In the battle of elliptical vs. treadmill, which machine really delivers?
As a regular long-distance runner who has been forced to spend brutal winters and humid summers working out indoors, I have had a lot of experience with both pieces of equipment.
A few years ago, the elliptical was my machine of choice; It was low-impact, a quick workout, and I could use it while watching House on Tuesday nights without feeling nauseated (a multi-task I could not accomplish on a treadmill).
However, while I kept the resistance on the machine high so I could feel the burn, I tended to slog through the workout, making my elliptical experiences not nearly as satisfying as outdoor runs.
Additionally, I never felt that post-workout endorphin-euphoria that I usually crave when exercising, which only added to my frustration with the machine.
I switched to the treadmill last summer, and while I still spent a good 30 percent of my workout time daring the digital clock in the corner to count down the seconds faster, I ended up enjoying both the actual workout and its aftereffects much more than I had on the elliptical.
Most importantly, the treadmill kept me in better running shape than the elliptical, thereby making it that much easier to return to my outdoor runs when the weather got better.
I do go back to the elliptical from time to time to take the pressure off my joints, since my knees and ankles are a bit damaged from the heavy impacts of my regular runs. This also provides a nice change of pace and doesn't leave me with guilty feelings of neglect toward the once-beloved elliptical.
In the end, the best way to decide which machine provides the ultimate workout for you is to try them both out.
I have had friends tell me that they would never exercise if it were not for the elliptical, since they deem the treadmill too intense and too boring to become a staple in their lives.
Others stick to the treadmill religiously, believing that the calorie burn is more significant and the workout more satisfying. Some even alternate between the two machines in order to avoid becoming bored by a regular routine.
Find something that you like and stick with it; the more you enjoy your exercise machine, the more you'll benefit from your workout.
A few years ago, the elliptical was my machine of choice; It was low-impact, a quick workout, and I could use it while watching House on Tuesday nights without feeling nauseated (a multi-task I could not accomplish on a treadmill).
However, while I kept the resistance on the machine high so I could feel the burn, I tended to slog through the workout, making my elliptical experiences not nearly as satisfying as outdoor runs.
Additionally, I never felt that post-workout endorphin-euphoria that I usually crave when exercising, which only added to my frustration with the machine.
I switched to the treadmill last summer, and while I still spent a good 30 percent of my workout time daring the digital clock in the corner to count down the seconds faster, I ended up enjoying both the actual workout and its aftereffects much more than I had on the elliptical.
Most importantly, the treadmill kept me in better running shape than the elliptical, thereby making it that much easier to return to my outdoor runs when the weather got better.
I do go back to the elliptical from time to time to take the pressure off my joints, since my knees and ankles are a bit damaged from the heavy impacts of my regular runs. This also provides a nice change of pace and doesn't leave me with guilty feelings of neglect toward the once-beloved elliptical.
In the end, the best way to decide which machine provides the ultimate workout for you is to try them both out.
I have had friends tell me that they would never exercise if it were not for the elliptical, since they deem the treadmill too intense and too boring to become a staple in their lives.
Others stick to the treadmill religiously, believing that the calorie burn is more significant and the workout more satisfying. Some even alternate between the two machines in order to avoid becoming bored by a regular routine.
Find something that you like and stick with it; the more you enjoy your exercise machine, the more you'll benefit from your workout.
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