Which Is Better: The Elliptical Or Walking?

If you are going to make an effort to exercise, you want to choose a mode that offers the greatest health benefits. Regular exercise like walking and training on an elliptical machine help you control your weight, reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases and help increase the length of your life notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Determining which exercise is best really depends on your goals, preferences and physical fitness.

Features of an Elliptical

The elliptical trainer has been a fixture in health clubs since the 1990s, but has become especially popular since the year 2000. Club Industry website in March 2010 reported that elliptical usage increased 260 percent from 2000 to 2009. The machine combines the movement of stair climbing with the same biomechanics as walking or running. Your feet never leave the pedals, which glide along two ramps, so the movement is low-impact and very easy on the joints. Many ellipticals allow you to adjust the height of the ramps to simulate hills and target different muscles of the leg while you exercise. Some also come with arm poles that provide for a greater amount of muscle activation as you pump them front to back, similar to the movement in cross-country skiing.

Walking Benefits

Walking is a movement everyone knows how to perform and can be done indoors on a treadmill or outside on a trail, track, city street or around your neighborhood. All you need is a decent pair of shoes and no other special machines or equipment, making it an inexpensive and accessible form of exercise. Walking at a faster speed and over hills or rocky terrain increases the intensity of your walk.

Calories

The elliptical trainer, when used at a moderate intensity, burns 626 calories per hour for an average, 145-lb. person. You can control the calorie burn by pedaling quickly against a very high resistance---which is controlled by a button on the console. Going faster may take more exertion, but it does not increase the impact of the movement. The same sized person walking at a brisk pace of 4 mph for an hour burns just 329 calories. Increase your incline, if you are using a treadmill, to a steep 10 percent and keep up the 4 mph to burn calories equal to the moderate elliptical workout. Burning more calories in a session can help you better manage your weight, or accelerate weight loss.

Other Considerations

Someone new to exercise may need a few sessions to master the gliding movement of the elliptical trainer, notes "The Daily Herald" in March 2009. The elliptical trainer can become monotonous over time, as you are always pedaling indoors in the same location. When walking, you can take your workout outside and visit different trails or neighborhoods. Walking for any period of time, however, may be very taxing for people with arthritis or a lot of extra weight. Those who have a high level of fitness may have trouble effectively raising their heart rate with a walk alone, unless they tackle very high hills at a fast pace or break into a jog. Walking is also more difficult in inclement weather, including when it's very hot outside. Elliptical trainers permit you to reach a high intensity with no increased stress on your joints or back. If you enjoy reading or watching television when you exercise, the elliptical is a better choice.

Expert Insight

In terms of movement patterns, the elliptical and walking activate the muscles in similar ways. Nebraska researchers reported in the journal "Physical Therapy" in 2010, found that the elliptical trainer provided slightly more activation in the muscles of the glutes, or buttocks, while walking more effectively addressed the muscles at the back of the thighs and the calves. If you incorporate both exercises into a weekly routine, you will achieve a well-rounded workout that helps you target different muscle groups and combat the monotony of a single mode.