Running vs cycling—benefits of each

Running and cycling are among the most popular aerobic exercises on the planet, and for good reason. They might have unique attributes—running is a high-impact, weight-bearing exercise, while cycling is low-impact and joint-friendly—but, according to the Cleveland Clinic, both use large muscle groups, increase your heart rate in beneficial ways, improve lung function and boost mental health.

But if you're dealing with a busy schedule and have time to focus on only one of these, which should you choose? One isn't better than the other overall, but there may be a choice that's a better fit for you. Here are the factors that can help you make that choice.

• Running often burns slightly more calories per minute, even with a similar amount of effort.
• Cycling is often easier on the knees and other joints, because it is a low-impact activity.
• Both running and cycling improve cardiovascular fitness and endurance.
• Cycling requires more equipment (notably, a bike), while running necessitates minimal equipment.
• The best choice for cardio is the one you'll do consistently.

What counts as running? Cambridge English Dictionary provides a fairly broad definition: "the activity of going somewhere quickly on foot, as a sport or for pleasure." That means jogging, trail running, treadmill running, sprinting and road running can all fall under that term.

"While it's important to make sure you're paying attention to your running form and not adding too much mileage too soon, this is a very accessible form of activity for many people," says Timothy Miller, M.D., a sports medicine orthopaedic surgeon at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. "After all, there's little equipment needed beyond shoes that are appropriate for your needs, and you can start slow and build up advantages as you go." Those benefits include:

• Bone density improvement: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center notes that runners accumulate a higher concentration of bone-building hormones compared to those who walk. This leads to increased calcium uptake in the bones, which increases bone density. By comparison, research has found that cycling either leads to no increase in bone density or, in some cases, decreased bone density.
• Better time efficiency: as Dr Miller explained, there is little equipment needed for running beyond good, supportive shoes. Unless you want to use a treadmill and don't have one, you can often run wherever you are.
• More lower-body muscle recruitment from impact loading: to absorb shock and provide forward propulsion, your body engages several lower-body muscles when running, including the glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves.

Research in the journal Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases calls running "key lifestyle medicine for longevity", because the activity provides significant health benefits for the prevention of chronic diseases, regardless of sex, age, body weight and health conditions.

Nike Run Club's Guided Runs are in-ear guidance from Nike Run Coaches and athletes who encourage and motivate you every step of the way.

According to Ohio State University, a 30-minute run will burn more calories than a two-hour bike ride. That means running is slightly better for fat loss, but the difference isn't dramatic. It's also important to keep in mind that intensity and duration of activity — whether running or cycling — drives calorie burn more than the activity itself.

That's because many factors determine how many calories you burn during a particular exercise, especially as you may perform different exercises at different intensities. For instance, a sprint workout on a bike could burn more calories than an easy jog.

Both activities build aerobic capacity, which is the key measure of endurance. But running may have a bit of an edge, because it raises the heart rate more quickly for many people, due to the way it activates the full body.

In terms of what counts as cycling, that can take the form of anything involving a bicycle—indoor on a stationary bike or outdoor on the road, trail or mountain path.

"Cycling really can run the gamut from being an intense, race-driven sport to being an activity you do in a leisurely way to gradually build endurance and simply enjoy", says Garret Seacat, CSCS, a USA Cycling-certified coach at Train Absolute in Manhattan, Kansas. "It's an exercise that's highly customisable, based on your goals". Some key benefits include:

• Easier for beginners or people returning from injury: because it's gentler on the joints, cycling is often recommended for athletes who've struggled with an injury so they can build endurance back up safely, says Dr Miller. It's also a good starting point for those who are new to exercise, he adds.
• Builds muscular endurance. Because cycling allows for longer exercise sessions that can be done at a moderate or intense pace, it can lead to increased endurance in the lower body in particular, Seacat says.

Overall, cycling is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, and offers positive mental health and well-being benefits, according to research in Frontiers in Sports and Active Living.

The motion of pedalling puts very little stress on the ankles, knees and hips compared to running, making it a top activity for joint health. Also, the movement stimulates the circulation of synovial fluid, a liquid found in joints that acts as a natural lubricant and shock absorber.

In addition to the advantages unique to each sport, running and cycling share some benefits as well:

• Improves aerobic base: This is your body's capacity to use oxygen efficiently, which is a fundamental part of endurance. Boosting your aerobic base can reduce the risk of developing certain chronic diseases, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. Both running and cycling — and other exercises that get your heart rate up — can be beneficial for building this type of endurance.
• Stronger mental health and cognitive function: aerobic activity, like cycling and running, isn't just amazing for the body; it also provides significant advantages to the brain and its processes. Research in neuroscience links exercise to improvements in memory, attention, learning capacity and other functions. Many studies have shown strong associations between aerobic exercise and emotion regulation.
• Better immune system function: regular aerobic exercise, especially when done at a moderate-to-intense level like running and cycling, improves the immune system by flushing bacteria from the airways, providing a temporary rise in body temperature that is beneficial to immune function, reducing inflammation throughout the body and improving circulation in a way that supports immune cells.

Both running and cycling are also easy to adjust and progress, adds Dr Miller. For instance, you don't start running with marathon training or start cycling with a 100-mile ride. Instead, you can cover short distances at a slow pace and then build up from there.

Running adds impact to the body, which can cause stress but ultimately supports greater bone density. Cycling reduces joint loading, so it may be beneficial for those looking to add a low-impact activity.

The easiest way to get moving on a consistent basis is to work toward a goal. And we have one for whatever feels right for you. Whether you're new or returning to running, we've created plans for you: Getting Started, 5K, 10K, Half-Marathon and Marathon.

• Running: glutes, quads, hamstrings and core, providing full-body stabilisation
• Cycling: Quads, glutes and hamstrings, offering lower impact but higher resistance-based muscle fatigue

As with any sport, there's a chance of injury that you should keep in mind. With running, common injuries include:

• Shin splints
• Knee strain
• Plantar fasciitis
• Stress fractures

"With running, many of the injuries we see are related to poor form or progressing too quickly, or both", says Miller. "It's easy to become enthusiastic about getting faster or going longer distances, but your body really does need time to adjust to progression with running".

With cycling, the reduced pressure on the joints can be protective, but that doesn't mean the activity is free from injury risk. The most common are:

• Patellofemoral pain
• Achilles tendinitis
• Lower-back pain
• Neck/shoulder strain from poor bike fit

"Similar to overuse injuries in running, problems related to cycling often happen because of overtraining", says Seacat. "Specifically, you might think that cycling is 'easier on the body', so you don't need to build in rest days. But that's a recipe for potential injury, especially if you're not listening to your body when those nagging issues start getting worse".

Running requires trainers and exercise clothes, with optional gear like a fitness watch and app. Cycling requires a bike, helmet and exercise clothes, with optional gear like cycling shoes.

For a beginner, the choice depends on several factors, including personal preference. In general, running requires minimal equipment and can be done almost anywhere, so it's easy for beginners to get started. Cycling may be easier physically, but it does require equipment.

Making the choice will depend on a number of factors, ranging from preference to physical considerations.

• Choose running if you want speed, calorie burn, bone density and convenience. Running is also a good option if you want a sport with minimal equipment and convenience.
• Choose cycling if you want joint-friendly training with lower impact and longer endurance sessions. Cycling also helps if you're recovering from an injury.

Keep in mind that you don't need to pick one and only do that activity from now on. After all, triathlon training includes both, and there are significant benefits to cross-training that can give you the advantages of both activities. Switching between running and cycling can also increase your enthusiasm for both, as you won't feel like your workouts are becoming too repetitive.

"Enjoyment shouldn't ever be at the end of the list when it comes to choosing how you want to move", says Seacat. "In fact, it should be a top consideration, because you tend to be more motivated with an activity you truly enjoy".