One of the long debates that is still going on is whether cycling or running is more effective. Different people have different opinions, so it becomes more confusing to decide which one to choose. You must learn various aspects of both cycling and running before you can decide which one will be optimal for you.
Both cycling and running are excellent aerobic exercises. Aerobic exercises are those in which a large muscle group works sequentially or rhythmically for a prolonged period of time. By doing so, our heart rate increases, so they are also known as cardiovascular exercises or cardio.
There are some expected benefits to cycling and running. Some of them are:
- They help in reducing belly fat.
- Improve heart health.
- Improve metabolism.
- Increase sleep quality.
- Both helps in shaping or toning the muscles.
Getting back to the topic, which one should you incorporate if you are new to this journey? To make it simple, we will compare some common questions beginners have so that it will be easier for you to decide what you should choose initially
The comparison between cycling and running
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How many calories do cycling and running burn?
One of the burning questions of this topic is how many calories cycling and running burn.
Many studies and tests have been done on this topic. The results are almost the same in most of the tests.
One of the comparable tests was conducted by GCN (Global Cycling Network) and GTN (Global Triathlon Network), in which an athlete from each group competed. The GCN athlete rode an indoor bike for one hour, and the GTN athlete ran on the treadmill for an hour.
The result was that the GCN athlete who cycled for 1 hour burned 575 calories, and the GTN athlete burned 696 calories.
Different tests conducted by other individuals or groups almost got similar results, which means that one hour of cycling burns nearly 400–600 calories, whereas running for the same duration will burn almost 600–800 calories.
The result varies from individual to individual. People who are more athletic in those sports will burn more calories. However, for a beginner, the range mentioned above will be a good baseline.
Stress in the body
Every physical activity generates some stress in the body, which is not a bad thing. By putting the body through stress, we provide stimuli so that our brain understands that our body needs to get stronger to perform those activities optimally.
However, overstressing the body is bad. We should always maintain a balance.
Cycling is a very joint-friendly exercise. Our body’s weight gets carried out by the saddle of the cycle. Also, in cycling, our body remains in a fixed pattern, which helps to mitigate stress on the body. Also, it contributes to improving our mental health, especially outdoor cycling, as it gives us the thrill of an adventure that our mind loves.
Running is also great in many aspects. It provides the necessary stress to our body so that it gets a push for improvement. However, running is not a very joint-friendly exercise, especially if you are new and overweight.
As the weight of our body directly falls on our legs, the joints experience a good amount of stress. If you are new to running, the chances are you will feel soreness after the day. However, over time, it will improve, and it will strengthen your bones and joints.
Muscle Involvement
In cycling, the lower body muscles, such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and glutes, get involved. From the upper body, the muscle that gets the most engagement is the core muscle, which stabilizes the body while paddling. In the first half of the paddling, where you paddle from 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock (anti-clockwise), your quadriceps and glutes get engaged. In the later part, where you paddle from 5 o’clock to 12 o’clock, your calves and hamstring get engaged.
In running, both your upper body and lower body muscles maintain synchronization to maintain stability. For the lower body when your legs are in front of your body while running, the quadriceps and glutes get engaged to generate the push to move forward. In the latter half, the calves and hamstrings take over to continue moving forward by maintaining momentum.
Impact on the muscles
By impact on the muscles, we meant to say whether cycling or running impacts muscle growth or loss. The answer to this question can be easily verified if you observe professional cyclists and runners.
If you look closely, you will notice that most professional cyclists have huge legs. This is enough to prove that cycling helps you develop your lower body muscles.
Why do your legs get developed, you may ask, as most cardio usually burns calories and does not help build muscle?
Because cycling puts you through resistance training, when you paddle, you push your legs through the resistance, which eventually produces enough stimuli to develop leg muscles.
However, running does not contribute to building muscle. At some point, you may lose some muscle. Running drastically contributes to increasing bone density over time. Running can work like a miracle in toning down the muscles if you have excessive fat in the leg areas.
Cost Efficiency
If we compare the two, running is way cheaper than cycling.
You need to buy a cycle, which can cost a reasonable amount, depending on the type you purchase. You also need to invest in some gear, such as cycling helmets, gloves, water bottles, a good-quality saddle, etc.
On the other hand, you do not need any running equipment unless you have a pair of running shoes and a jogging dress.
What should you choose?
Based on the above comparison, you can choose which will be most convenient for you.
Our suggestion would be to try both for at least 3 weeks and then decide which one you like the most. I do not enjoy running that much, but I love to cycle. I have done both for over 2 or 3 months, 5 or 6 days a week and from that, I decided to continue cycling as I like it the most.
You can never stick to a cardio or aerobic exercise if you do not like that exercise. I have a distant office, and my office is 10 kilometers from my home, so I decided to go cycling to my office so I do not need to create a separate time for cycling.
Running has its benefits, one of which is that it is hassle-free. In cycling, you may face different problems like a flat tire, brakes not working, and so on, but in running, there is no hassle like this, so many of my friends prefer running.
You can choose which one best suits your schedule, convenience, and goal.