Both form of exercises are good options for people with joint pain or some injuries. It is well known that both cycling and swimming are two popular sports that offer a great cardio workout without being too hard on the joints.
But which of the two forms of exercise is better for you?
Ultimately, the answer will depend on your fitness goals and exercise preferences that satisfy you.
- Swimming: Its health benefits
There are many health benefits of swimming. This exercise works the entire body to build strength and tone muscles. It’s an excellent cardiovascular workout that significantly strengthens the heart and lungs over time.
In fact, swimmers have about half the risk of death as inactive people. Because water provides shock absorption, swimming is a great exercise, too, for people who can’t perform high-impact activities. The main disadvantage of swimming is that you need an available volume of water. If you don’t have easy access to the sea or a private pool, you’ll probably need to pay for a pool membership. Summarizing, swimming:
- keeps your heart rate up but takes some of the impact stress off your body.
- builds endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness.
- helps you maintain a healthy weight, healthy heart and lungs.
- tones muscles and builds strength.
Both swimming and cycling are excellent activities.
- Cycling: its health benefits
Cycling also offers many benefits. Cycling is a low-intensity exercise that works your heart and lungs. Regular cycling can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, help you manage your weight and improve your mental health.
Cycling mainly works your lower body, so it’s great for people looking to improve their leg strength. While cycling doesn’t offer a full-body workout like swimming, it is nonetheless much more convenient. Once you have access to a bike, you can cycle almost anywhere and you don’t need to rely on a gym or leisure center to get your workout in. Summarizing, cycling:
- increased cardiovascular fitness.
- increased muscle strength and flexibility.
- improved joint mobility.
- decreased stress levels.
- improved posture and coordination.
- strengthened bones.
- decreased body fat levels.
- prevention or management of disease.
So what’s the final verdict?
Both exercises are great and one is not necessarily better than the other. While cycling is more convenient, it doesn’t offer the same full-body workout as swimming. However, someone who lives in a busy city may find swimming at the local swimming pool safer than cycling outside on the streets. So choose the exercise that works best for you and rest assured that whatever you choose you will reap many benefits.
