Treadmills have been fixtures in the cardio areas of gyms since the 1970s, but the elliptical trainer has become another popular workout option since its debut in the 1990s. Any type of cardio exercise is better than no physical activity, and both treadmills and elliptical trainers deliver health benefits. Exercise goals, health status and personal preferences should be weighed when deciding which piece of equipment to choose.
Treadmill Features
Treadmills are comprised of a belt that can be manually or electrically powered, a display board and handrails. Belt length, width and texture vary between models. Woodway treadmills have slats on the belt which aid in shock absorption. The display board allows you to control the type of program, incline, speed and exercise time. Many have an emergency stop feature on the display board or handrails that can be pressed or attached to clothing so the motor stops when activated. The incline can be increased to simulate walking uphill, and some models can be placed in a slight decline position as well. A cool-down feature slows the pace in a controlled manner to safely end each workout. Sensors can read your heart rate. Convenience features may include a cooling fan, CD player or mp3 player adapter, headphone jack, water bottle holder and reading rack.
Elliptical Trainer Features
Elliptical trainers are comprised of two foot plates that rotate in a circular pattern when moved manually, a display board and handholds that may move back and forth. The foot plates can be moved forward or backward depending on which direction the users puts pressure on them. The display board contains buttons to control the type of program, difficulty level, incline on some models and exercise time. Precor model elliptical trainers can be lifted and lowered in a manner that targets different muscle groups. The handrails may or may not move back and forth and may even be harder to move as the difficulty level increases. A cool-down feature decreases the intensity in a controlled manner to safely end each workout. Heart rate can be read by holding onto sensors in the handrails or wearing a heart rate monitor chest strap on compatible models. Convenience features may include a cooling fan, CD player or mp3 player adapter, headphone jack, water bottle holder and reading rack.
Benefits
Both types of equipment are beneficial to the cardiovascular system and for weight control and are alternatives if an outdoor exerciser is forced to exercise indoors. Treadmills provide more shock absorption than pavement and a continuously smooth surface compared to the road. All leg muscles are recruited on the treadmill and increasing the incline elicits more contribution from the calves, gluteals and hamstrings. Walking is a natural movement that does not require any skill to master, unlike the unnatural movement of the elliptical. A treadmill workout stresses joints more than an elliptical trainer workout does, which equates to more bone-building benefits.
Elliptical trainers are ideal for exercisers with joint pain or those recovering from injury or surgery. All leg muscles are also recruited on the elliptical, and some models allow adjustments in incline to target specific muscle groups. In addition, most models have moving handles for a simultaneous upper body workout. Alternating forward and backward motion of the foot pedals targets leg muscles in different ways and also challenges balance and coordination. Elliptical trainers take up less space, use less electricity, and generally cost less than do treadmills.
Intensity
Treadmills and elliptical trainers allow the exerciser to control workout intensity by selecting a program or manually changing the difficulty level, speed, and incline. Research completed at the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse evaluated physiological responses from treadmill, elliptical trainer, stairstepper and stationary bike workouts. The treadmill and elliptical trainer produced similar oxygen consumption levels, heart rates and total calorie expenditures, while those values were much lower from the stairstepper and bike. The intensity and calorie burn can be increased on either machine by performing intervals of hard work and recovery, and it can be decreased by being distracted by watching television or reading. Workouts on elliptical trainers may be perceived as less strenuous than comparable workouts on treadmills and also reduce injury risk due to the low impact.
Warnings
Always start a treadmill workout by straddling the belt and stepping onto it after the motor starts at a slow pace. Increase speed gradually to become accustomed to it before increasing. Be realistic with the incline by placing it at a too steep or unmanageable level. This, or walking too slow, increases the possibility of falling off back of belt. Staying close to the emergency button/kill switch and attaching it to clothing if possible increases safety. Holding onto the handles during the workout limits natural movement of the body---instead, slow to a pace that can be maintained without holding on. Treadmill workouts create higher impact than elliptical trainers and are not intended for use by those with joint issues.
Elliptical trainers require more balance and coordination than a treadmill because walking is a natural movement and elliptical foot movements are not. Foot plates on some models move quickly when first stepped on, but holding onto the handles increases safety. Exercisers cannot stop immediately because pedals gain momentum, and changing direction must be performed slowly so no undue stress is placed on joints.
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