Is Running or Cycling Best for Your Fitness Goals? 2 Personal Trainers Weigh In

Before committing to one or the other, it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons of each activity and consider how they align with your personal goals. Here, the experts break it down to help you decide which one might be the best fit for you.

Running

Running is one of the most accessible forms of exercise—all you need is a pair of shoes and some open space. As a total-body workout, running offers a variety of benefits all at once.

“Running improves cardiovascular health while strengthening the legs, core, and bones,” says April Gatlin, CPT, ACE-certified personal trainer and senior master coach for STRIDE Fitness.

But before lacing up your sneakers, it’s worth exploring both the pros and cons of the sport to see if it aligns with your fitness goals.

Benefits of running

Running offers a range of perks, making it a versatile and effective workout option. The benefits of running include:

• Muscle strength: Running engages muscles like your quads, hamstrings, calves, and core, says Gatlin. And over time, regular running can contribute to muscle growth, per an April 2014 study¹ in Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews.
• Bone strength: Running can also improve your bone strength. Per a February 2019 study² in the Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation, long-distance runners had increased bone density compared to non-runners.
• Cardiovascular endurance: Over time, running improves your heart and lungs’ ability to pump oxygen throughout your body, per the Cleveland Clinic. It also increases your body’s ability to absorb and use that oxygen while you’re working out. Altogether, this boosts your endurance, which enables you to exercise harder and longer.
• Improved mental health: The pros of running aren’t all physical—your mental health stands to benefit, too. Cardio activity like running can reduce stress, boost your mood, improve self-esteem, and reduce depression, all contributing to the so-called “runner’s high,” according to the Cleveland Clinic.
• Efficiency: If you don’t have much time to spare, high-intensity running (think: interval sprints) burns more calories in less time compared to other activities like walking or yoga, per Harvard Health Publishing.
• Versatility: There’s something for everyone when it comes to running, whether you prefer sprinting on the treadmill or slow and steady jogs in nature, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Drawbacks of running

While running has plenty of perks, it’s not without its downsides. These include:

• Joint impact: Running is a high-impact activity that can stress knees, hips, and ankles, making it challenging for those with joint issues, says Gatlin.
• Risk of injury: Runners are at high risk for injury—as much as 44.7 percent of short-distance runners (meaning you run less than about nine miles at a time) experience an injury at some point, per a June 2020 study³ in the Journal of Sport and Health Science. Indeed, if you’re new to the sport or run too much or for too long, it’s possible to develop issues like shin splints, plantar fasciitis, or stress fractures.

“When deciding between running and cycling, the most important factor is to choose the activity you enjoy most.” —Katie Kollath, CPT

Cycling

Cycling is another popular form of cardio beloved by beginners and seasoned bikers alike. And like running, it offers a host of full-body benefits.

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But like any workout, cycling has its pros and cons, and it's essential to consider both to determine if it's right for your fitness routine.

Benefits of cycling

Cycling’s variety of benefits make it a great exercise option for people with different health needs and levels of fitness. These perks include:

• Low joint impact: Biking is gentler on your knees, hips, and ankles compared to higher-impact activities like running, making it ideal for those with joint pain or injuries, per the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
• Muscle strength: Cycling targets the quads, hamstrings, and glutes, building stronger muscles over time, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
• Cardiovascular endurance: Like running, cycling boosts heart and lung health to improve circulation and uptake of oxygen throughout your body, making it easier to exercise harder for longer periods of time, per the Cleveland Clinic.
• Improved mental health: Cycling, like other cardio activities, can benefit your mental health by reducing stress, easing depression, and improving your mood, per the Cleveland Clinic.

Drawbacks of cycling

Cycling has some potential downsides to consider, including:

• Equipment costs: "Accessibility is also something to take into consideration," says Katie Kollath, CPT, an ACE-certified personal trainer and co-founder of Barpath Fitness. "Consider whether it's feasible to buy a cycling bike or machine." Beyond the bike, a quality helmet and supplementary gear (like a bike pump, safety lights, and cycling shorts) can start to add up.
• Weather and safety concerns: Outdoor cycling may not always be feasible where you live due to weather, traffic, or road conditions, says Gatlin.

Running vs. cycling: What’s the difference?

Both running and cycling offer cardiovascular benefits like improved endurance, muscle strength, and mental health. That said, there are differences to consider when weighing running versus biking—namely, they engage your body in unique ways to produce distinct results.

Put simply, “the biggest difference between the two is that running is high-impact and cycling is low-impact,” says Gatlin. “Running involves higher-intensity output, so there’s higher calorie burn. Cycling is lower intensity, so the calorie burn is less.”

Running is weight-bearing and higher impact, which can help strengthen your bones, burn more calories, and build overall endurance faster, according to Gatlin.

Cycling, on the other hand, is gentler on your joints, allowing you to build lower-body strength with less physical strain and risk for injury.

Which is better for you—running or biking?

"When deciding between running and cycling, the most important factor is to choose the activity you enjoy most," says Kollath. "Also consider your fitness level, joint health, and specific goals."

If you’re considering running versus cycling to lose weight or burn calories, running is likely your best option, as it typically burns more calories faster, according to the Mayo Clinic.

But that’s not the only factor to consider. Keep your personal preferences in mind, too, says Kollath. For instance, if you’re aiming to build endurance, muscle, and bone strength quickly and efficiently, then running might be your go-to. However, if you prefer gentler, steadier workouts that still improve endurance and muscle strength over time, then cycling could be a better fit.

Your health also matters. If you’re dealing with joint issues or rehabbing an injury, low-impact cycling is likely the safest choice, says Kollath.

Ultimately, the ideal scenario may be incorporating both into your routine (as long as your joint health permits), according to the Cleveland Clinic. Mixing running and cycling can help you enjoy the benefits of both activities while reducing the risk of overuse injuries from either one.