By: Thomas Pickering, MD, DPhil, FRCP, Director of Integrative and Behavioral Cardiology Program
of the Cardiovascular Institute at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York.

This study compared the rates of energy expenditure during exercise with six different machines: an Airdyne, a NordicTrack cross-country skiing machine, a rowing machine, a bicycle ergometer, and a stair stepper. Subjects exercised to the same level of perceived exertion (moderate to hard)on each of the machines.

For the same amount of exertion, exercising on the treadmill burned consistently more calories than any of the other machines; second best were the NordicTrack, the rowing machine, and the stair stepper. The Airdyne and bicycle gave the lowest energy expenditure. The treadmill burned 40% more calories than the bicycle.

Doctor's comments

It is often claimed that exercise that uses the arms as well as the legs is better for burning calories than exercise that only involves the legs. This study indicates that this is not necessarily the case, and that if you're exercising mainly to keep your weight down, a treadmill may be the best answer.

Where it was published