Treadmills and elliptical trainers are two of the most popular types of exercise equipment. Both are excellent tools for getting an aerobic workout indoors. When you compare treadmills to elliptical trainers, treadmills have obviously been around a lot longer and therefore are wider known and more common. While both are excellent choices, by knowing the differences, you can decide if elliptical workouts or treadmill workouts, or even a combination of both, works best for you.

Elliptical Workout:The elliptical workout involves low impact exercise. This low impact exercise is especially good for people with joint, knee, lower back or hip problems. An elliptical workout also works the upper and lower body simultaneously, which makes your heart rate climb faster than with a treadmill workout. The elliptical trainer works your legs, back, shoulders, chest and your arms, making it a total body workout. Another great feature of an elliptical workout is you can add variety by pedaling backwards. This backward pedaling motion targets your lower body quadriceps muscles.

Treadmill Workout: A treadmill workout can also give you an excellent aerobic workout and a lot of people still prefer it to an elliptical workout. If you are just beginning to work out or just don't want a total body workout, a treadmill workout might be perfect. Most treadmills offer different intensity levels that you can increase as you become more fit. A treadmill workout provides a different variety of exercise to an elliptical workout, by allowing you to run, jog or walk on an incline. While it is a less intense workout, it is a great way to burn fat, while promoting good cardiovascular health.

Both elliptical workouts and treadmill workouts can build bone density, burn fat, promote good cardiovascular health and increase your energy levels. The important thing is to work out regularly. Exercise is the only way to lose weight and maintain good health. As the buyer, you can decide whether the treadmill or elliptical trainer is right for you.