When it comes to cardio, the two most popular forms are running and cycling. Both are known for helping improve your cardiovascular health, aid you in a weight loss journey, and have the reputation of being excellent ways to stay in shape for the entirety of your life.
Typically, people say that you choose whichever of the two you enjoy more, and that’s excellent logic, as the only way to be excited about training is if you actually enjoy it.But if we take a different angle and look at these two sports in terms of energy expenditure, joint impact, muscle growth, and cost barriers, which one will come out on top?
Let’s take a look.
Running vs Cycling – A Deep Dive into the Details
As already mentioned, you can take up either of the two sports, depending on which one you enjoy more. However, if you’re a beginner to either cycling or running, it’s good to consult with professional trainers like the ones at Pace Passion before starting your journey, as having a well-made exercise plan and knowing the basics will make the process a lot more enjoyable. With that said, let’s now take a look at how running and cycling compare.
Photo by Gary Butterfield on Unsplash
Energy Expenditure
Most people want to do the most effective workout for the shortest amount of time, so efficiency is crucial here. According to physiologists, there isn’t a ton of metabolic difference between the two sports when it comes to a shorter workout, but there’s a significant advantage to cycling if you plan on exercising for longer periods of time.
Because cycling has less impact on the body, it’s not that difficult to do it for 2-3 hours if you’re already at a decent exercise level. However, running for more than one hour requires considerably more effort, and running for more than 3 hours consistently can easily lead to a ton of injury. All of that is to say – if you’re willing and wanting to do longer workouts, then cycling would perhaps be the better option.
Photo by Viktor Bystrov on Unsplash
Impact on the Muscles
Running activates your muscles in a wider range of ways compared to cycling. Typically, when you ride a bike, you only have to do concentric muscle activation (shortening), while running requires concentric, eccentric, and isometric contraction, meaning that it can lead to more muscle growth.
With that said, the fact that running impacts your muscles in so many different ways also causes them to fatigue more quickly when you go on runs often, so you should consider how you space your workouts in order to avoid injuries.
Just Ride: Science-backed Physical and Psychological Benefits of Cycling
Why is cycling such a good form of exercise? There are lots of scientific reasons why cycling is good for your body and your mental health. We are going to take a look at some of the best health benefits of regular cycling.
Bone Density
All females have to face the conversation about bone density, especially as we age, and they should keep this in mind: cycling does little to no good when it comes to improving bone density as it’s not a weight-bearing exercise.
Usually, as we grow older, our bones tend to weaken, and weight-bearing exercises are a proven way to combat that problem – when you cycle, your weight is actually supported by the bike, compared to running, where you have to rely on your bones to keep up with the load.
Cost Comparison
Of course, we cannot make an assessment of running and cycling without discussing the topic of cost. Running is widely known as one of the cheapest forms of exercise as it basically requires only a good pair of shoes. But if you plan on doing races or running marathons, the costs will quickly add up as you will need a running vest, running socks, and tons of other accessories.
Cycling, on the other hand, is obviously more expensive, considering you need to dish out a good sum of money for the bike itself. From there, the accessories, clothes, and maintenance of the bike can quickly add to even more additional costs.
Of course, there are ways to make it cheaper – buy a second-hand bike to the repairs on your own, but still, it will end up being more expensive compared to running. And so, if you’re on a tighter budget or you simply don’t want to spend a crazy amount of money on a sport, then you should probably go for running on this one.
Strength Training for Cyclists at Home
Looking for a strength training for cyclists? Training your body to be at its best when it comes to cycling can be achieved through a combination of targeted exercises.
In Conclusion
It’s easy to say that both running and cycling are terrific forms of exercise that can help you on your health and fitness journey. Additionally, both sports have communities around them that can make the training even more fun and might also inspire you to sign up for races and take your workouts even more seriously.
So truly, which one you choose to do depends entirely on your personal preferences, your budget, and your health condition, but either way, both are 100% valid choices that you will not regret, and that is definitely far better than not doing any exercise at all.
