Running vs Swimming: Which Is Better?

swimming vs running — (source: humanwindow)

Running and swimming are great cardiovascular exercises that help to burn calories and take care of your cardio fitness. For example, swimming improves your heart rate, increases the strength of your lower and upper body muscles and tones them as well. At the same time, running helps to tone your lower body, prevents bone loss, and burns calories.

However, if you are not convinced about their benefits and are confused about which is better for promoting overall fitness, then keep reading this article about 'running vs swimming' to know more.

What Are the Differences Between Running and Swimming?

Both swimming and running are effective ways to maintain a healthy body. However, there are some differences between these two. Knowing them will help you to ascertain which form of exercise is suitable for you.

So, without any further delay, let's go through the differences between running and swimming mentioned in the table below:

Parameters	Running	Swimming
Calorie burning	According to Harvard Health, running can burn calories depending on your body weight.	Since water resistance remains more consistent and higher than air, swimming is an easier way to burn calories than running a similar distance..
Muscle building	Running engages lower body muscles such as legs and abs and is not efficient in gaining muscles for the upper body.	Swimming involves the working of upper body muscles and is beneficial in gaining lean muscle mass.
Bone strengthening	Running is a bone-bearing exercise and boosts bone density.	Swimming is a low-impact cardiovascular exercise and does not help to strengthen bones.
Risk of injury	Poor or excessive running can cause blisters, shin pain, and soft tissue and skin injuries.	Healthcare experts recommend swimming for patients suffering from joint pain since it is a low-impact exercise.
Ease of access	You can run anywhere anytime as per your convenience.	In terms of swimming, you need to have access to open water or local indoor pools and also need to plan which schedule or time of swimming fits your lifestyle.

Which Is Better Between Running and Swimming?

Swimming is comparatively better as a cardiovascular exercise than running because resistance in water is higher than in air. Therefore, you need to make more effort to do swimming than you put in while running.

However, if you need to choose between the two, then it completely depends on your preference, lifestyle, and health condition.

For example, if you suffer from joint pain, you must practice swimming instead of running. Swimming will put less stress and will not increase joint issues. On the other hand, if you want to improve your bone health, running is a better option. Similarly, you need to assess your other health conditions like injury before engaging in either exercise.

Benefits of Running

Listed below are the benefits of running:

As mentioned earlier, running is a weight-bearing exercise that increases bone density and prevents bone loss.
Unlike swimming, it is easy to get started with running. All you need to do is head outdoors, or you can run on treadmills indoors.
It helps to strengthen your overall musculoskeletal systems, such as hamstrings and quads.
Improves heart health and decreases the risk of developing severe diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

Benefits of Swimming

Mentioned below are the benefit of swimming:

Swimming is an excellent exercise to treat rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and other conditions that lead to joint pain.
This exercise is safer for you in case you are recovering from injuries. This is because the buoyancy in water backs your joints and muscles and helps you work out harder by lowering your body's stress.
Swimming engages multiple muscles in your body, providing a full-body workout.
It boosts heart rate and builds muscle strength.
Swimming increases flexibility in the body and improves posture, balance and coordination of the body.

Is it Safe to Indulge in Both Running and Swimming?

Yes. Swimming is an excellent exercise to complement your running schedule. Your swimming session should follow your long-running schedule as swimming will help you to recover from the tiredness you got from running extra miles.

Besides, swimming requires full body movements, further strengthening your muscles that are not utilised while running. In this way, it will reduce muscle imbalances and will protect you from injury. Furthermore, swimming trains you to regulate your breath during any effort. This is extremely helpful when you have to race outside in difficult conditions.

How Much Swimming and Running Is Suitable for a Week?

You should swim four to five days a week to get the best results for losing weight. Initially, begin swimming for 15 to 20 minutes and then slowly, once your body allows it, increase the timing to 30 minutes for five days a week. If you begin swimming at a high intensity, you may experience fatigue and muscle soreness, which ultimately will lead you to give up.

In the case of running, you should run 30 minutes a day or 2.5 hours a day per week, which must be continued for five days a week to enjoy long-term health benefits, according to a group of Dutch researchers.

Hopefully, this guide about running vs swimming has helped you to clear all your confusion. If you still have any doubts and also suffer from any existing health condition, consult a healthcare expert before starting any new exercise to avoid any health issues later.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Are both swimming and running beneficial for maintaining mental health?

Yes. Running and swimming release serotonin and endorphins, hormones that keep you happy and decrease stress and pain.

Is swimming and running in cold temperatures beneficial for health?

Yes. Running in cooler temperatures elevate brown fat in participants, which helps to burn calories and also positively impacts metabolism. As far as swimming in cold water is concerned, it also improves blood circulation and memory retention and decreases stress, to mention a few.