Question
Treadmill vs Rowing Mahcine
I can’t afford to join a gym and am on a limited budget, so I can only afford to buy one cardio machine for home use. Which do you think gives the best workout, a treadmill or a rowing machine? My goal is to burn fat and build muscle in order to get my BMI back in line.
I’m in reasonable shape, an ex-jockette, but have been out of commission for several years due to injuries. My knees aren’t great, but I can jog for 30 minutes on a treadmill at a moderate pace (5.7 mph), and my hips are getting a little stiff. (I’ve been using a friend’s treadmill for about 6 weeks and now need to buy something for myself.)
I was thinking maybe a rower might be better for my joints, but I like the way jogging keeps my tummy flat. Plus I think I can get a used treadmill for less money than a used rower. What do you think?
Answer
So you’re an ex-jockette, I like that term, you mind if I borrow it? I call my daughter dudette, so it’s a natural extension for my slang library…
Moving on to your question getting a treadmill vs a rowing machine for doing home cardio workouts, I think you answered it on your own when you wrote me for advice.
You said, “…have been out of commission for several years due to injuries. My knees aren’t great…” which would lead me away from getting a treadmill and subjecting your knees to any more trauma or damage. If you really feel the need to run do it in moderation on a forgiving surface and stay off the pavement and treadmills.
A rower like the Concept 2 Rowing Machine or the Lifecore Rower will give you a tremendously effective workout that will burn calories at a high rate and spare you more wear and tear on your already damaged knees.
Keeping your “tummy flat” as you stated is more the result of consuming the proper amount of calories and keeping fit, and not running on a treadmill. Remember you’re tummy doesn’t know if you’re running, biking, swimming, hiking, rowing, skiing or bouncing on a trampoline.
You body fat will come off first in the last place it was added. In other words, if you start to gain fat weight in your legs and butt first and then notice your stomach getting bigger, you will lose the stomach fat first and then the fat around your legs and butt. Make sense?
Fore more information on rowers, you can read all my rowing machine reviews here for helpful tips.
As to building lean muscle with cardio goes, neither a treadmill or rowing machine is going to help you add lean muscle. In order to do that you should be doing some resistance training with adjustable dumbbells, resistance bands or body weight exercises.
