Sign Up Today!

snuggle377 · 06-02-2005, 09:28 AM

Hello all! I usually get my cardio by walking on the treadmill for about an hour at an incline of 8.0-11.0 and a speed of 3.6-4.0 (I adjust it to stay within my target heart rate). ANYWAY, I decided to get on the elliptical trainer this morning and was going at a pretty steady pace and burned a lot more calories than I would have on the treadmill (in the same amount of time). I know it's hard to compare the two, but I HAVE heard that you burn more calories on an elliptical machine than on a treadmill. Does anyone know if there is some truth to this? Thanks!

frustrated35 · 06-02-2005, 09:38 AM

My experience is that I do burn more cals on the elliptical. And due to 2 knee surgeries, the elliptical is easier on my knees. I'll go for 30-45 minutes. Walking doesn't do a thing for me since I can't walk at an incline and walking at 4.0 won't get me in my fat burning zone. My gym has 2 elliptical machines to choose from. One that you move your arms with it and one without. I switch up between the 2. I'll use on machine one day and the other on another day. I also walk a lap and jog a lap on the treadmill at least once a week. Since I can't get up in my fat burning zone by walking, that's why I also jog a lap. If my knees could handle it, I'd jog for the full 30-45 min. I like changing things up to keep my body from getting use to what I'm doing.

4schmitts · 06-03-2005, 10:26 AM

I personally own both, a nortic track elliptical that has arms that move, and I just bought a smooth fitness 9.15 treadmill. I get a really good workout on both. The elliptical is easier on my knees. When I do the treadmill I can't run due to a sore knee so I powerwalk at 4.7 and incline to 10.
Calorie wise my machines tell me that I am burning around 500-600 for an hour on the treadmill and only 400 for an hour on the elliptical, but that could just be my machine and machines are often wrong. I have been on some ellipticals that tell me I am burning 800-900 cals an hour.
I guess I can get just as good of a workout on both. Its nice to switch it up, keeps me from getting bored.

jv109 · 06-03-2005, 10:41 AM

I tend to take calorie counts on cardio equipment with a grain of salt. The only parameters it has to work with are time, level of intensity, and weight. Its hard for me to imagine that a cardio machine will accurately count the number of calories I burn.

Another thing, those cross trainers with the arms, if you don't use them (arms), the calorie count is still the same as when you do!!!

Am I way off here? Is there anyway to verify these numbers? Are they indeed accurate?

Sign Up Today!

Join Our Newsletter

Whoops,

Thank You