Which fitness machine is best for your low-impact cardio exercise Recumbent Bike Vs Elliptical Trainer? If you’re interested to know about them then you are in the right place.
When you are looking for a low-impact cardio exercise machine then the two names is coming the Recumbent bike and Elliptical trainer. But it is difficult to select the best one.
Well, both Recumbent Bike and Elliptical Trainer are two indoor fitness workout machines, both are used for improving your health condition and your mindset, whereas one is used for a full-body workout and another is targeting your Lower Body & Core.
But also to analysis, both features are also very important for your to select the best one.
Here we are different the both Recumbent Bike and Elliptical Trainer and gives you some tips and tricks to choose the right fitness machine.
So stay tuned to this article to know to pick the best one for your health.
What Is A Recumbent Bike?
The Recumbent bike is a fitness type of equipment known as a cycle where you are doing your cycling in indoor conditions.
For getting a fitness body shape Recumbent cycle help you to do cardio exercises. These are looking very good and the functionality is very simple like a normal cycle, setting on the bike, and start pedaling.
If you are athletic then you can use this cycling for your practice. As well as if you are wanting to lose your weight, or belly fat, and suffering from knee and joint problems then you can use it.
Unfortunately, these bikes are not good for upper body exercise, if you are planning to do lower body and core workouts then the Recumbent bike is a good choice.
By pedaling this cycling almost burns 400 to 750 kcal in 30 minutes of pedaling.
Pros & Cons Of A Recumbent Bike
Here are some pros and cons of the recumbent bikes
Pros
- Good cardio workout
- Comfortable
- Eases back pain and pelvic pain
- Perfect for arthritic exercisers
- Adjustable
- Easy to assemble and move
- Beginner-friendly
- Taking Less installation Area
Cons
- Cannot simulate outdoor riding with hills or sprints
- Wrist pain from resting hands on the sidebars
- Knee pain from additional stress on knees ( fewer stress placed on other joints)
- No Incline features to maximize the results
- Burn Low calories
What Is An Elliptical Machine?
An Elliptical is a Pisces of a cardio fitness machine that is basically focused on a full-body workout with low impacts.
As I tools you, in Elliptical you can do a full-body workout for losing your weight or belly fat means this fitness machine is basically focused on both lower and upper body workouts.
Well, on these machines you can do walking, running, or stair climbing for getting a fitness body shape.
These machines are very comfortable and secure for doing your weight loss cardio exercise and reduce the risk of injuries on the knee and joints.
It targets all groups of people types beginners to advanced like the treadmill.
Pros & Cons Of An Elliptical Machine
Pros
- Good cardio workout
- Burn More Calories
- Low-impact
- Full body workout
- Reverse stride option
- Feels easier than it is so you might work out longer, harder
- Adjustable
- Beginner / Advanced -friendly
Cons
- Feels Unnatural movement
- Stats are not accurate
- Can aggravate hip problems
Before we discuss which is machine better for your cardio workouts, I just want to tell you somethings
The similarity between both Recumbent Bike and Elliptical Trainer
Following are some similarities that you look at in both cardio machines.
Improve Heart Health
Both cardio machines help you to improve your cardiovascular fitness which helps to improve your heart health.
As you know the cardiovascular helps to increase the blood flow circulation to all the organs in our body and decade the blood pressure problem.
Improved Overall Health
Using are fineness equipment on a regular is increase your overall health condition. All you are organs will be properly functioning such as the heart and pump blood more efficiently to every organ.
As per the research, both machines help to increase your stamina, muscles, neurological functioning, and your moods.
Weight Loss
Also, both cardio exercises machine are helping the user to lose weight by doing their effective cardio workouts in indoor conditions, with no need to run outside.
Depending upon your exercise time the number of calories will be burnt for example if you are doing 30 minutes in a day almost a minimum of 300 calories will be burned.
For maximizing your weight loss you have to increase your cardio and read your heart pulse whether it is under the fat-burning zone or not.
Low Impact
Well, the booth fitness machines offer low-impact cardio workouts, which means here you did not get any heavy pressure on your joint and knee as on the treadmill.
If you’re suffering from both problem joint and knee pain then you can use both two fitness machines this will be helping to reduce the impact and help to decrease your pain.
Which is a better recumbent bike or elliptical
After discussion of both machine similarities Now time to see which cardio fitness machine is best for you?
Recumbent Bike Vs Elliptical: Muscles Worked
Well, the Elliptical machine offers both lower body and upper body workouts whereas ae the Recumbent is only offering a lower body workout.
As the elliptical is used for the full-body workout it builds 80% of body muscles as compared to a bike.
If you looked at the Elliptical, it builds more muscles because of the moving handrails which are especially forced on the upper body.
If you are seen on the upper body: back muscles (latissimus dorsi), chest (pectorals), arms (biceps and triceps), and stomach (abdominal), and the bottom muscles: buttocks, thigh muscles (hamstrings, located just below the gluteal and quadriceps), and legs (calves and tibialis anterior)
Whereas the Recumbent bikes are built on thighs, arms, bellies, and calves.
In the conclusion, we reached that both machines help to build muscles but the Elliptical Machine is more. But if you increase the resistance of the pedal then more change you build more muscles in both bile and trainers.
Recumbent Bike Vs Elliptical: Wight Lose Calories Burned
Both the Recumbent bike and the Ellipercals are effectively worked for weight loss.
Speaking about the burning calories then the Elliptical will be the winner.
For example, suppose you are doing exercise on the Bike for 30 minutes then you can burn 400 to 750 kcal, if you are a workout for the same amount of time in an Elliptical then you burn 455 to 830 kcal, which means more burning calories is quick weight loss results.
If you are marked then the Elliptical is burning more than 15% of calories than a Recumbent bike, this is possible because of the sufficient resistance which increases the workout intensity levels and lose more weight.
In summer, we found the Elliptical Trainer is the winner.
Which is Better for Knees, Back and Joint Pain, an Elliptical or a Recumbent Bike?
Here we discuss the 3 major issues that generally occur when you are doing your cardio exercise. So we dived into 3 section
Back Pain
When speaking about the issue of back pain then the Recumbent bike is more comfortable, because here you did not get any shocking or crashing as like in the Ellipticals. And also on the elliptical, you are not getting any backrest features.
Joint Pain
In case of a joint issue then overall the Elliptical is more comfortable but somehow in such cases, the bike is best such as hip pain.
Knee Injuries
As we know both machines offer a low-impact cardio exercise both machines are helped to decrease the shock impact on the knees.
But to the research, the recumbent bike is better for a knee issue. Here you feel safer than an Ellipticals.
Recumbent Bike Vs Elliptical: Adjustability
In the Elliptical you can adjust the seat position and resistance by a resistance knob ( that help to work harder to see the quick and effective results).
Whereas in Recumbent bikes you can adjust the Seat, handlebar, resistance, and the difficulty of the preamble to maximize the cardio.
Recumbent Bike Vs Elliptical: Type Of Users
As I already told you the Recumbent bikes are best for those who want to start their fitness journey and also the Elliptical is also a good option.
But if you want an advanced workout then you should the Elliptical machine.
If you are looking for an exercise machine for seniors then the Elliptical machine is a great option because the machine minimizes the hip, back, and joint pain.
Recumbent Bike Vs Elliptical: Storage Area
You buying an exercise machine for your home gym purpose, so it is important to check the area space requires a machine.
Speaking about the installation area then the Recumbent bike is taking less space as compared to an Elliptical machine.
Ellipticals are bulk and heavier to store so they need a larger area in your home and require a power supply so you have to install them in the nearest power socket.
Recumbent Bike Vs Elliptical: Cost
Here you can’t compare both exercise machines because of the more costly means that have more specifications and features which will help for your cardio workouts.
But in general, the Recumbent bike comes at a low cost. These machines are available at the staging price of 50000 rupees.
Conclusion
Finally, we compare the recumbent bike vs the elliptical trainer, now it is your turn which you have to take. It is your personal decision because every user has a different mindset and fitness requirement.
But if I am in your stage then I must buy the Elliptical trainer machine, Because it has more features and also burns more calories and builds 80% more muscles, which I need.