Thinking of investing in home exercise equipment and wondering what the differences are between a treadmill and an elliptical? Are you wondering if you should buy the one with the best value or the cheapest? Or are you wondering if there are differences in health depending on your lifestyle?
The biggest difference between an elliptical and a treadmill is that an elliptical is a “no impact” machine which is important for some people and also works the upper body. And a treadmill allows for a more realistic running motion, which can be important if you’re working on becoming a better runner.
But one big advantage of a treadmill over an elliptical is that the elliptical only allows you to have a fixed stride length along with forward and backward motion. Many heart conscious people think that the elliptical trainer is a good cardio machine. However, it doesn’t really address the biomechanics and timing of the ankles, knees, and hips. When using this machine, the function of the foot muscles is limited. Treadmills allow you to control how overlapping your feet are, while the elliptical keeps your feet a set width apart.
A treadmill is the natural physiological way of walking or running. To live a longer, healthier life, you need to make sure you have what’s called “specific activity.” They can give you specific and often necessary feedback on proper foot placement and technique, eg: the sound of each footfall needs to be very quiet, an elliptical can’t do this. If you want instant feedback with a treadmill, place a mirror in front and to the side of the unit and work on increasing your stride. This will help reduce any harmful stress while maximizing lymphatic flow and drainage in the body.
Both the elliptical and the treadmill stimulate the lymphatic system and its flow, which is good of course, but opinions differ due to the natural function of the foot on the treadmill, where it may be considered better. It also allows more variety, intensity and depth to workouts, for example, working both hip adductors and abductors as well as side steps. Side steps help develop the total internal and external functions of both legs. It also reduces any chance of overuse problems.
The muscles of the buttocks, thighs, legs and feet are used. You can also walk backwards, which is good for people who have a history of shin splints and stress fractures; this will improve the muscle synchronization and biomechanics of your legs. For people who want more intensity and a challenge, try jumping high.
A very significant difference between the machines is the issue of balance. A person’s balance is not a factor on an elliptical like it is on a treadmill, and balance may even improve over time. Professionals have recommended the use of tubes on a treadmill, holding them from behind or in front for more arm strength and improved upper body fitness. If you are familiar with the cross-crawl pattern, it can help you too.
If cost is a factor, of course there are plenty of ways to save money on these machines. From discounts to wholesale prices, low-cost or cheaper equipment can be easily found online.
In the end, it all depends on which machine you like and more importantly which machine you will use the most. Both the elliptical and the treadmill are excellent pieces of exercise equipment and are only good if you use them constantly and don’t let them collect dust. In either case, no matter which one you choose, you’re sure to benefit from making them an important part of your personal health plan.