WHICH IS BETTER A SPINNING BIKE OR AN ELLIPTICAL?

Do you want to start doing sports and would like to know if a spinning bike or an elliptical is better for you? If you are thinking of buying one of them to exercise at home and you do not know the difference between the two, in this post we will help you to solve the doubt. There are many gym machines to do sports without leaving the room, but before choosing, you must take into account which one is the most recommended for you depending on what you want to achieve.

There are big differences between the two bikes and each one is specially designed for a type of training. Both machines are quite effective for weight loss. In addition, both work cardiovascular resistance and generally keep you in top shape and improve your figure.

In any case, it is important to know how to use either of the two gym bikes well, this will allow you to exercise correctly and prevent ailments and possible injuries from appearing.

You're going to break a sweat on either of the two bikes, as both sports machines are designed to exercise the cardiovascular system and improve endurance. This translates into a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and also contributes to weight loss. In addition, another advantage of getting on these bikes is that you do not need to worry about your joints, since they do not have an impact on them.

To take full advantage of all these benefits you should do sessions of at least 30 to 45 minutes, both on the spinning bike and on the elliptical .

Since these two machines are beneficial for our fitness and our health, it can be difficult to decide which one best suits your needs. Today we tell you what an indoor spinning bike and an elliptical are like, their differences and why you should use each one for a type of exercise.

DIFFERENTIAL ELEMENTS BETWEEN A SPINNING BIKE AND AN ELLIPTICAL

There are two differentiating elements between these two types of bicycles. We show them below:

Mobile handlebar

The first big difference, and what makes it the main feature between one bike and another, is the handlebar. This element is what makes the upper part of the body (upper body) work on the elliptical bike. On the contrary, spinning bikes do not have this type of handlebar incorporated, but use a handlebar more similar to that of conventional bicycles.

On the elliptical machine, both the upper and lower trains work throughout the sports session. You get to activate all the parts of the body, since with the handlebar you move your arms while you are pedaling.

With the spinning bike you work mainly the muscles of the legs. The further benefit that occurs with the elliptical is when you add upper body movement, moving the handlebars over and over again.

The saddle

This is the most obvious difference. The elliptical offers a more walking-like workout, so it doesn't have a built-in saddle. While the spinning bike does have a saddle, since a cycling exercise is performed on this machine.

In short, on the elliptical you work standing up, moving your whole body and, on the spinning bike, you do sports sitting down, exercising your entire lower body.

The size

This is a determining factor. If we decide to incorporate a home fitness device, the space available for it is essential. Compared to the spinning bike, the elliptical is bigger, so it takes up more space.

WHICH BIKE IS BEST TO LOSE WEIGHT?

Both the elliptical bike and the spinning bike are used to lose weight effectively, although the calories you burn with each exercise will depend mainly on the intensity and duration of the exercise. Although with the elliptical cross trainer you see many more muscles involved, the spinning sessions are usually harder and, therefore, the calorie burn can be greater.

Calories burned in a 45 min session. approx.

• Elliptical cross trainer from 450 to 800 kcal depending on the intensity.
• Spinning bike from 550 to 1000 kcal depending on the intensity.

WHAT MUSCLES DOES EACH OF THE BIKES TONE?

With both the elliptical and the spinning bike you can burn fat and work on cardiovascular resistance. But each of them works and tones the muscles differently.

Spinning is an exercise that focuses on the lower body. The strength is mainly done with the legs, but with interval training and position changes, you can exercise much more than that. One of the areas that is also toned is the core, or central part of our body. If we add the workouts that are done standing on the spinning bike, the arms and back are also strengthened.

If we now look at the muscles that the elliptical exercises, we see that it has a lot in common with spinning as it also works legs and glutes. For its part, the elliptical bike also works the muscles of the hips and, of course, using the handlebars the upper body is better developed. Helps to exercise the chest, biceps, triceps and back.

The elliptical trainer engages many more muscles. The exercise performed with this machine is more complete and helps you better tone your entire body.

WHICH BIKE IS BETTER FOR YOUR KNEES?

Neither of the two types of bicycle generates an impact on the joints. The exercise in both is based on maintaining your own weight, while doing a rotating movement with your legs. In this way, pressure on the joints and, therefore, knee pain or injuries is avoided.

However, if you suffer from serious knee problems, the best option would be the spinning bike. In it, when sitting, the weight on the knees is minimized much more. This does not mean that the machine guarantees protection against injury, only that its chances are lower than those that can occur with the elliptical bike. In addition, in most cases injuries are caused by poor posture when exercising. That is why it is important to know the correct posture for each gym machine.

SPINNING BIKE VS ELLIPTICAL BIKE

We show you below, a table in which you can better observe the differences that exist between the two types of bicycles. In this way, you will be able to better choose your next home gym machine knowing what you want to achieve with each one of them.

If you want to choose between a spinning bike or an elliptical, you already know their differences better to make the decision and buy one. In the ATAA Sports online store you can find different models of both bicycles at the best price!