This is a fairly common question for average people who are not looking to become body building champions but are nonetheless concerned about their overall physical condition and health. The answer to this question though, lies primarily on the level of fitness you are currently in and the level of fitness you would like to achieve. Other more minor factors, such as the amount of time you have available, will also factor in into the final verdict.
To help you make this decision, we will tackle all three great exercises and see how each one compares to the others in direct comparison.
First, let us take into consideration the user compatibility of each of these exercise machines. The treadmill is very suitable to almost any one and persons on almost any fitness level can use it. This is because the treadmill allows you to adjust the length of your strides, unlike the stationary bicycle which forces you to pedal in conformity with the size of the bike. Thus, if you are too short or too long, the bicycle would not be a good choice. This same problem is also a big concern on the rowing machine.
Next, let us look at the strain that these exercise machines put on your body. Among the three, the treadmill definitely exerts the most unnecessary pressure on your body because of the impact that your body has to go through every time you take a step. This type of unnecessary impact is greatly reduced in the stationary bicycle and the rowing machine. These two machines take the pressure out of the joints in the knees and ankles by giving the person using them a comfortable place to sit on.
This brings us to the main advantage of the stationary bicycle. Among the three, this is the most comfortable to use. It puts you in a great position and it provides superior support for your entire body. This particular advantage makes the stationary bicycle the best option for people who are still starting out on their fitness program or for those who are already quite a bit over weight.
What about the ability to burn calories? In this aspect of the competition between the treadmill, the stationary bicycle, and the rowing machine, it is the rowing machine that stands out to be the most effective. This is because it is the rowing machine that involves the most muscle groups during the time of exercise. When you use a rowing machine, you will be using large groups of muscle in both your upper body region and your lower body area. You will be toning and thoroughly exercising your buns and your thighs with this machine. You will also be giving your arms, shoulders, and back muscles a firm work out.
On top of all that, you will of course be burning a huge amount of calories in a fairly short amount of time. In contrast to this, the treadmill only allows you to work out your lower body, particularly your legs. The same goes for the stationary bike. Both of these exercise machines engage very few muscles on your body during the exercise thus making you take a lot more time to burn the same amount of calories than you would using the rowing machine.
