The choice between an elliptical and a treadmill is a common dilemma for anyone focused on maximizing calorie expenditure. Calorie burn, or energy expenditure, measures the kilocalories your body uses to fuel the work done during exercise. While both machines provide effective cardiovascular workouts, their specific mechanics influence the energy required. Determining which machine is ultimately superior for this purpose is complex, as the answer depends heavily on how the equipment is used.
Standard Calorie Burn Comparison
Under standard, moderate-intensity conditions, a treadmill typically results in a slightly higher energy expenditure compared to an elliptical. This difference is primarily due to the physiological demands of running or walking on a treadmill. When using a treadmill, the body must fully support its own weight and generate the necessary propulsion to overcome gravity and impact forces with every step.
In contrast, the elliptical’s design minimizes impact by supporting the user’s weight through the gliding motion of the foot pedals. This low-impact nature, which is beneficial for joint health, reduces the amount of work the muscles need for propulsion, leading to a lower baseline calorie burn. The true potential for energy burn is unlocked by actively manipulating the machine’s settings.
How Treadmill Settings Maximize Expenditure
The treadmill’s ability to create significant metabolic demand comes from manipulating speed and incline. Running dramatically increases calorie burn because the body must repeatedly propel itself into the air and absorb the impact of landing, requiring greater force generation from the muscles. Even without running, increasing the incline setting forces the body to work against gravity, simulating uphill movement.
Walking on an incline activates larger muscle groups, specifically the glutes, hamstrings, and calves, much more than walking on a flat surface. Increasing the incline significantly boosts the metabolic cost of walking compared to flat walking. Alternating between speed and incline, such as in a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) protocol, is one of the most effective ways to maximize the treadmill’s caloric potential.
Maximizing Calorie Burn on the Elliptical
To maximize energy expenditure on an elliptical, users must consciously engage the machine’s full-body capabilities and resist the urge to “coast” on momentum. The two primary settings for increasing the workload are resistance and incline, the latter of which is available on many modern cross-trainers. Increasing the resistance forces the leg muscles to work harder against the machine’s flywheel, requiring more muscle recruitment and preventing the movement from relying on inertia.
Utilizing the moving upper-body handles is also a significant factor, as this turns the workout into a full-body exercise that engages the chest, back, and arms. This simultaneous upper and lower body work increases the overall muscle mass being used, which directly correlates to a higher total calorie burn. Focusing on a high cadence ensures that intensity remains high. By avoiding leaning on the stationary handrails and maintaining a fast, deliberate pace against significant resistance, the elliptical can become a highly effective calorie-burning tool.
Personal Metrics That Determine Total Burn
While machine settings are important, personal physiological factors ultimately determine the total number of calories burned in any workout. Body weight is a major determinant, as heavier individuals must expend more energy to move a greater mass over the same distance and duration.
Workout intensity, often measured by heart rate or Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), is also directly linked to calorie expenditure. The longer a person maintains an elevated heart rate, the greater the caloric output will be. Ultimately, the machine that burns more calories is the one that allows the individual to maintain the highest intensity for the longest period of time and use consistently.