Okay, you’re in the market for some fitness equipment. If you’re like many people, once you’ve decided to buy an exercise machine, you’re faced with the issue: treadmill vs elliptical? How do you resolve the treadmill vs elliptical question?
To help your treadmill vs elliptical dilemma, check out the following 7 considerations.
1. Do you need or prefer low impact exercise? An elliptical offers quite a lower impact workout than a treadmill. Treadmills offer some great cushioning features these days, but the fluid stride movement on an elliptical is practically zero impact.
2. Do you run? If running is your primary workout and you’re able to run outside all year long, then mix up your workouts with an elliptical. If running outside is unpleasant some months of the year, get a treadmill so you can run all year long.
3. Is there a price difference? Not really. You get about the same quality spending the same amount of money on a treadmill as an elliptical.
4. Cross training features – treadmill vs elliptical: You can definitely do some cross training on a treadmill by using hand weights, uphill training, lunges, side-stepping, etc. However, an elliptical offers true cross training because of the full body workout (with moveable arm handles).
5. Do you want to work out your upper and lower body while doing cardio exercise? Again, no set answer – you get the moveable arm handles with resistance (cross country skiing motion) with an elliptical. On a treadmill you can use handheld weights and do a variety of workouts (you can use weights on an elliptical so an elliptical does offer more upper body options). I prefer the elliptical upper body workout over handheld weights.
6. Are you a reader when working out? I can’t read while running on a treadmill, whereas on an elliptical I almost always enjoy my favorite magazines. If you like reading when working out, an elliptical is more conducive to reading.
I’ll qualify that with you can read on a treadmill easily doing walking workouts.
7. Noise level – treadmill vs elliptical: Generally, a treadmill is louder than an elliptical – especially if you run on a treadmill. If you have other people in your home, or live in an apartment, noise is always an important consideration.
No matter how decide the treadmill vs elliptical question, if you use your purchase, you’ll have made a good investment.
If you want to learn what makes a great elliptical review, then check out these elliptical reviews