Jogging vs Stationary bike

Tramps Like Us

Are they just as effective?

When I run I seem to breath a bit heavier, but I sweat far more when I do the bike. But every few weeks I seem to get a little niggling injury from running(nothing major, Achilles has been a problem though) I just feel much better after doing the bike, a "good" tired if that makes sense.

I alternate between doing a 5km run outside (about 28 to 29 mins) and 30 km (what the readout says, the HR monitor, one which you put your hands on, generally indicates my HR to be between 130 and 150 when on the bike ) on the bike (It has 1 - 8 levels of resistance, I do it on number 6) which takes about 70 mins. When I try to up the distance I run I seem to get those niggling injuries. 5k seems to be my sweetspot.

With the weather getting bad and the dark nights coming in (evening is when I do my exercise)I have been thinking about just doing the bike every day (I also do a half hour yoga session before any exercise to loosen up, I just started that last week) and maybe doing one run at the weekends.

I'm trying to get fitter and lose weight (about a stone maybe) and come next summer I'd like to run some races, maybe some of those charity ones people seem to always do.

Anyway my question is will I lose out on much fitness/possible weight loss by only doing 1 run a week and concentrating on the bike? Is there a major difference in effectiveness between the bike and jogging?

Thanks

Alf Veedersane

Nothing will train you as well for running as running does. But if running too often causes injuries, you have to find a balance, which it seems like you're trying to. Just belting along at the same speed on the bike isn't great though. You need to involve changing the resistance up and down and changing your cadence up and down. I don't know if you've ever been spinning but if you have you'll know what i'm talking about. The same applies with running, by the way. Running at the same pace all the way around all the time isn't making the best use of your running time. Bring in some interval runs there too.

Tramps Like Us

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Nothing will train you as well for running as running does. But if running too often causes injuries, you have to find a balance, which it seems like you're trying to. Just belting along at the same speed on the bike isn't great though. You need to involve changing the resistance up and down and changing your cadence up and down. I don't know if you've ever been spinning but if you have you'll know what i'm talking about. The same applies with running, by the way. Running at the same pace all the way around all the time isn't making the best use of your running time. Bring in some interval runs there too.

Many thanks for the reply.


No I've never been spinning. I'm not sure I know what you mean, so I'd do something like ten mins, fast on a high resistance then say, another ten on a low one, then back to high?

I have just been blasting along at a steady enough pace but if I notice my heart rate dropping I go faster- its hard work mind, I'm not just toddling along with no resistance like you see some people in gyms

As for the running, its not something I'm majorly concerned about, weight loss and general fitness is what I'm after. What I want to do is to get fitter over the winter months and lose weight, so come Spring I can start running more - I just dont want to be back to square run with the running as it took a lot of hard work to get were I am, before this Summer I'd never run before. If I could keep things ticking over in that regard over the Winter it would be cool - would one run a week help with that or I am just wasting my time?

Alf Veedersane

You won't be wasting your time if you keep ticking over on the bike. I wouldn't think ten mins fast, ten mins slow...more like two mins at a low resistance and decent pace,then ramp up the resistance but try keep the same leg speed going for the next 2-3 mins. Rinse and repeat. You should try the odd spinning class, if only to see how you could do it yourself.

Satanta

Tramps Like Us, baby we were born to run!

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