Difference Between Exercise Bike And Elliptical Machine

Adults older than 18 should get a weekly minimum of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Elliptical trainers and stationary bikes allow you to escape harsh weather conditions and maintain a consistent weekly exercise routine year-round, with both offering a range of health benefits.

Intensity

Both the exercise bike and the elliptical trainer allow you to choose the intensity of your workout. On an exercise bike, you can increase or decrease your speed simply by pedaling faster or slower. You can also increase the resistance of the pedals to simulate hills. On an elliptical machine, you can also pedal faster or slower. You can also adjust the resistance or incline of the pedals. You can control the settings on exercise bikes and elliptical trainers manually or opt for a specific workout format, such as intervals or hills. According to the CDC, riding a bike on flat ground at a moderate pace constitutes moderate aerobic exercise, while riding fast or on hills constitutes vigorous aerobic exercise. The elliptical trainer also offers a range of moderate-to-vigorous exercise options.

Weight Management

Both elliptical machine and exercise bike workouts can help you manage your weight. The Mayo Clinic estimates than one hour of biking at less than 10 mph can burn about 292 calories for a 160-pound person or 364 calories for a 200-pound person. One hour of low-impact aerobic exercise on an elliptical trainer or similar machine can burn about 365 calories for a 160-pound person or 455 calories for a 200-pound person. At higher intensities, exercise bike or elliptical trainer workouts can burn even more calories.

Impact

The exercise bike and the elliptical trainer offer low-impact alternatives to exercises such as running. Your feet never leave the pedals on either the elliptical trainer or the exercise bike. The Mayo Clinic recommends that people with arthritis maintain their fitness with low-impact exercises such as biking or walking. The Mayo Clinic also suggests that working out on an elliptical machine puts less strain on the knees and hips than working out on a treadmill. Because you have to support your own weight on an elliptical trainer, the machine provides low-impact weight-bearing exercise that can help strengthen your bones. You do not have to support your body's weight on the exercise bike.

Muscles Worked

The exercise bike emphasizes the leg muscles, particularly the hamstrings at the back of the thigh and the quadriceps at the front of the thigh. When you work out on an exercise bike, you also engage your core and lower back muscles to help keep your body in proper position. These muscles work as stabilizing muscles. The elliptical machine works a range of muscles in the legs, including the calf muscles in the lower legs as well as the hamstrings and quadriceps in the thighs. Many elliptical machines also have ski poles that you push or pull with your arms, allowing you to work your upper body as well.

Benefits in Common

When you elevate your heart rate on an elliptical trainer or exercise bike, your heart and lungs work to move oxygen through your blood more efficiently. With regular exercise, you will begin to develop greater lung capacity, allowing you to breathe more deeply in daily life. The Mayo Clinic suggests that regular exercise can improve your quality of life in many other ways. Regular exercise promotes self-confidence, a better mood, higher energy levels, deeper sleep and better sex.