Leave it to modern man. We've invented devices that have you engage in vigorous activity for long periods of time, as if you're going someplace, but in fact, you never travel more than a foot or two. They might seem like cruel torture devices, but both the stationary bike and treadmill offer you the opportunity to get a robust aerobic workout, enhance your fitness, improve your health and lose weight -- all in the comfort of your home or health club. And you can do all this while watching TV. Before you decide to get healthy and slim by going nowhere fast, consider which means of non-transportation suits you.
Health
Both the stationary bike and the treadmill provide an aerobic workout that clears your arteries, boosts your immune system and lowers your risk for various conditions, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, certain types of cancer and high blood pressure, reports MayoClinic.com. To get these benefits, raise your heart and breathing rate doing moderately intense exercise for at least 30 minutes daily.
Impact
Stationary bikes give you a non-impact workout that provides minimal stress to your feet, ankles, knees, hips and spine. Stationary bikes enhance your cardio health and strengthen lower body muscles without the joint stress. Jogging or running on the treadmill, on the other hand, jars your feet against the treadmill deck. If done on a daily basis, this can cause stress or create discomfort in your ankles, knees, hips or spine, especially if you already have orthopedic problems. A benefit of weight-bearing exercise, such as treadmill workouts, is that it strengthens your bones and reduces the risk of osteoporosis, reports MayoClinic.com.
Whole-Body Workout
Both the stationary bike and the treadmill work the large muscles, such as the gluteal muscles, in your lower body. Because most people use their arms when they run or walk quickly, the treadmill provides more of a workout for your upper body than a stationary bike.
Entertainment and Motivation Value
Some stationary bikes have computers and LCD screens that let you play computer games or participate in virtual bike race games. These games can engage you in the exercise and distract you from any discomfort. You can't play computer games on the treadmill, but you can watch TV or listen to your tunes when using either machine.
Calorie Burn
Both forms of exercise burn calories, but the treadmill is widely considered to offer a greater calorie burn relative to the perceived exertion of the workout. A 1996 study in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" found that subjects burned 850 calories per hour on the treadmill, but only 498 calories per hour on the exercise bike while exercising at a perceived moderately intense level. However, you can modulate the intensity of either form of exercise to burn greater or fewer calories. For example, a 180-pound person riding a stationary bike at a moderate effort burns 600 calories per hour, but burns 900 calories expending vigorous effort, estimates Bodybuilding.com. On the other hand, a 180-pound person burns 283 calories per hour walking at 3 mph, but burns 857 calories running at 6 mph.
Psychological Edge
The concept of being able to sit down while you exercise may appeal to the hidden sloth within you. Still, to benefit from your time on the stationary bike, you're going to have to break a sweat, so set aside the illusion that sitting while biking makes the exercise easier. In fact, you've been walking and running since the age of 2, so the motor skills involved in using a treadmill are so deeply ingrained in your brain, you could do it in your sleep. The bottom line is, you should use whichever machine strikes your fancy and keeps you exercising. If you work out at a club, there is no reason why you can't alternate between the two. Use the treadmill for impact aerobics to strengthen your bones, and use the bike to give your bones a break.
References
- BodyBuilding.com: How Many Calories Are You Burning?
- "Journal of the American Medical Association"; Energy Expenditure with Indorr Exercise Machines; Anne I .Zeni et. al.; 1996
- Mayo Clinic: Aerobic Exercise: Top 10 Reasons to Get Physical
- MayoClinic.com: Osteoperosis
- Peak Performance Online: Treadmill Training
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