Biking or walking?

[moonkitty]

I’m wondering which exercise is better in the long run and which one burns more calories?

I’ve always thought that biking would be healthier and burn more calories—but then again when I’m out on my bike once I get a good speed going I don’t have to petal very much or hard. I can sort of coast along. So It would seem that walking would burn more calories since I’ll have to be in constant motion to keep walking. Know what I mean?
It just seems to me that walking takes more effort.

 

[imdoug]

It really depends on distance traveled and your heart rate, so it's hard to say if one's better than the other for you.

I'd suggest getting a hart rate monitor (Polar makes high-quality ones). From that, you can plug in the average hart rate into an equation based on your age and weight and it'll spit out the number of calories expended.

 

[blessedmomof5]

I think you get more of a workout from walking at a brisk pace than cycling, i find it to easy like you...maybe alternate?try jogging a bit walk jog? just an idea

 

[prodigy4god]

I like biking but since I am in korea where there are sooooooo many cars and people I am actually avoiding to get hurt on the streets. ^^ Even walking or doing a easy jog is difficult but when I do it I walk and run so I do intervals which is great and burns a lot of calories too ~ And I also run obstacles, avoiding people ;D also improves my coordination hehehe ....

 

[Fuzzy Fungi]

Where I live, I find biking to be more of a workout than walking. There are a lot of hills here, as well as a number of really big and steep ones. It's relatively easy to walk up a hill. Biking up a steep hill, however, is intense.

 

[moonkitty]

I like biking but since I am in korea where there are sooooooo many cars and people I am actually avoiding to get hurt on the streets. ^^ Even walking or doing a easy jog is difficult but when I do it I walk and run so I do intervals which is great and burns a lot of calories too ~ And I also run obstacles, avoiding people ;D also improves my coordination hehehe ....

Well I’m lucky, there are about 40 miles of paved bike trails near where I live. So I can go biking with out worrying about getting hit by cars. J

 

[moonkitty]

Where I live, I find biking to be more of a workout than walking. There are a lot of hills here, as well as a number of really big and steep ones. It's relatively easy to walk up a hill. Biking up a steep hill, however, is intense.

Well I’m in Florida—no real hills here. I have a single speed bike and have never felt the need to have a multi-speed one. That’s why I think I would do better to walk more. Once I get a good speed going I can just coast along for a while and not even have to petal. I can do 10 miles on my bike, and not feel tired—but If I walk ten miles I’m worn out.

 

[Oblivious]

I would say biking because you're getting your heart rate going. Even if you're walking fast, you won't even get close to the heart rate you'll have if you're going for it on bicycle.

My usual $.02...

 

[mare61]

Good question and answers. I can't bike because I busted my tailbone years ago and the seat irritates the end of my spinal cord. I LOVE walking.

Blessings, Mare

 

[growingupinhim]

there both good..of course trail riding is more of recreational..and leisurely..
its hard where I live to do any speed as I must conitually yield to other bikes/people and then as I cross roads..
so walking on trails would be good..and then long steady bike rides on roads..perhaps..though roads need more biking skills and a helmet.

 

[chesslord243]

walking be better

 

[davidoffinland]

From Finland

I have started a new excercise program at the local pool. I don´t think it has too many people outside of Finland have heard of it. It is called, "Vesijouksu". The closes translation could be "water running."

What you do is strap a special styrofoam belt around your waist which will hold you up-right in the pool. Then, you start treading water like you are really jogging or running moving your arms and legs as if running. The great part is that you do not get the pounding on your ankle, knee or hip joints. I have always hated jogging because of this constant pounding of the joints on the pavement.

Through watching my eating habits and doing this excercise, I have lost over 8 kilos(17 lbs). Plus my blood pressure and pulse has dropped 10 to 15 points. I try to do 10 times around the pool which takes about 50 minutes and head for the pool twice or even 3 times aweek. Try it but you need this special belt which holds you up-right in the water otherwise it won´t work. The belt is about 6 inches wide but in the back it is wider which is the part that holds you up-right

I am 66 yrs old and feel great.

Shalom, David.

 

[Oblivious]

From Finland

I have started a new excercise program at the local pool. I don´t think it has too many people outside of Finland have heard of it. It is called, "Vesijouksu". The closes translation could be "water running."

What you do is strap a special styrofoam belt around your waist which will hold you up-right in the pool. Then, you start treading water like you are really jogging or running moving your arms and legs as if running. The great part is that you do not get the pounding on your ankle, knee or hip joints. I have always hated jogging because of this constant pounding of the joints on the pavement.

Through watching my eating habits and doing this excercise, I have lost over 8 kilos(17 lbs). Plus my blood pressure and pulse has dropped 10 to 15 points. I try to do 10 times around the pool which takes about 50 minutes and head for the pool twice or even 3 times aweek. Try it but you need this special belt which holds you up-right in the water otherwise it won´t work. The belt is about 6 inches wide but in the back it is wider which is the part that holds you up-right

I am 66 yrs old and feel great.

Shalom, David.

Great for you!

The reason why this is so effective is because your muscles are getting the resistance from the water, so therefore, you're working them harder and getting an all around better exercise than you would walking, and without the stress on your joints.

I still think that plain old walking is in no way as effective as hauling on a bicycle.

 

[2Bhumble]

If you ride with effort it will burn more calories. It can still be fun but put some oomph into it. If you ride with ease and comfort (lots of coasting, slow speeds, short distances etc.) walking may be a better option. I walk every day at lunchtime and also bike ride hard 2-3 times per week and, comparatively, the biking is a much better workout.

 

[tadpole29]

it all depends on how intense you are in either situation. Make your resistance on a bike hard, and you'll get just as good a cardio workout as you do biking, however as you said, biking is just too easy to slip down into an easier gear and coast, keep the gears hard and you'll do fine.

 

[ChrisCountryGirl]

I prefer walking. I never enjoyed riding a bike

 

[Harlan Norris]

I’m wondering which exercise is better in the long run and which one burns more calories?

I’ve always thought that biking would be healthier and burn more calories—but then again when I’m out on my bike once I get a good speed going I don’t have to petal very much or hard. I can sort of coast along. So It would seem that walking would burn more calories since I’ll have to be in constant motion to keep walking. Know what I mean?
It just seems to me that walking takes more effort.

Well, I don't know about walking.I take a bike ride every other day as part of my exercise routine.I often go on an 18 mile circuit of a nearby reservoir.I burn over 800 cal.It takes just about 1 hr. 15 min.Mountain biking is even more efficient,milage wise that is.A 6 or 7 mile ride at my favorite trail produces a similar 800+ cal. burn. In less than an hour.

 

[vandeda]

it all depends on how intense you are in either situation. Make your resistance on a bike hard, and you'll get just as good a cardio workout as you do biking, however as you said, biking is just too easy to slip down into an easier gear and coast, keep the gears hard and you'll do fine.

tadpole ... there's a simple solution to that. Build a fixed gear bike. 1 gear, no freewheel. So you can neither shift into an easier gear nor coast. And, they're easier to maintain because you have no derailleurs (and possibly no handbrakes) and associated cables to deal with. Kind of like this (which is 1 of 2 fixed gear bikes I own):

 

[tadpole29]

I agree Vandetta, people that have the issue of wanting to cheat on their gears could do this to help overcome that temptation.

 

[PaleoPaul]

I think walking is better. I believe I heard somewhere that walking is one of the most effective forms of exercise.