What is more effective for losing weight: an exercise bike or a treadmill?


How many calories can you burn?

In half an hour of jogging (8 km/h), a person weighing 60 kg will burn Calories burned in 30 minutes for people of three different weights 335 kcal.
If you run faster, at a speed of 12 km/h, you will burn 465 kcal in the same time. The Lifehacker Telegram channel contains only the best texts about technology, relationships, sports, cinema and much more. Subscribe!

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30 minutes of exercise on an exercise bike at a comfortable pace will deprive you of only 260 kcal, and a more intense workout will burn 391 kcal.

You will burn 15-20% more calories on a treadmill than on a stationary bike at the same intensity.

But this does not mean that everyone who is losing weight should forget about exercise bikes. Often, those who need to burn calories the most are better off not running at all due to the stress on their joints.

What is more effective for losing weight, an exercise bike or a treadmill?

Who is an exercise bike best for?

An exercise bike has virtually no contraindications. It can be used by people who are overweight and older people. There are models with modified movement mechanics - “recumbent” exercise bikes, which completely relieve the load on the lower back and spine.

Who should use a treadmill?

The treadmill helps to tone all the muscles, including the back and arms. Therefore, for those who have problems with these parts of the body, it is better to give preference to it.

During training on this simulator, the gluteal and calf muscles, quadriceps and thigh muscles, and partly the abdominal muscles, are involved. The arms, shoulders and back are little involved in the running process. Therefore, the spine and leg joints are not overloaded.

Running for an hour can burn between 500 and 900 calories.

Running uses more oxygen than riding an exercise bike. The lungs and blood are better saturated with oxygen, the heart beats faster. Therefore, for those who are indicated for caryotherapy training, it is better to do it on a bike path.

How exercise machines affect joints

When your feet touch the track while running, your joints receive COMPARISON OF TRUNK AND LOWER EXTREMITY MUSCLE ACTIVITY AMONG FOUR STATIONARY EQUIPMENT DEVICES: UPRIGHT BIKE, RECUMBENT BIKE, TREADMILL, AND ELLIPTIGO® shock load. And this can result in injury. Especially if the body mass index is much higher than normal or the person has flat feet (a flat foot is not able to absorb shock).

Unlike a treadmill, an exercise bike does not create a shock load on the joints and is therefore suitable for people of any weight.

By the way, even runners use exercise bikes: they continue to train their breathing and heart without killing their knees.

Advantages and disadvantages of a treadmill

The task of the simulators is to use the maximum number of muscles. The legs are fully involved, and along with them the back and abs. If a person uses his arms to work, the load also goes to the shoulder girdle. When running, the heart becomes stronger, blood flows faster through the veins and carries oxygen, fat deposits are burned and mood improves. Even regular walking can disperse lymph stagnation, eliminating swelling.

Advantages of the simulator:

  • development of muscles and endurance;
  • variety of modes - it is possible to set the pace, speed, incline;
  • improved balance – stabilizer muscles are strengthened;
  • naturalness of movements;

If the goal of exercise is to become stronger, to compensate for a sedentary lifestyle with any activity, you can buy a treadmill or an exercise bike, choosing according to personal preferences. If you want to use your body to the maximum or return to recreational running, you should purchase running machines.

It is worth highlighting the disadvantages:

  • joints, knees and spine experience severe shock loads;
  • noisier to use;
  • not suitable for recovery from injury.

If you have problems with the respiratory system and musculoskeletal system, it is recommended to use a cardio machine only after consulting with your doctor.

What's best for the heart and lungs

Both the treadmill and exercise bike increase the body's aerobic capacity (the ability to take in and use more oxygen for muscle function) and improve cardiovascular health. system. But the treadmill does it a little better. Physiological responses to treadmill and cycle exercise. .

Fat oxidation rates are higher during running compared with cycling over a wide range of intensities., Differences in oxygen uptake but equivalent energy expenditure between a brief bout of cycling and running. than during exercise on an exercise bike, the heart beats faster Treadmill and Bicycle Ergometer Exercise: Cardiovascular Response comparison. In addition, a treadmill forces you to maintain a set pace, while an exercise bike allows you to move at a comfortable pace.

To make cycling more effective, try high-intensity interval training. They increase The effect of running versus cycling high-intensity intermittent exercise on local tissue oxygenation and perceived enjoyment in 18–30-year-old sedentary men heart rate and VO2max even more than running intervals.

Break up your cycling workout into several intervals of varying intensities. For example, pedal at high speed for 60 seconds and then pedal at a leisurely pace for the next 60 seconds to regain your strength. Alternate intervals of 10–30 minutes.

Pros and cons of training on an exercise bike

At first glance, it seems that there is not much difference, and during training on both machines the same muscle groups work and the main load falls on the legs. But in fact it turns out that it is distributed differently.

When performing exercises on an exercise bike, the following muscles are mainly involved:

  • Lumbar
  • Gluteal
  • Anterior superficial and internal thigh muscles
  • Calf

In the process of climbing uphill, with increased pedal resistance, the abdominal muscles, arms and shoulders are activated. The spin is practically not involved in the process. This is different from riding a regular bicycle. There she also has an important role; the back is responsible for maintaining balance.

What muscles work

Due to the position of the body and the movement of the arms during running, COMPARISON OF TRUNK AND LOWER EXTREMITY MUSCLE ACTIVITY AMONG FOUR STATIONARY EQUIPMENT DEVICES: UPRIGHT BIKE, RECUMBENT BIKE, TREADMILL, AND ELLIPTIGO® work the upper body muscles, tense the abs and back extensors.

When you pedal, you only pump your legs.

Moreover, it is quite monotonous: there are Differences in leg muscle activity during running and cycling in humans. basically concentric contractions, where muscles shorten under load.

Running involves more eccentric contractions. During tension, muscles lengthen, are more damaged Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage and Running Economy in Humans, and therefore grow faster. True, after running your legs will hurt more than after cycling.

Pros of an exercise bike

An exercise bike has a lot of advantages, as it has a positive effect on your figure and the rate of weight loss. Among the main advantages are:

  1. Active calorie burning;
  2. Formation of a beautiful, relief silhouette of the buttocks;
  3. Improving general well-being;
  4. No discomfort during training.

What to choose, everyone decides for themselves, because everyone’s goals and objectives are different. We can only highlight the advantages and disadvantages of each category of physical activity to make your choice easier.

Regular exercise on an exercise bike improves coordination and improves heart rate. If you give preference to dance sports, then not only your figure improves, but also your flexibility, the ability to maintain rhythm, and move to the music. Fitness increases muscle elasticity, allows you to achieve ideal figure proportions, get rid of the sides, “ears” in the hip area.

Be sure to read: How to exercise correctly and effectively on an elliptical trainer?

Exercise bikes, who chooses this type of exercise? First of all, strength training begins after the “drying” period, when weight loss has reached its maximum and all that remains is to add definition. Subsequently, regular exercise in the gym will help you stay fit and not gain weight.

Exercises on an exercise bike should be performed under the guidance of a specialist. It is this type of physical activity that is considered dangerous, since if safety rules are ignored, the risk of muscle strain, ligament rupture, and sometimes even damage to the integrity of internal organs increases. The load should gradually increase, but this is determined solely by the coach.

It is important to allow your muscles to rest, which is why it is not recommended to go to the gym every day. The best thing is to alternate loads, combine fitness classes and exercises on simulators. Experts say that to achieve the best results, muscles must have time to recover.

Nutritionists and fitness instructors do not recommend resorting to strict diets if you additionally include sports activities in your schedule. Otherwise, the body may not be able to withstand such stress, which not only greatly tires, but also brings the body to exhaustion, consuming all its resources. It is important to choose the most balanced diet, which will be rich in all nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

Doctors prescribe a course of vitamins to all athletes to maintain health and ensure the natural functioning of the immune system. In pursuit of perfect forms, one should not forget that the body’s resources are not limitless. Try to eat only healthy foods; when cooking, try not to use vegetable oil, replace it with olive oil. Additionally, some women are advised to take fish oil, as it helps ensure the normal functioning of the reproductive system, since disruptions in its functioning become one of the most common negative consequences of sports.

What to remember

  1. If you want to lose weight, tone your core, and increase your cardiorespiratory capabilities, choose the treadmill.
  2. If you are overweight, have flat feet, or have joint problems, give preference to an exercise bike.
  3. The most important thing in cardio training is regularity. Therefore, choose exercises that bring you more pleasure.
  4. To maximize the benefits of cycling, try alternating free pedaling with high-intensity interval training. They will help you burn more calories and increase the workload on your heart.

Exercise bike

Exercising on exercise bikes is comparable to riding a bicycle. While working on the simulator, a person can independently control the speed, pace and rhythm. For many, this method of losing weight is preferable, since such workouts help you lose weight faster, warm up your body, and do not require excessive effort.

Many people say that the exercise bike increases the size of the gluteal area. Is it so? Experts say that with rational use of the device, the buttocks will take a beautiful shape without increasing in size. It should be noted that it is additionally necessary to perform a set of exercises designed for all muscle groups so that the load on the body is uniform.

The exercise bike can take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes of the entire workout, after which you need to rest for 15 minutes. To prevent the muscles from getting used to the exercises, you need to gradually increase the load.

Working out in the gym requires diligence, long and hard training. If you are new to this business, then at first it is better to study under the guidance of a trainer who has the appropriate specialized education. As a rule, such training is the final stage of weight loss. Regular training on exercise machines does not help you lose extra pounds, it only increases your muscle mass. This is what allows you to shape your figure, add elasticity, remove sagging skin, and get rid of the sides.

As a rule, fitness helps in losing weight; calories are burned during exercise. To get rid of excess weight, experts recommend running and cycling in the morning. If you are experiencing a total lack of free time, then you can buy a treadmill, exercise bike, elliptical, or visit a gym where these machines are located.

Fitness is not only an assistant in losing weight, but also an interesting hobby. If a woman is on a diet and exercises on weight machines are especially difficult for her, then dancing, football or other sports will be excellent fitness not only for the body, but also for the soul. Many holistic workouts include meditation, a full-body relaxation technique that helps replenish the lack of positive energy and add a boost of vitality to the body.

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