Choosing the right cardio equipment for you -- treadmill or elliptical

Exercise is important in improving health and living your best life.You have a choice on the type of exercise you use choose to strengthen your muscles and improve your cardiovascular health. You also have a choice on the equipment and workout.

“Treadmills and elliptical trainers both provide good workouts and are by far the two most popular means of exercise either at home or a gym,” says MercyOne Iowa Heart Center clinical exercise physiologist Eric Larson. “The good news is both can easily help you obtain more steps on a daily basis and provide a great cardiovascular workout. Look at your exercise goals, then take a look at the key differences on how to achieve them.”

Treadmill

Pros:

• Good cardiovascular workout
• Versatility - allows you to pace yourself with manual controls for speed and elevation
• Many different options and price points. Treadmills can be much more affordable than an elliptical.

Cons:

• Treadmill exercise focuses solely on walking and or running
• Lower extremity muscle isolation – your legs get the majority of the benefit. There are ways to add-in upper body training at times, by adding hand weights while walking
• Treadmill exercise puts much more stress on the bones, muscles and joints of the lower body, which can possibly lead to higher chances of injuries to those areas. You can help eliminate this risk by making sure to warm-up and cool-down and incorporate stretching activities.

Elliptical

Pros:

• Ellipticals can come in an upright or recumbent model. Upright of course would be much more of a workout due to it being more weight bearing, but both styles are a fully encompassing total body activity. Both your upper and lower body get a workout.
• The elliptical motion eliminates significant pressure on your joints, especially the recumbent model, giving you a low impact workout that protects your joints.

Cons:

• There is a little getting used to the motion of an elliptical. It’s nothing you can just jump on and conquer.

So which is better?

The treadmill and elliptical are both aerobically effective machines to help you get a cardiovascular workout. Much depends on your exercise and physical needs. If you have a musculoskeletal condition or are prone to injuries, you may want to use an elliptical. If you are looking to burn more calories and build up leg speed and strength, the treadmill would be the better choice.

Do you have safety concerns or physiological issues?

When starting any type of exercise program it’s always advised to obtain medical clearance for any type of activities above what you perform in a normal day. This is especially important if you have any known risk factors for heart disease.

Both machines are fantastic for improving or maintaining cardiovascular health, but you also need to be aware of orthopedic concerns, such as knee, hip or back issues.

One of the main differences and issues to be aware of is the amount of impact you are able to withstand. A treadmill is weight bearing and similar to walking or running. It would be much more difficult if you have arthritis or are obese than the elliptical.

The important thing is having a desire to improve your health and get moving. Mercy providers and specialty clinicians can help in designing a personalized plan that’s right for you!