What Kind Of Exercise Equipment Is Better: A Bike Or Elliptical?

Exercise bikes and elliptical trainers both provide excellent workouts for your body. They both build muscle mass, burn excess calories and benefit the cardiovascular system by energizing metabolism and enhancing blood flow to all areas of the body. The fundamental difference between these two exercise machines concerns the body regions they utilize, with exercise bikes concentrating on the legs, hips and buttocks, and ellipticals focusing on both the upper and lower part of the body.

Exercise Bikes

Exercise bikes simulate the act of riding a bike, only they are stationary. Usually a speedometer is attached to the front handles of the bike, telling you how fast you are pedaling, along with a mileage gauge that records how many miles you have pedaled. Some digitalized exercise bikes also provide information regarding your heart and pulse rate. When using one of these bikes, the leg muscles and associated joints are effectively exercised by pedaling the bike. You can also adjust the tension to accommodate enhanced muscular strength. In addition, moderate to rapid pedaling provides a good cardio workout.

Elliptical Machines

Sometimes referred to as "cross-trainers," elliptical machines incorporate the physical activity necessary in using an exercise bike, a stair climber and Nordic ski machine in a low-impact manner. Instead of sitting on a seat and pedaling, the elliptical user holds onto handles connected to a short bar that correlates to the up and down motion needed by the legs to move the lower half of the machine. This causes the arms and legs to move simultaneously. Elliptical tension is also adjustable to coordinate with the condition of the exerciser.

Advantages and Disadvantages of an Exercise Bike

Exercise bikes are small and upright, easily put away after use. Digital readouts are battery-operated so the bike does not have to be near electric outlets. Apartment dwellers find exercise bikes convenient for these reasons. Individuals who suffer from medical issues affecting the upper body or need rehabilitation for knee injuries also benefit from exercise bikes. However, for those wanting to participate in a full-body workout that involves both the upper and lower body, the exercise bike would not be the best choice.

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Elliptical

Using an elliptical provides users with a complete, cardiovascular workout that has the ability to burn up to 600 calories in one hour. As a weight-bearing type of exercise, the elliptical delays the age-related loss of bone and muscle mass by providing a low-impact form of comprehensive activity for the upper and lower body. Some disadvantages of an elliptical include its size, the difficulty in moving it when necessary and the tendency for individuals to begin exercising too hard on it because the coordinated, back-and-forth motion of the arms and legs minimize the impact the workout has on the body.

Suggestions

An exercise bike makes for a good warmup exercise before using an elliptical, especially for those who have been exercising for awhile, and perform long and vigorous workout sessions on ellipticals. You should never begin exercising on an elliptical with tension raised to full strength. Muscles need to be stretched, and blood flow needs to be facilitated to the muscles to prevent strains or tears.