Finally decided to get moving for the first time but don’t know where to start? We’ve all been there!
Finding an activity that you enjoy can be hard, as can be finding the equipment that will keep you motivated. But, in all honesty, you can never go wrong with an exercise bike or running.
Now, the decision whether exercise bike vs running will better push you to your limits depends on certain factors.
There are many considerations to take into account when deciding between running and exercise bikes. To simplify things for you, we have listed the main ones that will help you choose the right workout.
Exercise Bike vs Running: Which is Right For You
Contents
1. Price
Exercise bikes and treadmills are good investments for your workout space, but when looking at the comparison of exercise bike vs running, how much do you want to spend is one thing to consider.
While exercise bikes tend to be cheaper compared to treadmills, you should decide based on the overall value for money.
Alternatively, if you don’t want to spend any money then you can pull your running trainers on and head outdoors!
2. Injury Risk
The machine set-up is the first thing that you should consider when looking at injury risk. For example, an exercise bike has a lower injury risk than a treadmill for running. This is because of the stability that exercise bikes offer. And because you’re sitting most of the time- with your feet stable on the pedals and hands on the handlebars- losing your balance and stumbling is not an issue.
A 2014 study looked at inflammation between runners and cyclists and found that runners had greater inflammation, soreness, and muscle damage than cyclists after a 3-day intense training.
This said, if you are running quite intensely on a treadmill, you may face a higher injury risk. Keeping your balance while running will always put you at a higher injury risk than sitting while cycling, so that’s something that you should understand.
3. Ease of Use
The next thing that you should take into account is usability. When looking at the comparison of exercise bike vs running, exercise bikes are typically easy to use as long as you know how to ride a regular bike.
Whereas treadmills are quite complicated as you need to become familiar with the controls and their specific locations. The speed dial and stop key are perhaps the most significant controls to learn before your first treadmill workout session. These controls allow you to safely slow or stop the treadmill if something goes wrong.
This doesn’t mean that exercise bikes don’t have controls as well. In fact, recent exercise bikes have been equipped with the latest technology. We’re just saying that in terms of ease of use, it’s easier to control a machine when you’re sitting on it than when you’re standing or running.
4. Muscles Worked
Both machines, exercise bike and treadmill, target the same muscles, but in different ways.
- Calf Muscles
Calf muscles can be found in the back of your lower leg. These are activated whilst riding and exercise bike and running, but it is during running that calf muscles receive a greater workout.
- Upper Leg Muscles
You develop strong thigh muscles when running, including the quads and hamstrings. Quads absorb shock during ground impact, while hamstrings enable a person to flex the knees and swing the legs when running.
Both the quads and hamstrings are activated when using an exercise bike, but the difference comes from how these upper leg muscles are worked.
- Upper Body Muscles
When you use an exercise bike resembling a regular bike, it’s easy to follow the proper form- sitting with your torso leaning forward and using your upper legs to make a 90-degree angle. In this form, your arms, upper chest muscles, and shoulders engage to keep you balanced.
5. Weight Loss
Ready to eliminate the excess weight with cardio? If so, read on to find which is better at weight loss: exercise bike vs running.
To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. The potential to shed the excess pounds by using an exercise bike or running depends on the intensity of the workout. On average, running on a treadmill does burn more calories.
The average Joe will burn approximately 100 calories per mile running a treadmill and only 50 calories per mile riding an exercise bike.
But if you increase the time you spend cycling and follow healthy eating habits, it’s not possible to meet and exceed that of running.
6. Fat Loss
One question we often hear ‘is cellulite forever?’ The answer is No! You can make all your cellulite go away with one promising remedy- an exercise bike. The fitness machine is found to be very effective at destroying the lumpy fat on your tummies, arms, legs,
Or you can just run on a treadmill for a much better fix. It should not be a surprise that running on a treadmill helps you lose more fat than riding an exercise bike. This is because running works more muscles in your body than riding an exercise bike.
To Pedal or To Run? The Verdict
So, should you choose an exercise bike or running? The answer depends on your goals and limitations and what you think you’d stick to doing. Whatever you choose, we recommend you pedal or run as hard as you can to get maximum results.
Remember, an exercise bike is a better option if:
- You have issues with balance
- You have limited funds
Running is a better option if:
- You want to lose more weight
- You want to burn more fat
If you can’t still decide between exercise bike vs running, you can actually choose both- provided that you’re not on a tight budget. This way, you can keep your routine varied!
