Which is better for your cardiovascular wellness? Bike or Treadmill?
Do you ever feel like you can't win when it comes to your health and wellness? You want to get fit, but don't know which type of exercise is best for you, so you end up trying everything from Kayla Istines workouts to Chris Hemsworth's app or that free '28 Day Shred' PDF you downloaded at midnight after binging the new episodes of Love Island. Ok, well that's just me then. But the questions keep coming, do you pound the pavement, or stay inside on the treadmill? Or do you hop on an exercise bike and pedal yourself to exhaustion? It can be hard to know which option is right for your individual needs and goals. But don't worry – we're here to help! In this blog post, we'll compare the pros and cons of using an exercise bike vs a treadmill, hopefully you can then make the best decision for your own health. Let's get started!
What is Cardiovascular Wellness?
Firstly, your cardiovascular wellness or cardiovascular health involves your heart, arteries, veins and other components of the circulatory system. Here's a fact that'll get your blood pumping, did you know that your level of cardiovascular heatlh is the number one predictor for your longevity of life? In fact, at an optimal level it can help reduce the risks from having other risk factors. Wow! Yes, I had to read that sentence several times as well. Research has shown that when someone improves their fitness levels, their risk of having a heart event or dying from a heart event becomes reduced. In addition to that, researchers found that year on year improvements in fitness were good predictors for future risk of developing risk factors such as diabetes and high blood pressure. This applied to people who already had heart disease or heart failure but preserved their fitness level year on year. This group also saw a better survival rate.
That's the important health information stuff out of the way. In the words of the late, great Olivia Newton John "let's get factual... or physical". Either way, lets take a look at why some people swear by the treadmill, while others prefer the exercise bike. Just quickly, before we jump into equipment, I will say that it's really important that you just get moving. Any change in your daily activity levels will bring you some benefits in the long run. The easiest thing at your disposal is simply getting outside and walking. It is one of the most underrated forms of exercise on this planet and does wonders for your mind and body.
Exercise Bike benefits
A stationary exercise bike is a great way to improve your cardiovascular health and the benefits of having one in your home are many. Firstly, you don't have to worry about the weather. Second, you can also control the intensity of your workout to can make it as easy or as difficult as you want. Additionally, bike riding is low-impact, so it's easy on your joints. Thirdly, bikes don't take up much space. Most importantly, riding is a great way to reduce stress and improve your mood. So if you're looking for a way to improve your cardiovascular health, a stationary exercise bike is a great option. There are different types of bikes as well, if deciding on whether an upright bike or spin bike is for you, this breakdown might help.
Exercise bikes also often have a number of ways to adjust for comfort, such as handle bar height and seat height. They're simple to use and can be used for basic steady state cardio and HIIT workouts alike. Top tip, if you're looking to do high intensity workouts on a bike where you have to stand up to give it full beans, spin bikes will be a better option for you.
The HIIT style of training matters when it comes to the conversation around cardiovascular health, especially if you're time poor. This is because the main advantage to HIIT is that you can boost your cardiovascular fitness faster by working harder instead of longer. Some small, short-term studies hint that HIIT workouts can produce equal or greater improvements in blood pressure and blood sugar compared with moderate-intensity exercise. Something to think about when it comes to the training style you'll be utilising when training in your home gym.
Treadmill benefits
One of the most popular forms of cardio is training on a treadmill. Treadmills offer a number of benefits over other forms of cardio exercise. First, they provide a consistent surface that is easy on the joints. Second, they allow users to control the speed and intensity of their workout, you can train according to your needs and this is helpful in a house with multiple users. Third, treadmills are widely available and relatively affordable. As a result, they offer an excellent way to get regular cardio exercise no matter the weather conditions outside.
Treadmills are really simple to use for everyone in the family and one of the main benefits is that training on a treadmill allows you to train in your gait patterns for walking and running. They require little maintenance, are reliable and simple to service. We've broken that down for you here.
When it comes to treadmills there's a variety of ways to workout, this allows you to set the pace targeted to your level of fitness. Whether you're walking, jogging or running you can burn a lot of calories in a short period of time. As you work toward your weight loss goals, your weight and the treadmill's speed will determine how many calories you burn in each session. In addition to that, you can add incline or the interval style training to help gain a bigger bang for your buck. Ever been interested in how many calories you burn on a treadmill? We've broken that down for you here too.
What are your goals?
When it comes to training at home it's important to remember that what works for one person might not necessarily work for you. Therefore, there's a few things to consider. Firstly, what are your health goals? Understanding what you want to achieve will help you decide what style of training you’ll use. As a result, this will help determine which equipment suits your style of training. Secondly, how much space do you have? Your space will need to be able to accomodate a treadmill or bike. Thirdly, what is your budget? Ultimately this will be a deciding factor for the type and style of equipment you purchase.
So, which equipment is better for your cardiovascular wellness?
The answer to this question will be different from person to person. How I quantify this for you is... "Which piece of equipment will you enjoy using and be able to have some form of consistency with"? If you were holding a (massage) gun to my head, the answer I would give is a Treadmill. This is because I personally enjoy Treamills more than Bikes, which means I would be more consistant in my training efforts. Sometimes it is as simple as that. I always remind people to never overlook the power of consistency. In my humble opinion it's one of the most overlooked aspects of health, wellness and training. Small, achievable and consistent actions over time will always help you win in the long run.
Written by Fitness Warehouse Personal Trainer, Simon Mitchell. Simon has a Bachelor of Human Movement, is a certified FMS trainer and has worked in the fitness industry since 2003. Simon started his fitness journey as a trainer with iNform Health and Fitness before moving into commercial radio and then back into fitness with Bodyism in the United Kingdom and Australia. A career highlight was being one of Daisy Ridley's personal trainers on Star Wars IX - The Rise Of Skywalker.
