Which is the Best Cardio Workout for You?

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Cardio exercises are all great for you, whether it’s swimming, cycling, or running. But, which one is the best cardio workout for you? Of course, it depends on various factors like distance, intensity, and time. So, before you decide which one is the best exercise for you, in particular, let’s see what the health benefits are for each type of training.

Swimming

Ah! The pleasure of being in the water! Who doesn’t like to swim and cool in hot summer days, be it in the pool, lake, or ocean? Besides cooling off, what are the benefits of swimming?

17 Health Perks of Swimming

  1. Especially for teenagers, it helps their body develop harmoniously, and it fixes any imbalances.
  2. It’s more of an all-body cardio exercise that put all the body to work (legs, pelvis, abdomen, back, chest, shoulders, neck, and head).
  3. Increases the intake of oxygen into the lungs, and consequently, into the bloodstream and then into your whole body.
  4. It improves muscle tone in your body.
  5. Increases lung capacity and the ability to breathe.
  6. It works parts of your body that running can’t work, especially arms, shoulders, and abs.
  7. It is softer than running to your body, as movements are slowed down by the water. Plus, the water protects your body, such as your legs and your joints. Swimming is a joint-friendly type of exercise.
  8. You won’t waste too much energy during swimming (as in the case of running or cycling)
  9. You get better coordination between your movements and your breathing, which shows effects in increased stamina and endurance.
  10. Treats asthma and respiratory problems
  11. It offers excellent benefits for the cardiovascular and respiratory system
  12. It burns many calories. An average of 510 calories/hour with a slow freestyle and 700 cal/hour with a faster freestyle.
  13. The heart rate is lower than during running or cycling because of the water that has a cooling and weightless effect on the body, and so it is easier for your heart to pump and transport oxygen to other organs and muscles.
  14. You can only check your heart rate when you get out of the water, during a break, while when you run or cycle, you can continuously monitor your heart while you exercise.
  15. It allows you to accelerate the heart rate while your body easily supports the effort without getting tired.
  16. It takes longer to master. Still, it has many versions: sidestrokes, backstroked, aquatic jogging, treading water, and so, for a person who likes diversity, it might be fun once you learn it, even if it takes commitment and a longer time.
  17. Very relaxing and enjoyable.

Cycling

More fun than running, cycling allows you, among other things, choose a new, colorful bike tailored to your taste or ride the bike without moving an inch (yes, I’m talking about indoor cycling).

Top 11 Health Benefits of Biking

  1. It is a semi-resistance type of cardio exercise – you can adjust the resistance from the chains to increase or decrease the effort you make during cycling.
  2. It trains and strengthens the leg muscles and helps you lose weight.
  3. You don’t get that sweaty and beaten like after a run, and you won’t get all wet like after swimming. Instead, you can watch your favorite show while you spin indoor, do business, make phone calls, plan stuff, and still burn calories. Isn’t that cool? Yes, I’m counting that as a benefit, y’all.
  4. If you ride outdoors, you get fresh air and see places.
  5. It’s easier to hop on a bike than to go to the pool or to a place with water where you can swim (lake, seashore), and if
  6. it’s an indoor bike, you can do it anytime, at any hour of the day. Isn’t that convenient?
  7. Cycling increases muscular strength and endurance in the lower body, especially legs, thighs, quads, hamstrings, and forearms.
  8. It burns an average of 590 calories/hour cycling more than ten mph, and if you are an excellent cyclist pedaling at 16-20 miles/hours, you can get up to 850 calories/hours. Of course, if you run uphill, you burn even more calories, and if you run downhill, less. It burns more calories than swimming or running, but, on the other hand, it works the heart harder.
  9. The heart rate is a bit faster than during swimming and slower than during running with 6-10 heartbeats per minute.
  10. It’s easier to monitor your heart rate and other functions of the body when you run or swim than when you swim, using a chest transmitter, monitor strapped to the handlebars, or with a smartwatch on your wrist.
  11. Raises the heart rate, but at the same time, your whole body can support this effort and is not getting too tired.
    It’s easier to learn.

Running

Running is fun when you like it. Typically, it should be love at first run. If not, you can try different running tips, methods, or techniques, and eventually, when done right, you will start to like it, and then, you will never want to stop doing it. For you, who love running or for you, beginners who don’t know if you like it or if you’re going to do it, here are some of the many benefits of running – and then, you’ll choose.

7 Health Advantages of Running

  1. Running is the most accessible type of training, no need for special equipment, a special place to go to, or particular accessories. Put any t-shirt and shorts on, tie your running shoes and you’re good to go. Just hit the road, Jack and run, Forest, run! That’s all you have to do.
  2. It’s easier to monitor your heart rate and other things than when you swim, using a smartwatch on your wrist, for example.
  3. It speeds up your heartbeat. However, your body gets too tired, and it gets harder to support the effort throughout the whole exercise.
  4. Your hearts need to adjust to the irregular bouncing motion of the run, so it’s a little bit harder. Still, as a benefit, running improves your cardiovascular fitness and increases endurance in general.
  5. It burns an average of 1,000 calories/hour at a speed of 7 min/hour. Running burns more calories than swimming and cycling. So, if you want to lose weight fast, running is probably, the most excellent option.
  6. Running works the bones and the joints, so it is excellent for gaining bone density. As a downside, it is difficult, if not impossible, for people with arthritis or other joint problems to run, because it aggravates the issues by the great shock with the ground. However, it is easier for them to swim, as the water lowers the force and effort of the joints while working out underwater.
  7. Works calves, hamstrings, and abs.

Which is the Best Cardio for You?

In the end, know that the most beneficial exercise is the one that you do with pleasure, joy, and enthusiasm, and that gives you great results as well. Pick the type of cardio workout that fits your body needs, and that you enjoy doing. Otherwise, you will quit quite fast if you don’t like it. Swimming, cycling, or running are all excellent choices. Stick with your workout plan, and you’ll get the results that you want and that you aimed for from the beginning.