Spinning vs. Running: Which is more effective?
Should you hop on a treadmill or a spin bike? This is one tricky decision to make! Both activities offer a slew of health and body benefits, so leaving one for the other can be a tough choice to make. Yes, you could do both, but it is easier said than done. Hence, this article offers an expert opinion to help you determine which of the two exercises appeals to your fitness aspirations. You will find an explicit comparison of spinning and running workouts in terms of calorie burn, muscle conditioning, and recovery training to mention but a few.
Calorie Burn: Spinning or Running?
Expect to burn about 700-900 calories per hour when you run at a moderate speed. On the other hand, spinning at medium to high intensities translates to about 600 calorie burns. Ultimately, running burns more calories than spinning – you may burn about 200 fewer calories than you would when running. And in both cases, the heavier you weigh the more calories you will burn.
This is because heavier people dispense more energy to get them moving, and the higher the energy emitted, the more calories are burned. If you are looking to lose weight in record time, you should try both exercises. Running will help you eliminate unwanted fat, while spinning will help sculpt your body by converting extra fat to lean muscle.
Toned Legs: Spinning or Running?
Spinning takes the lead here! Performing spin workouts is one of the easiest ways to achieve toned legs. However, if your thighs are way too bulky, then spinning might not cut it but running would. Otherwise, spinning is an excellent choice. It is great for strengthening and firming the skin. Spin workouts target and tone several lower body muscles including the hamstrings, thighs, and abs. Though, rumor has it that spinning adds substantial albeit unwanted bulk to the thighs, this is nothing but a misconception. Spinning does not and will not bulk up your thighs. And if there was the slightest chance that it could, you’d have to work yourself to stupor to achieve that.
A 30-60 minute spinning session is sufficient for managing the fat concentrated in the thighs and legs, so you don’t have to overwork your muscles to achieve your desired results. As to whether running has any toning effect on your legs, it does to some extent. Running helps eliminate excess weight, which gives room for toning. Don’t try to achieve toned legs by running excessively as this could be detrimental. Running is a high-impact exercise, and as such, it is prone to injury. So you want to exercise some caution and moderation.
Cardiovascular Improvement: Spinning or Running?
When it comes to cardiovascular improvement, both running and spinning perform excellently well. Spinning helps raise heart rate in several ways; stimulating an uphill terrain via an incline feature or cycling in a standing or crouched position. You can get quality cardio exercise from one or two spinning sessions while improving your mood and cognitive function. Running on the other hand increases oxygen intake which reflects positively on your lungs, kidney, liver, and heart. It induces healthy blood circulation and strengthens the joints and bones. You can maximize its cardio benefits by performing High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts.
This special technique alternates high energy bursts and short recovery periods. Consistent HIIT workouts, though rigorous, strengthen your cardio and aerobic capacity. It also builds muscle endurance. However, it is advised to do warm-ups for at least 5 to 10 minutes before performing HIIT workouts or any other workout. Don’t just hop on the treadmill and start working out. On the whole, running is slightly more efficient at improving cardiovascular health and aerobic capacity than spinning.
Recovery Training: Spinning or Running?
Without a doubt, spinning is more suited to recovery training than running. This is because it is a low-impact exercise that exerts minimal strain on delicate joints and shins. In addition to lifting unnecessary pressure from the joints and knees, spinning also strengthens the muscles and ligaments surrounding the lower limbs. In light of this, it is highly recommended for recovery training, especially for individuals suffering from a knee injury.
Unlike running, spinning doesn’t cause friction between your joints, and its highly-effective resistance training is good for your knees. While running is also a highly-beneficial exercise, it is not recommended for rehabilitation training. Doing otherwise may exacerbate your existing injury and birth new ones. Though professional athletes with a knee injury can give running a try, it is best avoided. You may be itching for the challenge, but it isn’t worth the risk.
Belly Fat Reduction: Spinning or Running?
Everyone detests the folds of fat in their mid-riff and hunt for effective means to eliminate the unsightly fat. Running and spinning workouts are two of such means, but the latter is more effective than the former. On another side of the coin, you can alternate both activities to burn belly fat rapidly. Spinning activates the lower body muscles. Cycling indoors sheds calories and tones the muscles in the targeted location. A week of medium to high-intensity spin sessions can equate to about 1800 calorie burn, which is an impressive figure. However, you can’t get rid of belly fat by spinning alone. This is because it is one of the most difficult body fats to deal with, so you have to augment your spinning workouts with a strict diet.
You may also need to combine strength and cardio workouts to give the “stubborn fat” a boot. So it stands to reason that a week of running combined with spinning will eliminate a larger amount of belly fat. You can plan a simple workout routine that involves 30 minutes of running preceded by a 30-minute spin class, allowing a 15-minute break between each session. If you can’t manage both training methods in one day, then you can split them into different days within a week. Lastly, aim for moderate to high-intensity when performing each exercise.
Muscle Development: Spinning or Running?
Spinning helps develop the muscles concentrated in your lower body. In contrast, running doesn’t promote as much development. When spinning, users use a lot of resistance by pushing the pedals. This action leads to significant muscle development in the legs.
The resistance also works your upper body, but the impact is mostly felt in the lower body. Per contra, running activates all the muscles simultaneously, so it doesn’t engage specific muscle groups for muscle development. However, it works to strengthen the muscles and bones with consistent use.
Weight Loss: Spinning or Running?
Effective weight loss goes beyond spinning or running. It demands the know-how of calorie balance. To lose weight effectively, you need to understand how to burn calories in moderation – not too many and not too few! However, running might produce faster weight loss results than spinning.
But here is the tricky part; regular spinning sessions can birth more calorie burn that exceeds that of running. Ultimately, effective weight loss can be achieved through running or spinning depending on your attitude towards the sport and your ability to incorporate a regimented diet. In simple terms, a healthy diet, and creating calorie deficiency combined with regular exercise is the key to weight loss.
Mood Improvement: Spinning or Running?
As far as mood improvement is concerned, spinning and running are neck and neck. In other words, they are both great at stimulating a positive and happy mood. The post-workout endorphin rush that follows a running or spinning session is euphoric at best.
Many scientific reports have also confirmed the effect of physical exercise on human emotions. Top of the list is their innate ability to alleviate stress by decreasing cortisol and Adrenaline (stress hormone) levels in the body. In fact, several health practitioners have used exercise to treat anxiety disorders and depression. That said, it is a win-win for your mental health whether you run or cycle!
Final Verdict – Which is more effective?
Having compared running and spinning side by side, we’ve concluded that both exercises are effective in their way. It all depends on your physical capacity and what you are looking to gain from the exercise. For example, exercisers whose primary focus is calorie burn will benefit more from running than spinning. The same applies to those looking to improve cardiovascular health and aerobic capacity. But if on the other hand, you are looking for a low-impact exercise to develop and tone the muscles in your lower body, then spinning is your best bet. And when it comes to weight loss and mood improvement, they are both great! That said, each exercise is tailored to specific circumstances and goals. But who says you can’t do both!
As long as you don’t have any injury or joint issues, you can combine both forms of exercise for good measure. You can adopt a cross-training routine where you switch between running and spinning workouts within a week. You can also add other sports like swimming into the mix (if your physical capacity allows). However, your cross-training routine shouldn’t be too rigorous. The key is to practice moderation so you don’t over-exert yourself. You can do a 30-minute spinning workout on Monday, and then run for 30 minutes on Tuesday and so on. Nonetheless, you should stick to whatever floats your boat – be it running, spinning, or both!
