Exercising at Home: Treadmills & Ellipticals

Folks enjoy exercising on treadmills and ellipticals. They're all over the place, whether you're at home, the office or the fitness center. There are quite a few reasons as to why individuals are drawn to these machines. Those that aren't acquainted with either of these devices might not know where to start. While there are a few similarities found in both, there are plenty of differences as well. You won't regret doing a little investigation before jumping to a fitness program.

A treadmill is not that hard to operate. Basically step onto the tread belt, switch the machine on, pick the pace you want to exercise at, and proceed. Always remember to start off slow or you might end up hurting yourself. A combination of walks and sprints will quickly get your heart really pumping. Those that are newbies can follow a workout app, which most systems today have. Choose an app that’ll help you lose weight and the machine will steer you through different levels of training intensities. Boost your endurance by changing the difficulty and the tempo of your workouts. When workouts are becoming too easy, bump up the resistance levels or select a more challenging workout app.

Treadmill workouts are helpful in several ways. Treadmills are often used for running. This activity works the heart and gets it pumping. You can get some pretty intense workouts on a treadmill. Many say they're able to burn more calories on a treadmill than on an elliptical. Build stronger leg muscles through endurance training sessions on a treadmill. Because there’s a lot more impact on the body when using treadmills, the body is conditioned to take the beating. This is helpful if you’re training for a race like a marathon.

Ellipticals are very popular fitness products. You’ll most likely see the same number of these machines as treadmills when inside a gym. The design and use of an elliptical is very different than that found in a treadmill. Instead of a tread belt you have foot pedals that you step onto. A flywheel propels the arms in an elliptical motion, moving your feet along with them. The movement is supposed to simulate the motion you would find in your feet and legs when you’re walking or running. Handlebars are found on many ellipticals. These serve to exercise your upper body and arms.

The key benefit from exercising on an elliptical is the low-impact nature of the workouts provided. Ellipticals eliminate the impact on your feet and legs that you would otherwise experience on a treadmill. Move either forward or backward through the elliptical motion while being supported by the foot pedals. Elliptical workouts are great for those who are recovering from injuries. Ellipticals also provide for a more efficient workout session. Because you’re moving more of your body, you’ll be getting a more complete workout. Find that your lower body, midsection, and upper body are constantly moving.

Everyone has their favorite way of working out. You need to consider the advantages and disadvantages in whatever fitness machine you choose to exercise on. The argument on whether treadmills or ellipticals are better is really a non-argument. You'll find that you can't go wrong with either of these machines.