Treadmill or Elliptical?

[Life-is-short]

Hi everyone,

Ive just started putting a small home gym together, and im wondering if I should get a treadmill or elliptical? Dont really have the room for both ....

What do you guys have? Whats best?

[Noles12]

I prefer a treadmill. i feel a better session on a treadmill over an elliptical any day. The treadmill can be good for multiple things also like running flat, walkingflat, jogging, walking at an incline, etc

[Life-is-short]

Yah I was leaning toward the treadmill .... it seems it can really work the crap out of you with big incline and a fast walk lol

[PT]

i perfer the elliptical and my wife likes the thread mill. im in the process of buying one for my house and were debating which to get. a good ellptical will cost over 2 grand but you can find a decent thread mill for 1200

[D7M]

Neither is "best". Both will increase heart rate and burn fat, so it's really about preference.

That said, like PT, I have prefer the elliptical and it was well worth the money spent to have one in house.

[BigBuck6]

In my eyes the treadmill has at least one distinct advantage, lack of momentum. If you had two people going full force on both a treadmill and elliptical side by side and they abruptly stopped them the subject on the elliptical's momentum would slow them gradually until they stopped. The subject on the treadmill however would continue moving and fly off the back of the machine. Granted there are circumstances where you can jump off etc. Bottom line is that no matter how you look at it a treadmill uses less momentum than an elliptical therefore making your body compensate.

[hoyle21]

I think the treadmill gives a better work out, but I use the elliptical because my knees can't handle the abuse of running anymore.

[D7M]

If you're after burning fat, then it honestly doesn't matter what piece of equipment you use, all that matters is your getting your Heart Rate up.

[Life-is-short]

Ok so it sounds like one is not superior then the other, so I think il go with the treadmill. Im not much of a runner, but I can just crank the incline up and walk fast.

Tonnes of helpful replys, thanx everyone.

[pstacks]

I think the treadmill gives a better work out, but I use the elliptical because my knees can't handle the abuse of running anymore.

I think that's really the only thing to consider if your goal is to burn fat.