Treadmill vs Elliptical

Although treadmills still outsell ellipticals in total numbers, elliptical sales are growing at a faster rate. If you work out at a health club you probably noticed that in the last few years there are fewer treadmills, because they are being replaced by elliptical trainers. In the history of fitness and aerobics, elliptical machines are the only aerobic products who made a breakthrough. Almost all gyms, fitness clubs and even homes have already acquired their own elliptical machines. Elliptical machines continue to be popular.

Why are elliptical machines popular? What do users get from them? There are many benefits that can be enjoyed by using an elliptical machine.

Healthy Bone Density
Elliptical machines are able to provide healthy bodies by maintaining a healthy bone density. Researches have shown that the bone density has an impact on how healthy the person would become. A person is healthy if he has a healthy bone density. The exercises needed to maintain a healthy bone density include running, aerobics, weight lifting and exercises where the person remains on his feet. However, these activities may cause jarred bones, which is very dangerous.

With the elliptical machine, all exercises to maintain a healthy bone density can be performed. Using an elliptical machine, the person will be standing on his own feet on a platform wherein he will be bearing weight. Stepping up and down the platforms causes pedaling with an oval movement. This is very similar to the movement done when walking or running. This only means that the elliptical machine is able to provide the same benefits people can get with these exercises. Plus, they do not experience harmful stress that can impact the bones and muscles.

Workout Safety
Safety is ensured with elliptical machines. Using the machine will allow a person to perform exercises smooth and flowing. This minimizes the risk of being injured when performing workouts. The muscles are safe since the pressure is evenly distributed on all the muscles of the body. This will prevent the person from stressing and harming a certain muscle group.

Elliptical machines were also proven to provide workouts best for the cardiovascular system. This is because of the many movements that can be made using the machine. All the muscles of the body are working which is good for maximizing the cardio impact in the body.

Low-Impact Exercise
The two most popular forms of exercise are walking and running. But the facts are running, and to a lesser extent walking, cause stress to your body through continual impact. In fact, runners can apply as much as 2.5 times their body weight to their joints with each stride. This is why runners and walkers often suffer from ankle, knee, hip and back injuries. Especially if they workout outdoors on concrete or asphalt. With every step there is a degree of shock absorption. This shock can be felt throughout your entire body.

Elliptical trainers reduce impact through their elliptical motion. Your feet never leave the foot pedals. There is no reverse action, or significant impact. Consequently there is virtually no shock absorption to your joints. The motion of an elliptical trainer simulates the natural path of the ankle, knee and hip joints during walking, jogging or running. And yet you still get a weight bearing workout, which builds bone density, and inhibits the onset of osteoporosis.

With a treadmill you are constantly lifting your feet and impacting the treadbelt with every stride. Treadmills are designed to absorb some of the impact, but there is still that constant jolt to your joints.

Upper and Lower Body Workout
Treadmills concentrate more on the lower body whereas in an elliptical trainer you get a full-body workout. Elliptical trainers can offer a wide range of training exercises. These machines deliver a high intensity workout without stringent heart rate demands and constant impact. Elliptical trainers workout both the upper and lower body simultaneously. By exercising several muscle groups at once you are able to optimize your workout. By involving more muscle mass in your aerobic workout you increase the efficiency of your workout.

When you exercise both the upper and lower body on an elliptical trainer, you utilize the quadriceps, glutes, chest, back, hamstrings, triceps and biceps. By exercising more muscle mass you attain the following benefits:
- Improved fat mobilization
- Build muscle endurance
- Burn more calories and fat in less time
- Reduced perceived rate of exertion

Regarding the reduced perceived rate of exertion, studies have shown that an elliptical trainer workout will often be perceived as less strenuous due to the combined upper and lower body exercise. The perception is that you get more results with less effort.

Many people would like to maintain a healthy body or even lose weight the easier way. However, they would not like to risk the benefit they can get in doing harder exercises. With the elliptical machines, users are able to do exercises the easy way without sacrificing the amount of weight they would lose.

Many manufacturers have developed elliptical machines and incorporated high technology with them. Many were designed to provide natural motion of body when using the machine. They may be priced higher than other aerobic products but people can be assured that the physical benefits they would like to get will not be neglected. Buyers can choose from a wide variety of elliptical machines that are now sold in the market. They may come in different forms, in prices and most are incorporated with the highest technology there is in aerobic products. People may still opt to buy the more traditional elliptical machines, which continue to be bestsellers.

Elliptical machines will continue to develop and provide optimum workout for its users. These machines will continue to grow in popularity since they appeal to almost all users. Anyone who uses the machine can be assured of a total workout and the same time will allow burning of fat and calories.