Ellipticals Run Ovals Around Treadmills

Ellipticals are among the most widely used machines in health clubs, and the number of people using such machines increased from 2.4 million in 1997 to 6.2 million in 2000.

Elliptical exercisers are combination stair climber/cross-country-ski machines. Your feet are on pedals, which move in an oval shaped motion. Your hands grasp handlebars that are moved back and forth with your arms. The machine resists the motion of your arms and legs.

Elliptical machines designed for home use provide resistance with a band around the flywheel's rim. Comparatively, most health-club ellipticals use magnetic resistance, which allows for smoother pedaling.

Elliptical exercisers provide the following benefits as compared to other forms of exercise:

Ellipticals have oval-shaped pedaling motion, which is much easier on joints than running on a treadmill.
Ellipticals provide a weight-bearing workout, which helps protect bones against osteoporosis. Pedaling an exercise bike, swimming or using a rowing machine are not weight-bearing exercises.
Ellipticals are easy to use.
Elliptical exercise burns a similar number of calories to treadmill exercise with the same amount of effort.
Additionally, elliptical exercise provides:

40 percent more gluteal involvement than traditional machines
Excellent knee range of motion, hip flexion and extension
A body position that minimizes the aggravation of knee injuries
A reverse motion that emphasizes hamstrings
A forward motion that emphasizes gluteal involvement
In terms of aerobic benefits:

People who used elliptical machines had lower rates of perceived exertion (RPE) than people who used other exercise machines
Ellipticals promote the development and maintenance of cardiovascular fitness
Ellipticals’ reverse motion allows more calories to be burned at a given speed and resistance
Although studies have found that elliptical machines in health-clubs tend to be superior to home machines, home users can still get a good workout from the elliptical machine.

Washington Post April 10, 2002; Page C12