Designing your own home gym can be a tricky task. There are numerous pieces of equipment to choose from, and you want something that will help you meet your fitness goals efficiently. If you’re considering purchasing either the Arc Trainer or treadmill for your home gym, below are some pros and cons to help you make an informed decision. The trainer is a particularly effective and efficient piece of cardio equipment.
The following are some of the major benefits you can expect from using the Arc Trainer at home.
Due to its flexibility, it’s not only a great choice for runners; it also makes an ideal workout machine for those who prefer swimming or biking as exercise forms.
This machine is more compact than the treadmill; it’s also a great choice if you lack sufficient space in your home or apartment.
If you prefer to work out with friends or family, this workout equipment allows up to four users at a time for an effective and enjoyable physical activity.
The Arc Trainer provides low-impact workouts as it barely compresses your joints.
Which is Best for Exercising at Home?
When it comes to exercising at home, many people worry that they will get bored easily. But, with the Arc Trainer, you have more than 70 programs to work with to keep yourself entertained and motivated.
It’s also tranquil, so you don’t need to worry about waking up the neighbors or disturbing other members of the household while you’re working out. That’s not true for the treadmill, though.
The Arc Trainer is also very comfortable to use as it’s equipped with a cushioned saddle, and its motion is comparable to that of an elliptical machine. Unlike treadmills, which have either stationary or movable rails, the Arc Trainer uses a rolling belt that allows you to vary your stride length.
The machine also tracks the calories you’ve burned, distance, speed, and time via its computerized display screen. The data is stored in memory for future reference so you can see your progress over time.
While there are many workout programs to choose from on this machine, it’s easy to use even without them, as it allows you to change the incline of your workouts. Unfortunately, this option is not available with treadmills.
Finally, this workout machine makes an excellent addition to group exercise sessions in schools or community centers. This can be a great motivator for those who are just starting their fitness.
The Arc Trainer is relatively new fitness equipment to the market. However, it received positive reviews, devoted users, and an overall great reputation in the span of several months after its launch. So many people ask about this machine, though, is can it be compared with treadmills?
The Cost Comparison
One of the biggest advantages of an arc trainer is its price. With a purchase cost that starts at $1000, it is much cheaper than a treadmill. The price of a treadmill, depending on the model, can be twice as much.
The Arc Trainer is also not very bulky and can fit in your home with ease. If you choose a treadmill, it will require far more space and might even be placed outside. However, the price difference is less important when considering how durable treadmills are compared to Arc Trainers.
The Workout Results
The treadmill can lead to more effective fat loss, and weight loss results in exercise results. Treadmills are also ideal for someone who wants a full-body workout as they can work your arm and leg muscles at the same time while walking or running.
The arc trainer is considered better for strengthening the lower body, which makes it ideal if you are planning to make a lot of squats and lunges. However, both machines provide different muscle workouts, depending on how you use them.
A treadmill is not only far cheaper than an arc trainer but also much easier to use. When comparing features and capabilities between the two, treadmills are the obvious winner. They are straightforward to use and can be turned on instantly by pushing a single button.
However, the arc trainer requires power cords and an attachment that shoots out from the back of the machine to allow you to get your hands off of it at certain times for you to work your legs.
If you plan to use your machine regularly to get the best workout results, treadmills tend to be far better at this.
Arc trainers may offer you a good physical workout, but they can sometimes fail to stimulate the heart rate in quite the same way as treadmills do during exercise. So if it’s fat loss or cardiovascular health that you’re looking for, treadmills might be the superior choice between these two machines.
The Workout Space and Comfort
Yet another advantage of an arc trainer is how easily it fits into small spaces and doesn’t take up too much room in your home as many other cardio machines would. This makes them ideal if you live in a smaller home with limited space or prefer to work out in the comfort of your own home.
Treadmills, however, require more room and are noisier than an Arc Trainer as they move back and forth on their wheels.
They can also be difficult to store if you do not have space in your home and may take up a lot of precious space that you could use for other purposes or entertaining guests.
The Weight Capacity
The weight capacity is another important consideration when deciding between the two machines. Treadmills can hold many people at one time, which might make them ideal if several people live in your household that want to exercise regularly.
Arc trainers typically only hold around 200 pounds, so users with more weight will find themselves unable to exercise effectively on this kind of machine.
This is something to consider if there are large people in your family or at home that plan on using the equipment often as it may not be able to support them.
The Manufacturer Warranty
Arc Trainers tend to have more limited warranties than treadmills, which offer a warranty for up to three years. The Arc Trainer does have a one-year warranty, but some models do not even come with this type of guarantee and instead give you 90 days or less.
When comparing these two machines, no matter what brand you purchase from, always check the manufacturer’s warranty so that you can make sure you are covered should anything go wrong with your cardio exercise equipment.
Maintenance Cost and Safety Risks
If you haven’t considered the safety risks associated with cardio machines before, it’s important to know some potentially serious concerns. For example, elliptical machines have been known to cause serious head and neck trauma for users when they don’t adjust the pedals correctly or fail to use them properly.
Meanwhile, treadmills have been known to cause spinal injuries and repetitive stress disorders. This is partly because many people misuse these machines or are not as safe with their posture and joint movements while using them.
The good news about arc trainers regarding safety risks is that this kind of equipment tends not to pose many serious hazards like those associated with elliptical machines and treadmills.
However, they should still be used carefully since injury can occur from any exercise machine if you fail to follow directions properly or use it for too long at one time without taking breaks.
The Workout Programs
Treadmills come equipped with different workout programs designed especially for beginners so you can get the most out of your exercise machine and progress at a steady rate as you become accustomed to the routine.
However, Arc Trainers do not have these programming systems, so be sure that you choose an arc trainer with several different speed and resistance levels if you want to get results from this type of cardio machine.
The Workout Comfort
Both treadmills and arc trainers are designed for comfort, but there are still some differences in the quality of their seats, especially when considering how long you plan on exercising or working out each day.
If lengthier workouts will be part of your routine, then choosing an arc trainer with a more comfortable seat is crucial since sitting in one position for hours can cause serious lower back pain over time.
Consider the Location
Before purchasing either of these machines, you’ll want to determine where they will be located in your home. This is an important factor because treadmills require several feet in width and length for safe operation, not just inches like arc trainers do.
If you don’t have enough space for a treadmill, choosing an arc trainer may be more practical.
9 Benefits of Arc Trainers
- Great for Weight Loss: The Arc Trainer is excellent for people trying to lose weight. It has been proven that the Arc Trainer can burn twice as many calories than running a treadmill or other cardio equipment.
- Muscle Strengthening: Greater Muscle Activation: The arc trainer also boasts higher strength levels when compared to aerobic exercises such as cycling, running, and walking. This is because you need to use your core, hips, and back to keep the Arc moving.
- A Great Cardiovascular Workout: The arc trainer has become a popular choice for people looking for a more intense cardio workout than they would get on other equipment. It can be used to increase cardio endurance faster than traditional exercise machines, giving you great results without increasing the time spent on the machine.
- It Builds Your Bones: Studies have shown that using an arc training machine will help build bone density more effectively than walking or jogging alone by incorporating all of your body’s weight in movement.
- Increasing Your Endurance: The Arc Trainer also challenges your endurance. Because you are moving all parts of your body, it helps increase the overall strength and endurance needed for other sports.
- Highly Adaptable & Adjustable: The Arc Trainer can be adjusted in many ways so that you can have a custom workout no matter what your skill level or fitness goals may be. It moves horizontally like a treadmill but also vertically at an angle simulating climbing stairs or running uphill. This gives it more freedom than treadmills or elliptical machines with only one movement pattern. In addition, you can adjust its resistance and change the arc angle to make it easygoing, strenuous, or challenging in different means, as well as using the machine’s cushioned handlebars and belt for upper body exercises.
- Better Cognitive Abilities: The Arc Trainer can improve your cognitive abilities faster than other traditional cardio machines. It allows you to focus on simple or complex patterns with various options for how you want to use the machine, giving it better results than many other cardio pieces of equipment.
- Great For Mental Wellbeing: The Arc Trainer is also great for mental wellbeing by helping you maintain and achieve your fitness goals while keeping yourself alert and productive during the day. Keeping fit will also boost your overall health and promote good sleep while also enhancing self-confidence and decreasing anxiety issues that may be holding you back from exercise at all. Overall, arc trainer workouts make positive changes in mood and health in as little as a few sessions.
- It Is Low Impact: The Arc Trainer is also low impact. It provides an easy way to get your cardio without putting too much stress on your joints or ligaments, especially if you have problems with arthritis or other joint-related conditions.
Conclusion
While both types of cardio equipment can help improve heart health by increasing aerobic capacity, burning fat, and strengthening muscles, there are still some key differences between them when considering the best option to purchase for your own home gym machine collection.
Arc trainers are ideal if your workout routine involves short bursts at one time that last around 15 minutes.