Cycling or jogging, which is better?

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Cycling and jogging are aerobic exercises that can provide many health and physical benefits. Heavier people will burn more calories in both exercises, while light people will burn fewer calories.

1. Number of calories consumed between cycling and running

The number of calories that cycling and running burns depends on several factors, such as the person's speed, terrain, weight and metabolism.
Heavy people will burn more calories in both exercises, while light people will burn fewer calories.
The following table shows the approximate number of calories a 154-pound (70kg) male will burn during cycling and running. Speeds are miles per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour (km/h).

If a person wants to find out how many calories they will burn for their specific weight for different activities, they can use the calorie calculator. Additionally, some people may cycle longer than they can run, which will also affect the number of calories they burn overall.

2. Muscles Used When Running and Cycling

Cycling uses all major muscle groups. It uses and builds leg muscles in particular, including:
quadriceps (directus femoris, growus lateralis, awus medialis, and medial growus); Hamstrings (biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus). Some of the important muscles involved in running include:
Quadriceps; Gluteus maximus, especially when sprinting; hamstrings; Leg muscles.

3. Heart Health Benefits

Running and cycling both have benefits for heart health.
Regular cycling reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and helps:
Improve lung health; Stimulates circulation; Strengthens the heart muscle; Lower resting heart rate; Reduce the amount of fat in the blood. A large study of 263,450 participants found that cycling to work reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality. Research also shows that walking to work reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Another study found that cycling was beneficial for people recovering from a stroke and improved heart rate recovery after exercise.
Running also improves heart health. A 2019 review found that running reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality.
Research shows that any amount of running is more beneficial than no running, and higher running doses may not significantly improve mortality benefits.
Even running in small doses, such as 5–10 minutes a day at less than 6 mph (9.7 km/h), can substantially reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular and all causes.
A 2018 study from the journal Circulation looked at the impact of long-distance running on heart health. Research shows that running a full marathon puts more strain on the heart than shorter distances, such as a half marathon or 10K run.
A full marathon is 26 miles (about 42 km), a half marathon is 13 miles (about 21 km), and a 10K is 6.2 miles (10 km).
Scientists need further research to understand the long-term effects of long-distance running on the heart.

4. Bone Health Benefits

Jogging may be better for long-term bone health than cycling. This is because running has a higher impact on the bones than cycling. This higher-impact activity may cause bone tissue to signal the pancreas to help meet metabolic demands over the long term, research suggests.
Cycling is a lower impact exercise than jogging and does not put too much force on the joints. Cycling can help relieve arthritis symptoms, lubricate joints, and relieve pain and stiffness.
According to a 2011 review, cycling may not support bone health as much as running or other weight-bearing exercise.
Research also shows that cyclists may be at risk for low bone mass, especially in the lower spine. Low bone mass can increase the risk of fractures.
The review concluded that cycling did not cause any more damage to bone health than a sedentary lifestyle. Researchers have yet to find a link between cycling volume and optimal bone health.
Extreme cycling may also not be beneficial for bone health. In extreme cyclists, the bones can release calcium into the bloodstream, making them weak.

5. Risk of injury

Knee injuries are the most common running injuries. Other common running injuries can affect:
Feet; Legs, including thighs and Achilles tendons; Pelvis. Another running-related injury is a shin splint, which is an inflammation around the shin bone. People may experience pain along the inner edge of the shinbone. Rest, ice, and stretching can help relieve pain.
According to experts, if people have shin splints, they should be pain free for 2 weeks before returning to training.
One study compared inflammation between runners and cyclists. After three days of intense training, the runners experienced more muscle damage, pain, and inflammation than the cyclists.
Some of the most common cycling injuries or pain include:
Knee pain; Head injury; Neck pain; Backache; Pain or numbness in the wrist or forearm; Pain or numbness in the genitals or rectum; Leg numbness or tingling. If people have pre-existing injuries, especially in these areas of the body, they may need to consult a doctor to see if exercise is safe for them. Additionally, they may need to take additional precautions when continuing to exercise.

6. Cost

To start running, people need no other equipment than a pair of running shoes, which can make it a cheaper option than cycling.
For long-term running, people may want to invest in breathable running clothing. They may also want to use reflectors if they run in the dark.
Beginners to cyclists might consider borrowing or renting a bike first to try before investing. There are also plenty of options online for buying a good quality used bike.
People will also need to buy helmets, lights and reflectors for cycling if they plan to ride on the road or it's dark. Padded cycling gloves and shorts or a padded seat may be needed to reduce pressure on the hands, wrists, and genital area.
In summary, both cycling and running can benefit one's health and fitness, especially heart health. If people aren't used to it, they can start slowly and gradually build up endurance and strength to keep workouts enjoyable and sustainable. Both cycling and running can be a great option to stay in shape and healthy. People need to choose the activity that best suits their health and lifestyle needs, or a combination of the two to keep their exercise routine varied.

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Reference sources: medicalnewstoday.com, healthline.com