Are you looking for some effective cardio exercise machines? There are so many gym options that it can be difficult to decide which cardio machine can make our workouts more efficient.
Both recumbent bikes and elliptical machines can give you a great cardio workout and are easier on your joints compared to running outside on the hard concrete pavement. However, each cardio exercise on these machines will affect you differently. As you’ll be standing for the elliptical machine and sitting for the recumbent bike, you’ll be targeting different muscle groups.
But is one machine necessarily better than the other? I did an extensive analysis and spoke to different fitness enthusiasts to figure out which one they preferred and what kind of results they had achieved from using these machines.
Here’s what you need to know about recumbent bikes and elliptical machines and which one can give you a better workout:
What Is A Recumbent Bike?
The recumbent bike is a stationary bike that puts the body in a more natural position during cardio and is easier on your back and joints. It’s more comfortable than upright bikes because you’ll feel like you’re sitting on a piece of comfortable furniture with adequate seat coverage. And in many cases, you’ll also notice that the bike has a slightly reclined seat.
The seats provide more lumber support, have a larger surface area, and have the pedal positioned in front of the body, making your workout more stable and comfortable. However, you’re not able to engage your abdominal and core muscles while using the bike. Since you have a stable base, you’re not required to put your hands on the handlebars either. Making your workout more versatile.
Burn Calories With Comfort
Some people may tell you that recumbent bicycles aren’t as effective as elliptical or upright exercise bikes regarding calorie burning. However, your calorie burning will depend on the duration and intensity of your workout. If you’re not pushing yourself during your time on any machine, it won’t make a difference which machines your choose. Therefore, the recumbent bike is as effective as an elliptical machine and an upright bike. So, if you intend to lose body fat and put on lean muscle, you should choose a recumbent for your workout routine at the local gym.
What Is An Elliptical Machine?
An elliptical machine gives you non-to-low-impact stationary exercise that stimulates stair climbing, running, and walking while engaging your lower and upper body in the movements.
This amazing cardio machine gets its name from the pattern of movement on it. Using the machine, you’ll feel like your feet and arms are synced in an elliptical movement while your muscles start to burn. This burning sensation will initiate the stage of burning calories.
The Elliptical Machine Has Many Benefits
You’ll use your entire body when you use the elliptical machine. However, the entire exercise will have a low impact as your feet won’t leave the pedals. You can also adjust the resistance of the pedal depending on your target muscle groups and range of motion.
Everything on this machine is connected based on its mechanics. So, your movement has to be in sync. You cannot move your legs and arms out of rhythm. If you’re a beginner at a gym, this will give you the confidence to start cardio in a way that you can’t mess up or embarrass yourself. You only need to practice a back-and-forth movement. Moreover, if you’ve got joint issues, this can be your go-to cardio machine as it won’t strain your joints during the workout.
If you’re around 155-pound person, you’ll be able to burn around 324 calories in 30 minutes, based on a Harvard Health Publishing report.
The Key Takeaways From The Comparison
Both the recumbent bike and elliptical machine will give you a low-impact workout, making them beginner-friendly devices. Also, if you’re recovering from joint issues or injuries, you should start with these machines instead of a treadmill and heavy weights. And if you’re a seasoned fitness warrior who has been on their witness journey for a while now, you can always increase the resistance on these machines for a more strenuous workout before moving on to another machine in the gym.
However, if you’re looking for full-body movement, the elliptical has an advantage over the recumbent bike. This is because your arms and legs are in a synchronized movement. While with the recumbent bike, you have the option of doing anything you like with your hands because of a stable base.
You can always use the recumbent bike for High-Intensity Interval Training to pump up your oxygen levels, but you won’t get the full range of core movement. Ultimately, the best machine will depend upon your preference and fitness goals. And most importantly, it’ll depend on which machine you enjoy using. If exercise becomes a chore, you won’t be motivated to work out or come to the gym any longer. So, figure out what works for you.
Regardless, no matter what machine you choose, note that excessive repetitive motion can overuse your muscles and cause injuries. So, don’t be afraid to change your routine once in a while. After all, there’s no reason you can’t use both in your exercise routine. You can use the elliptical to warm up your body and ensure all your muscles are engaged along with your core. After that, you can move onto the recumbent bike to target your leg muscles.
Some Great Equipment You Can Get For Home Or Commercial Gym
Here’s an example of a great elliptical and recumbent bike machine for your home and commercial gym.
The Endurance E5000 Elliptical Trainer
This endurance trainer has great features. It includes
- 7 workout programs
- 5 heart rate control programs like HR Hill, Fat Burn, Target, and Cardio
- A two-window display console showing calories burned per hour, level, pulse, stride per minute, distance, speed, and time
- the manual resistance adjustment feature
- Lifetime warranty on the frame
- 5 year warranty on the mechanical and electric parts
- Self-generated power
- upper-body workout for arms
- Wireless HRC with chest straps
- Contact grip pulse sensors
- 20 levels of magnetic resistance
- 21-inch stride
This is one of the top-quality trainers for home and commercial uses. It’s self-powered, so you don’t have to plug it in and worry about power usage. You can begin peddling as soon as you get on the machine and make adjustments according to your endurance levels. The shape of the ellipse pattern with this machine will give you a running feel without the actual strain of running. It’ll also keep you balanced in an upright position.
The Endurance E5000 has supporting side rails to give you more stability in an already solid frame. Also, the entire frame has a low center of gravity, so you won’t feel any rocking or lateral motion as you do your warm-up or workout routine.
Niceday Indoor Recumbent Exercise Bike Workout
This is another top-of-the-line and best-selling range of fitness equipment for home and commercial gyms. Many reviews on Amazon have termed this equipment as one of the best on the market, with 4 and 1/2 star reviews.
The recumbent bike is great for aerobic exercises and long-term fitness. It is great for working on your waist, thigh, and calf muscles. It can help reduce overall fat percentages in your body and strengthen your cardiovascular function due to cardio. It can also train your body for good coordination for motor functions and helps with musculoskeletal injuries.
It also has the following features:
- a digital display showing pulse, calories, distance, speed, and time
- stable base
- back-lit LED screen
You also get a lifetime warranty on your bike and after-sales services with Niceday for every piece of equipment you buy. Their online team will get back to your query within 24 hours.
Your fitness journey begins with nutrition, and then it’s refined with your efforts at the gym. Now that you know which piece of equipment can give you a full-body workout and easy cardio workout for limited mobility, you can make the best out of your time in the gym.
You can also get specialized equipment for your home so you don’t miss out on your workout routine. Visit Amazon for the latest home gym equipment.
