Running or cycling? The pros and cons of each discipline

Many novice athletes or people who start the year with the purpose of improving their physical condition wonder what is the suitable sports activity for your characteristics and needs.

Cycling or running: which modality is best for me?

It is more than proven that practicing physical exercise is good for mental and physical health. The burning question is, rather, which is the sport that best suits our needs.

Once those sports that require a logistical deployment and a greater economic investment (skiing, paddle tennis) have been discarded, collective sports (basketball, soccer), which require other companions with whom to meet to practice it, or sports of high physical demand (tennis), the truth is that the range of possibilities of the novice athlete is quite reduced. Thus, one of the most recurrent questions when starting a routine sports activity is: Is it better for me to go cycling or running?

Before giving you my point of view, we must analyze the basic pros and cons of each of these two activities, so that you understand my opinion.

Race	Bike
Caloric expenditure	Higher	Less
Joint injuries	More risk	Less risk
Necessary technique	More technique needed	Less technique required

Although there are more factors, the most important are those described in this table, and they are what I recommend that you value carefully before making a decision.

But okay then: they were? Now comes the answer to this tedious question. Let's delve deeper into the specificities of each sport to know the advantages and disadvantages that the practice of each of them entails.

Is it preferable to go jogging or cycling?

Depends. It depends on your goal, your joint and muscle health, your age, the intensity of the exercise, and a long etcetera. There is no one-size-fits-all answer. What you should do is analyze your Personal objectives and you previous preparation in order to be aware of which modality is most beneficial to you. For this company, I invite you to continue reading.

Personal goals: riding a bike or running?

If what we want to be a great runner we cannot achieve using the bicycle. If what we want is to get in shape, it is best to go for a run, unless we are in pain or our health situation does not allow it. In any of these cases, we must be cautious and, if we see that the level of demand for running is too high, we can resort to another sport, such as cycling, which is a discipline less aggressive and whose practice is, in principle, more adaptable to the physical state of each one.

On the other hand, if we suffer from joint pain or are of advanced age, what would I recommend the most? is to use the bicycle until the bonds, tendons and muscles adapt to the rhythm of exercise. Once this is accomplished, we should try doing a smooth run and increasing the intensity depending on how comfortable we feel. In any case, we must adapt the intensity of the exercise to our physical possibilities: do not want to make great efforts if you are not prepared because you can injure yourself.

Yes indeed: if you choose the bike be careful and protect your head, elbows, knees and wrists, and be very careful not to fall. And, for what more you want, try not to do routes where there is a possibility that you could be envestido by a car. safety first.

As we have said, there are various factors that could lead us to one side or the other, you always have to be consistent and have a minimum of logic. Common sense, in these cases, is what should determine the decision. If something causes discomfort or pain, avoid doing it until it stops hurting, primarily when the sensation of pain comes from the joints or the bones.

Muscle pain can be confused with D.O.M.S. (vulgarly called shoelaces), especially in novice athletes or sedentary people, therefore we recommend that in the event of temporary muscle pain, do not change or reduce physical activity. If this pain is persistent, the best option would be to switch to another activity that does not generate pain and consult the relevant specialist to rule out any possible micro-injury or pathology.

Possible problems generated by the running

Now we are going to name the different situations that can warn us of a possible injury to the ankles, knees or hips if you decide on the running instead of the bicycle. Remember that going out for a run is more risky with your body than the bike, so it does not hurt to know some of the dangers of running in order to decide if we are prepared to face it or not.

Incorrect or no shock absorption shoes

You should check that your shoes are suitable for running activity, since bad footwear can lead to serious injuries.

Ground without shock absorption

Running on this type of soil causes injuries to the fibrocartilages (menisci). The best terrain for jogging is solid ground, because it absorbs much of the joint shock when stepping on it. As far as possible, avoid stepping on hard ground such as asphalt or parquet.

Joint stabilization problems

Running can bring out problems in the stabilization of the body due to underlying joint or muscle problems. You may notice that you don't have much balance, for example, when trying to stand on one leg. The possible solution to this problem is to perform proprioception exercises, which help the muscles and joints to strengthen and maintain the balance of your body on their own.

Muscle decompensation

You can notice it if the opposing muscles grow asymmetrically and aesthetic imbalances occur. In this case, the best solution would be to carry out a program of muscle toning in general, and a stretching program to seek compensation. Where there are usually problems is in the muscle psoas, which connects the lower body with the upper body.