We exercise for a number of reasons. Some just for health’s sake, some wish to stay in shape, some are professional athletes, and others wish to lose weight. Your workout goals matter as they also dictate what type of exercises will help you achieve those goals faster. Your choice of workout will also depend on you or what suits your style and personal preference. Here we will go over the benefits of running and swimming, as these are the activities that are pretty much accessible to anyone, and considered good for your health.
Calories Burned
Let’s assume you want to add physical exercise into your weekly routine in order to lose weight. So, which one of these two will help you burn more calories? Bear in mind that the heavier you are the more calories you will burn regardless of the activity. With 30 minutes of swimming, you can burn between 180 to 250 calories which is not bad. Also, this calorie burn rate can be increased if you go for a more demanding swimming style like crawl or butterfly, which will allow you to burn over 300 calories in 30 min.
When it comes to running, the faster you go, the more calories you will burn. Just remember to set a pace that you can maintain consistently, so don’t push yourself too hard.
If you can maintain a speed of 5 mph then you should be able to burn between 240 and 350 calories within 30 minutes. This means that running will help you lose weight faster.
Accessibility
If you want to keep your running routine, basically all you need is a treadmill. This is because the conditions outside aren’t always ideal for running. As for swimming, you will need a pool or lake, or a beach. Clearly, the pool is the most accessible form unless you are living in a coastal town. However, unless you own a pool, then you don’t really get to swim whenever you feel like it. So, if you need to pick between these two as your new hobby then running has the upper hand.
Summer Time
Summer heat can be a problem, and swimming can help you cool off, and keep training. Running will be more difficult in scorching heat and it can also be dangerous, so swimming is a better choice in this scenario.
You Can Get Better at Swimming
Knowing how to swim is a useful skill, so if you are not good at it, this is your opportunity to improve and learn new things. This can serve as an additional motivator because you are making more improvements. Moreover, you are less likely to get hurt swimming than running, since you can trip and fall, or even sprain your ankle. This can be a setback, which is why swimming could be a better choice.
So, these were some pros and cons, and it really boils down to what you feel. Maybe you find running boring, and swimming more engaging or vice versa.
