Group: General Fitness & Exercise

Created: 2011/12/31, Members: 382, Messages: 54581

Various general exercise related discussions. Find out what it takes to reach your fitness goals through daily effective exercise. With so many options we try to find out what works best.

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is bike riding better than running

jnellie
jnellie
Posts: 924
Joined: 2002/02/24
United States
2002/04/21, 03:51 PM
i was wondering if bike riding is a better cardio than running i do both but just curious...........
dmvwh8kq4j
dmvwh8kq4j
Posts: 23
Joined: 2002/01/07
United States
2002/04/21, 09:17 PM
jnellie,

I guess it depends which you enjoy more and are going to stay with. Also how much time you have to spend on your cardio. I recently read in Runners Magazine that it takes approx. 3 miles on the bike to be equivalent to 1 mile of running. If you are able to do both, that's great. Riding will give your knees and feet a break from the pounding. However, biking can be tough on the knees too if you are always pushing down on the pedals instead of pulling up and if you constantly grind in the lower gears instead of spinning.

Nancy
fireloard
fireloard
Posts: 665
Joined: 2001/03/27
United States
2002/04/21, 09:20 PM
Riding a bike seems easier to me.. but I did it for a while when I had some pain in my knee from squatting (leaning to one side too much).. my knee would hurt if I ran but felt fine if I rode... I'd probably still try running though.. seems to just work better... even though I rarely do cardio..
rpacheco
rpacheco
Posts: 3,770
Joined: 2001/12/13
United States
2002/04/21, 09:38 PM
As Nancy pointed out, the main difference is that bike riding is lower impact...which is better for your legs. But if you like to run (I hate to run, personally), then stick to something you like!

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**_Robert_**
Philia2
Philia2
Posts: 4,078
Joined: 2001/10/19
France
2002/04/22, 01:56 AM
Actually biking is better for your knees and back as well because you don't have the impacts.
BUT as with everything else, if you always do the same thing (with the same speed...)your body will get use to it and you'll stop getting results.

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- Nina :o) La vie est toujours aussi belle.....