an elliptical trainer workout may involve more muscle groups if find that an elliptical workout is too strenuous for you it’s best to go with a treadmill. Then as you get more fit you can increase your incline and start using the more advanced programs. Some of the interval training programs for the treadmill as very strenuous and rival any elliptical machine workout.
If you are looking for something more similar to running you may want to get a treadmill since it is running and the elliptical is more similar to cross country skiing. But the elliptical does work out more muscles in your body and doesn’t impact your joints as much. But both are great workout machines that will make you healthier.
Working out at home compared to a gym membership
You may think that in order for you to exercise you need to be a member at a gym. Though being a member at a gym is beneficial, it does not guarantee that you will exercise and it isn’t the only way that you can have a good workout. Think about the benefits and the downsides of working out at home compared to a gym membership before you join a gym.
Gyms and health clubs are great places to exercise. Gyms have all the equipment you may need, some of it might be broken or missing parts though. Gyms also have a wide variety of people to interact with, and also who you have to wait to get off the machine before you can begin your workout. If you don’t mind working out in front of many people, wiping down sweat off of machines and watching others exercise a gym might be perfect for you.
But if you prefer to save time, money and expand your workout to include other things beyond a gym, working out at home compared to a gym membership might be the right thing for you.
Having a gym membership can cost you 30 bucks a month for the basic gym to over 150 bucks for a luxury gym.
Chances are that if you shelled out the 150 bucks you would use the same equipment at the 30 buck gym. But being in a gym also restricts what you are able to do which can inhibit your workout.
By skipping the gym you could save 350 to 2000 dollars a year! If you are going to spend that much money at the gym, you might as well purchase your own equipment and save your money down the road.
If your gym offers classes on aerobics or some amazing belly-dance workout routine you may want to take advantage of those classes. Being involved in a class is a great way to get motivated to work out. Plus you can meet many people in the class who may have similar tastes to you.
But you don’t need to limit yourself to the single aerobics class the gym offers, there are many DVD’s that you can use at home which would have more workout material and can be a better fit for you as an individual instead of for a class as a whole.
Gyms have wonderful exercise machines, class instructors and locker rooms. But the single thing that a gym doesn’t have that you do have access to outside be the great outdoors. Gyms cannot offer you biking down beautiful trails, getting a workout hiking or kayaking down a river. Working out at home compared to a gym membership can save you time, money and you can try things outside of the gym atmosphere.
The most important thing to remember is that doing the same thing over and over is fine, but not great for you. Challenge your body by doing the many different physical activities that gyms just cannot offer.
With the weather being beautiful outside, more people want to spend time outside and seem neglect their fitness workouts. Yes, it’s sometimes hard to use your home fitness equipment when you see the blue skies and the tress swaying to the breeze but you need to keep on track.
You were so excited to get that shiny new piece of exercise equipment and vowed to use it regularly. Now, you are tired of walking or pedaling to nowhere and dread the thought of exercising.
Use the following tips to make your workouts more interesting and they also help you to multi-task so that you have more free time to spend outside.
Music can help raise your energy and enthusiasm. Pick upbeat tunes for the main part of your workout, and use slower tunes to start off and end your routine. Or, you could just listen to your favorite radio station or CD.
Audio books can be a great way to pass the time. If you are interested in the book, you may even look forward to your workouts so that you can find out what happens next.
Television can be another way to make the time fly. You could watch your favorite shows or even watch a movie over several days. You might make the television off limits except when you are working out to give yourself extra motivation.
If you have a headset for your cell phone or telephone, this can be a great time to catch up on personal conversations. Note that you probably don’t want to conduct business or important conversations while exercising since you may get slightly out of breath, or the exercise equipment may be heard in the background.
Do you have a nice view from a window? Situate your equipment so that you can look outside. Watching wildlife or admiring beautiful scenery can keep you distracted from the tedium of your workout.
Try meditating while you are moving. Clear your mind, and focus on your body. Feel each movement and be mindful of your form. You can exercise both your mind and body at the same time.
Reading is another option. Again, if you get an interesting book and only allow yourself to read it while exercising, you can give yourself an extra push toward getting on that machine each day.
Brainstorm during your fitness time. Keep a pad of paper and pen handy, and jot down ideas that come to mind. You could make a to do list or write down plans for a new project. Or, think through potential solutions to a current problem that faces you.
Working on your laptop is another possibility. Specially made desks are available that can be adjusted so that you can use your computer while using a treadmill or exercise bike. You may have difficulty doing much typing, but you should be able to do light tasks such as reading email or surfing the net.
Don’t let your exercise equipment sit idle because you are bored with the whole idea of getting fit. You can make your workouts interesting and get fit at the same time.