elliptical or treadmill?

[mrspruett]

If you could only afford one or the other, which would you get and why?TIA.

[chocolate_snaps]

Elliptical hands down. I loathe the treadmill. Plus tyhe Ellipt burns double the calories.

[godloveshope2]

From my experience elliptical is best. Why? you burn more calories than with a treadmill and it is not hard on you knees.

I personally think it is better to walk outside on a track or a trail you to me you burn more calories and you don't get board.

[DebbieChoos]

If you could only afford one or the other, which would you get and why?TIA.

There is a thread from a couple of months ago on this, I will try and find it and link it here.

ok - this thread has some good info on people's opinions on home gym equipment, hope this helps.

http://band2gether.net/showthread.php?t=1598&highlight=treadmill

Debbie

[Jachut]

treadmill for me. Ellipticals are great but the calorie usage is notoriously inaccurate on them.

[HeatherGurl]

I knew Jacqui would say treadmill! :)
I personally would choose the elliptical because it gets my heart rate up faster. Now, if I ran on the treadmill, it might be a different story... but the elliptical gets my vote.

[JDru]

I prefer the elliptical, but you get a good workout on either. If I were you, I would choose the one that you like to do best!

[Neal R.]

Treadmill for me, the eliptical kicks my ass! I get very little calorie burn from them because I can't do it very long.

[Jachut]

My knees and ankles could use an elliptical today. I'm not going to do anything, I feel really old today.

Its stinking hot anyway, 38 degrees C in Melbourne today.

[shelly]

I agree with Neal. I can last 50 minutes at different speeds on the treadmill, but last only 5 minutes on the elliptical. My knees got me too.:ohwell:

[Alicia521]

My gym had the top 10 cardio exercises listed w/ calories burned yesterday. The elliptical and the treadmill each burn about 300 calories in 30 minutes. Well if you run on the treadmill you will burn 300. Walking burns 180. I like them both. I guess it depends on which one you think you would enjoy the most.

[okielapgirl]

I'm the opposite. I really can't stand the treadmill. I prefer the elliptical cause I get more bang for my buck...so to speak. I'm up to 40 mins on the elliptical and I love it that I burn so many calories. I also use my treadmill when I want more cardio.

[officegirlblues]

I used to work in a physical therapy office/gym facility and the elipticals were always the more popular. The patients didn't mind their therapy on them nearly as much as the treadmill and it was less stress on the joints. I personally bought an elliptical machine and I love it. I can't do a treadmill... I just don't have the attention span. I get too bored! On the elliptical, I feel like I'm actually doing something. Although, it does kick my butt! It is a full aerobic workout and works your entire body. And to me it is just so much more fun! LOL. So my vote is elliptical, hands down.

[Dragonwillow]

I work at the ymca...and before I started working there, I worked out 1.5-2 hours a day. I'd do 35 minutes on the elliptical...then go do weights for 30-45minuts...and then go back and do 35 more minutes on the elliptical. On lazy days I'd warm up with 10 minutes on the treadmill. Please don't ask what my routine is now...its pretty sad that I work at the gym yet hardly work out anymore. The elliptical can really kick your butt at first...I started at doing just 5 minutes....I can now do it for an hour straight. I like it because I can read while doing it. My knees can't handle running yet, but someday I'd like to give that a go....so if you wanted to be a runner a treadmill might be for you. I sold my treadmill to pay my deposit for lapband. LOL

Melissa

[ladytonya]

I lasted all of 2 minutes on the elliptical! If I was going to buy something, I think I'd wait until I could handle the elliptical and get it, or get one and start slow. You get so much more bang for your buck, plus it's not as boring as the treadmill!

[PhotoNut]

My knees can't take the elliptical for more than a minute, but I can get on my treadmill, crank that puppy up to a 4% incline at 3mph, drop Max (our puppy) by my side, turn on a training video (small tv on a bookshelf by the treadmill) and before I know what's happened I've walked a mile and drank two full bottles of water. Now if I can do that three times a day, I'll be cookin on gas!

Someday I might have the elliptical in our home, but for now, I'll let the gym membership cover the cost of my 1 minute workout. *chuckles*

[Goannabanda]

I bought an elliptical - and although can only last 5 to 10 mins on it so far, it is getting easier. I prefer working on a treadmill or just walking outside, but definitely get more bang out of the eilliptical. Plus it's easier on my knees and fallen arches than the treadmill at my current weight.

[Natural-1]

I perfer the treadmill. I've mastered the elliptical but really don't have an interest in it anymore. On the treadmill I burn about 500 calories in 30 minutes and I vary the incline and speed throughout the entire workout. I normally workout for 60 minutes with a 5 minute cool down 3 times a week. I wish I could do it everyday but I don't always get the best workout if I do it everyday.

On my off days from the treadmill, I do the CrossTrainer, I just don't like the elliptical that much anymore.

Treadmill rocks for me!!

[diva girl]

Elliptical, without a doubt. Much easier on the knees, more cals burned for me (I can't run on treadmill), and my heart rate gets up much faster on elliptical. Couldn't live without it. Because of knees I warm up on the stationery bike and then move to the elliptical for 20 minutes and then back to the bike.

That being said, whichever YOU like, the one YOU"LL stick with is the one you should go with.

[HeatherGurl]

All of you that have said you can do only 1 minute or 5 minutes on the elliptical... I was there... When I first used that stupid machine, I thought I was going to die after 2 minutes. I have slowly been building myself up. This morning I did 45 minutes. I was SO proud. I would love to have an elliptical in my house. I think I could do that while I watched TV.