Choosing between workout machines comes down to a matter of price, your personal preference and any special needs you might have. Treadmills and elliptical trainers have similar price ranges and offer a similar range of features. A few intrinsic differences between the workouts they offer, plus knowledge of your own wants and needs, may help you choose between these two types of cardio equipment.
Pace
The primary difference between a treadmill and elliptical workout is whether or not you get to set your own pace. On a treadmill, you set the belt to run at a certain speed and hustle to keep up with it. On an elliptical trainer, you set your own pedaling pace and adjust the machine's resistance to control your workout intensity.
Potential Problems
If you have weak bones or damaged joints, the repeated pounding of running on a treadmill might be painful or lead to injury. You can still get an intense workout by walking briskly at a high incline setting, but without the rush of going fast. Elliptical trainers provide a low-impact workout no matter how fast you pedal, but come with their own potential problem: Many users report foot and ankle discomfort or numbness after frequent elliptical trainer workouts. Look for models with a slight, inward tilt to the pedals, which may help reduce ankle problems.
Full-body Workout
Although a very few treadmill models offer upper-body workout arms, using them at a run is awkward at best. The elliptical trainer is your clear choice for a full-body workout. Although pushing and pulling on the moving handlebars doesn't take the place of a strength-training workout, it does work the large muscles of your chest and back, plus your arms and shoulders. This translates to higher workout intensity and more calories burned.
Features
Most treadmills and elliptical trainers offer a similar range of features including preprogrammed workouts, fitness tests, handgrip heart rate monitors, built-in cooling fans and heart rate control programs. High-end models may come with handlebar-mounted controls, touch-sensitive screens or a built-in entertainment system. Although some elliptical trainers come with adjustable incline ramps, this feature is still much more common on treadmills.
Size Considerations
Most treadmills are designed as one-size-fits-all. But if you plan to do a lot of fast running on the treadmill, pay close attention to treadbelt size. A 20-by-55 inch treadbelt is the minimum size for running comfortably, and if you have long legs you might need a 60-inch or longer belt. Although you can get on almost any elliptical trainer and start running right away no matter what your size, you'll feel most comfortable on an elliptical with a natural-feeling stride length. Look for a minimum stride length of at least 18 inches unless you're very short, then test-pedal as many elliptical trainers as possible until you find the one that feels just right.
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