Elliptical > Treadmill > Stair climber > bike > etc etc ??

[cannibustacap]

I always use the Elliptical machine, and wow it says it burns about 500-600 calories for 30 minutes of Aerobic work. It doesn't even feel that strenuous either (60-80RPM range)
http://www.lifefitness.com/product/p...e/hc_cross.asp
that is the machine from my local gym.

I go on a stationary bike and work between 80-100 RPM and I burn like 1/3 as many calories as the elliptical.

Also, 45 minutes of slow jogging/fast walking on a Treadmill is only like 400 Calories burned.

Stair climber, for me, is very very hard. Nevertheless, apparently I burn more calories on an elliptical anyway.


So my question is this: why doesn't EVERYONE use an elliptical? Or, is the calorie counter inaccurate?

I am 6'3" , 260 LBs and about 24% BF (yea I know, I need to be less. that is why I'm working out)

http://www.mybodycomp.com/members/bo...rofileID=62585

[MiloMan]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hreadid=101841

[cannibustacap]

Originally posted by MiloMan
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hreadid=101841

I've already seen that and I don't see where it answers my specific question. thanks

how accurate is the calorie counter?

[momotheglutton]

Yeah, I've noticed the same thing. If the calorie counter is anywhere near accurate, it has to be the easiest way to burn calories.

[Supadude]

How do you burn 500-600 calories in 30 mins? Ive only tried an elliptical machine once and only burned like 200 calories. The thing felt awkward as I couldnt stretch my legs out and they got fatigued really quick.

On the treadmill I burn about 390 calories in 30 mins by walking uphill and about 450 calories by jogging.

[cannibustacap]

Originally posted by Supadude
How do you burn 500-600 calories in 30 mins? Ive only tried an elliptical machine once and only burned like 200 calories. The thing felt awkward as I couldnt stretch my legs out and they got fatigued really quick.

On the treadmill I burn about 390 calories in 30 mins by walking uphill and about 450 calories by jogging.

With the machine I use its an incredible workout. I am not fatigued.
http://www.lifefitness.com/product/p...e/hc_cross.asp

It could be that I weight 260 lbs. The way calories work is its a form of energy. Energy is in a direct relationship to how massive you are. (not going into physics.)

You get used to the feel. I try to "run" on the elliptical and not use the handle bars as support. Just focus all my weight on my legs, not machine.

And, yes. It says I burn 500-600 Calories, depending on how hard I work. I am usually in the 60-80 RPM range (I go about 3 miles from 0 - 35 mins. The last 5 minutes is slow cool down.)

I suppose Bikes suck because you are not using your entire body weight against you, just your legs.


--Another thing---

The elliptical machine can get my heart rate up to 160 BPM. I am usually in the low 100s on the bike. I am only 160bpm at sprint, I am usually around 130bpm.

[narak]

out of boredom I did a "road" test on all the cardio machines I can find in my gym (not mine of course) - i used a HRM that you can input your profile to get a not-so-far-off figure: The cal counter of the elliptical is the most inaccurate, overestimate by 1/3. The stairs, bike, EFX, "skywalker"(?), rowing etc are not bad - o/e about 15%.

Just my $0.02....

[Zensuji]

i dont think those calorie counters are accurate. they change from machine to machine (brand). also they dont take in to account weight, bf%, lean muscle%, age etc

[cannibustacap]

Originally posted by narak
out of boredom I did a "road" test on all the cardio machines I can find in my gym (not mine of course) - i used a HRM that you can input your profile to get a not-so-far-off figure: The cal counter of the elliptical is the most inaccurate, overestimate by 1/3. The stairs, bike, EFX, "skywalker"(?), rowing etc are not bad - o/e about 15%.

Just my $0.02....

I have feeling that is because a lot of people lean into the machine (put their hands on the bars) which takes weight off of you. If you don't do that and just "run" on the elliptical as if it were a treadmill or something, it would be more accurate.

Originally posted by tetsuo
i dont think those calorie counters are accurate. they change from machine to machine (brand). also they dont take in to account weight, bf%, lean muscle%, age etc

The Elliptical machine I use (linked in my original post) takes my weight and age. The amount of calories you burn should not depend on anything else. Just weight, resistance, and how far you go.

Although I am basing that fact from what I know of physics ( energy = sum of all forces * distance )

I know there are more technicalities. Could you please discuss those technicalities and how they apply to the inaccuracies of workout machines?

[DiamondDelts]

Originally posted by tetsuo
i dont think those calorie counters are accurate. they change from machine to machine (brand). also they dont take in to account weight, bf%, lean muscle%, age etc

Good point.

[Dark Phoenix]

I keep trying to sit down on the eliptical, too close to a bike's movement for me

[plainsman]

Well the two I use do take into account age and body weight but are far different in calories burned.

The life fitness machine (posted by the original poster) says I burn between 450 and 500 calories in a 30 minute workout.

The startrac natural runner (link below) only says I burn around 300 for a 30 minute workout and that's going all out.

http://www.elliptical-trainer-supers...ptical_Trainer

So to answer your question are they inaccorate? Yes! But I believe all machines are. Are ellipitical machines better than any other machine? Depends, if you run on a tread mill at a good pace you will probably burn more calories then on an elliptical but if you are just walking, etc. because of knee or leg issues then elliptical is the way to go.

BTW...I probably use elliptical 8 out of every 10 times I do cardio

[lgp9999]

Originally posted by narak
out of boredom I did a "road" test on all the cardio machines I can find in my gym (not mine of course) - i used a HRM that you can input your profile to get a not-so-far-off figure: The cal counter of the elliptical is the most inaccurate, overestimate by 1/3. The stairs, bike, EFX, "skywalker"(?), rowing etc are not bad - o/e about 15%.

Just my $0.02....

You just answered the question that was running through my head.

[cannibustacap]

Originally posted by narak
out of boredom I did a "road" test on all the cardio machines I can find in my gym (not mine of course) - i used a HRM that you can input your profile to get a not-so-far-off figure: The cal counter of the elliptical is the most inaccurate, overestimate by 1/3. The stairs, bike, EFX, "skywalker"(?), rowing etc are not bad - o/e about 15%.

Just my $0.02....

Wait, what is a "road" test and how does it work with a HRM (Heart rate monitor?)

[HoosierBoy]

A little off topic, but IMO,

Running/swimming >Elliptical > Treadmill > Stair climber > bike

[PROSA]

I find ten minutes of running at a slow pace (4.5 mph) to be far more draining than a half-hour on an elliptical or stair climber if the resistance of either machine is at the halfway point. You have to set the resistance pretty close to maximum in order to get a workout equivalent to running.
As for the calorie counters, I don't believe them for a minute.

[two choices]

swimming owns, IMO

[Arkadyevna]

None of those estimates are worth a damn unless they're taking your heart rate into account. Even then, I find that gym machines with built in (hand-held) heart rate monitors still overestimate pretty wildly.
It's certainly true that some people "cheat" on machines by holding on and taking their weight with their arms which will obviously give an overestimate, but I always find their figures outdo my HRM but about 25-40%.

You're right that your body weight has a big effect on the calories you burn during exercise. Using the calculator at CalorieControl I calculated that 30 mins of jogging will burn 585kcals for you (260lb) but only 382kcals for me (170lb). Again, that's only an estimate but it does highlight that what seems very high for many people may actually be attainable for you. Personally, I only ever burn about 300kcals in 30 mins no matter what I do, and that's calculated by my HRM.

Also, from what you said about your heart rate using different machines, I'd say it's possible that you really are burning much more on the elliptical. 160bpm is probably around 75% of your maximum (at a guess, without knowing your age) which is probably in your aerobic zone and a good place to train if you can maintain it there.
100-130bpm is probably barely in your training zone so it's not at all surprising that you don't burn too much when you're working at that rate. For details of your own heart rate training zones try here.

I started writing this expecting to tell you it was impossible to burn that many calories in 30 mins and that the machines must be wrong. I still think they probably overestimate, but the difference between different machines is most likely due to the difference in your heart rate IMO.

[cannibustacap]

Originally posted by Arkadyevna

100-130bpm is probably barely in your training zone so it's not at all surprising that you don't burn too much when you're working at that rate. For details of your own heart rate training zones try here.

On the machine I use, I do "Aerobic Cross training" mode. This mode goes from slow, to arms, to sprint, to your own pace, to reverse (which I sprint also).

My heart rate goes from 130-170 (highest I've seen at peak). I am not at 160 the entire time at all, usually around 140-150.

However, I read that having a heart rate too high, your body starts to burn muscle before fat. The "Fat" mode of the elliptical machine wants me to be at about 133 BPM heart rate....

I don't lean on the machine at all, I barely even touch the heart rate handles. I just go and let my arms go like I am running.

I am 18 (going onto 19 in a couple months).

[Dragon111]

If swimming owns, why are most swimmers not completely cut? A little body fat helps floating, so mabye they purposely keep a diet that allows them to keep a little flub.

They're not as cut as sprinters and gymnasts...

[lgp9999]

Originally posted by Arkadyevna
I calculated that 30 mins of jogging will burn 585kcals for you (260lb) but only 382kcals for me (170lb

585k calories... 585000???

[cannibustacap]

Originally posted by lgp9999
585k calories... 585000???

The calories you eat, on the label, is 1000x

I think 1 calorie is the amount of energy to raise one gram of water 1 degree celcius (something like that).


Also, how fast is the jogging? Is there a general consensus to how fast jogging is?

[Striver]

I've burnt 1100 calories in an hour on a treadmill. It was on incline. A treadill on a teep incline is eaily the best calorie burner.

[cannibustacap]

Originally posted by Striver
I've burnt 1100 calories in an hour on a treadmill. It was on incline. A treadmill on a teep incline is eaily the best calorie burner.

When you weight 260... parts of your body start to hurt when you run on a treadmill. My shins start to KILL me. Elliptical is really my best bet.

Running on regular ground isn't as bad for some reason.

[Striver]

Originally posted by cannibustacap
When you weight 260... parts of your body start to hurt when you run on a treadmill. My shins start to KILL me. Elliptical is really my best bet.

Running on regular ground isn't as bad for some reason.

I weigh 250.

That the good thing you can go on a low speed but still burn more calories than the guy next to you runniing his ass off.

EDIT: The tradmills you run on probably aren't properly cushioned if it is more comfortable to run on ground.