Running vs Cycling

Running vs Cycling is always a hot topic amongst enthusiasts of both sports. We're here to help you weigh the benefits of both to see which sport overall is best for you. 

Muscle/Joint Impact

Running is notoriously difficult on your joints. Not just your knee joints either. Your feet, ankles, knees, and hips all suffer from each step you take when you pound ground. Your spine is also impacted when you run, pressure is placed on the discs with each step

Cycling is a much smoother motion, that isn't as jarring or hard on your body. Aside from swimming, cycling is one of the most joint-friendly sports to partake. Round 1 goes to Cycling. 

Calories Burned

Under the same conditions, running burns roughly twice as many calories as cycling. Much more energy is required to run the same amount of time, or to cover the same distance when running as opposed to cycling, so if you're sprinting to burn calories, running is the most efficient method. Round 2 to Running.

Time/Endurance/Distance

You can cycle for longer than you can run. Runners need to continuously exert a large amount of energy to continue running, and take on more damage to their bodies in doing so. Cyclists are able to coast and build stamina and endurance to cover much longer distances and continue for much longer periods of time. Round 3, Cycling!

Building Muscle

Cycling requires the use of your gluteus maximus, quadriceps, and hamstrings to begin with. Then your core is needed to balance, conquer those hills and maneuver through different types of terrain. Running hills will build some leg muscle and help your core, but will not build muscle the way cycling does. Round 4, Cycling!