As summer is approaching, many people are trying to get in shape for the beach. There’s nothing wrong with that! Hitting the gym as a beginner may be overwhelming though. Figuring out the right lifting split for your goals can be a nightmare, but finding the right cardio can sometimes seem just as hard. Treadmills are the most popular cardio machines with stationary bikes breathing right down their neck. In this article, we will be focusing on the differences between the two. Hopefully, we can help you figure out the optimal workout for your goals so that you can look your best during summer!
What’s a treadmill?
Walking or running indoors is possible thanks to a cardio machine called a treadmill. The speed and the incline of the moving belt platform may be adjusted manually. Running on an incline allows for even more calories spent since you’re basically sprinting uphill. Sounds hard, right? Well if you don’t want as strenuous of a workout you may just walk on it or lower the incline. Do you want to find out more about the stationary bike vs treadmill? Then read on!
What’s a stationary bike?
While treadmills enable you to walk and run indoors, with an exercise bike you can cycle as fast as you wish without leaving the comfort of your home! The seat and pedals of an exercise bike are designed to replicate the motion of riding. Specific training objectives may be achieved by tinkering the settings of your bike. There are also different types of exercise bikes.
Spin bikes, for example, bear a striking resemblance to conventional bicycles. As a result, you'll have an easier time transitioning from indoor training to the real deal. Reclining exercise bikes, on the other hand, offer a more comfortable, broad seat and pedals that are positioned farther front. As a result, you'll be putting more weight on your seat rather than your pedals, making for an easier exercise. Exercise bike equipment boosts your cardio fitness. Also it is a good way to lose weight and burn body fats. If you want to strengthen your lower body muscles and legs then stationary bikes are a safer option than road cycling. On the negative side, it's more difficult to achieve high intensities of working out and it differs a lot from regular biking.
Which machine burns more calories?
If you’d like to get cut for the summer you surely are interested to learn which of these is more effective in burning calories. As you probably know, weight loss can be summarised as calories in vs calories out. Basically, you should be spending more calories in your daily life than you’re consuming.
Both treadmills and exercise bikes are effective in burning calories and making your muscles more durable. Traditional treadmills require you to stand up and bear your own weight, so the calorie burn may be a tad higher than if you were using an exercise bike.
Furthermore, when you're running on a treadmill at a speed of 5 or 6 miles per hour, you'll burn between 4 and 6 calories per minute. Depending on your body composition and how quickly you're cycling, you may burn between three and six calories per minute on a stationary bike.
Of course, your age, genetics, weight and gender all have a role in how many calories you burn when exercising. Calorie burn rates are mostly dependent on the effort you're putting into your workout, therefore the harder the workout is, the more energy you’ll be spending.
Which machine is safer?
Risk of injury should be on your mind if you’re using the gym, even if you have no underlying issues. The treadmill and the exercise bike each have varying risk levels.
Treadmill is great for high-impact cardio, such as sprinting and even jogging. Your joints are placed under a lot of strain by the repeated action of your feet striking the ground. Though high-impact cardio is amazing for weight loss, over-training or poor technique can put the knees and back at risk for injury.
On the other hand, cycling on a stationary bike is a low-impact workout since your feet are securely encased in the pedals. As a result, even while cycling at high speed, the smooth, circular motion helps to condition your muscles without placing too much stress on the joints.
All in all, injury may happen from any sort of activity. Both treadmill and stationary cycle should be used with proper technique and at a suitable speed for you.
Final thoughts
Treadmill is a great option since you can choose the intensity of your workout. If you wish to burn more calories, you can sprint, while you may also choose to just walk and do your 10k steps a day that way. On the other hand, cycling on a stationary bike is more of a low-intensity workout, perfect for those with mobility issues or individuals who’d like to get their cardio without affecting their joints and back.
