No matter who you are, your time is valuable. In everything you do, maximizing the benefits of how you use your time is incredibly important. That way, you can do more of what you love, particularly doing more fun things with family and friends.

This especially applies to more onerous aspects of our day-to-day lives, including our workouts. We want to get the most benefits for our overall physical health, and payoffs for mental health, relationships, and other areas of our lives are nice, too.

Spinning and running are two of the most common exercises that you can engage in, both in the gym and outside. But which one gives you the better workout? Which one makes the best use of your precious time?

Is Spinning or Running Better for Weight Loss?

Generally, spinning is a better workout because it can potentially burn more calories and is a lot easier on your knees and hip compared to running. Running can burn around 600 to 800 calories in 60 minutes, and spinning can burn up to 750 to 1000 calories in 60 minutes.

Whether spinning or running is better for you also depends on a number of factors, including your fitness level, overall goals, and personal preferences. It may also come down to your body type and health history.

In this article, we’ll look at the myriad benefits of both activities. Then, we’ll examine some other factors that you should take into consideration when deciding on a workout routine, including your mental health, lifestyle, finances, and more.

Spining vs Running: Burning Calories

In terms of calories burning, running burns more calories than riding because it uses more muscle. However, both are great for reducing stress and improving your health. Resistance training is also an effective way to burn calories. However, if you only perform spinning, then you’ll need to add resistance training to reach your weight loss goals.

For spinning, a 45-minute indoor cycling session can burn up to 600 calories. It’s a great way to get a low-impact cardio workout that’s also great for lower body. Running is similar to spinning in that it uses the same cardiovascular benefits. It’s also beneficial for the core muscles and the upper body.

For persons who want to improve their fitness, try spinning bikes. They are more suitable for individuals who are looking for a consistent and intense workout. High-intensity spinning can help improve a variety of health and fitness goals, according to a professor.

Although the treadmill burns a lot of calories, it’s also a high-risk activity for many people. While it provides intense exercise, it also has the added benefit of improving strength and reducing injury risk. Although it can help lower belly fat, doing so will take time. In addition, regular bicycle riding can help lower overall belly fat.

Why Choose Spinning for Weight Loss

First, let’s look at some of the biggest benefits of taking a spin class (or biking outside) regularly.

Burn calories: One of the top reasons that people workout in the first place is to burn calories and control their weight, and in this category, spinning delivers. The number of calories burned varies widely depending on your body size and shape, intensity level, and more. Suffice it to say, though, that if your goal is to torch a significant number of kcals, spinning is a good go-to.

Heart health: The best exercises for your heart are not ones that raise your beats per minute and sustain that higher number, but workouts that intermittently raise your heart rate with rest times in between. Spinning does this much better than running, since most spin classes involve cool down or rest periods at crucial intervals.

Bones and joints: Spinning is fairly easy on your joints and bones. Especially as we age, we have to be careful about straining our bodies past a healthy level. Compared to running, spinning is much easier on joints and bones and less likely to inflict injuries.

Total body workout: Many spinners will feel their workout mostly in their legs and glutes, but if you pay close attention to your spin teachers’ instructions, you should feel it in your arms and abs the next day, as well.

Easily customizable: It’s easy to customize a spinning workout by adjusting the resistance of your pedals, your speed, or choosing a different route (if you’re biking outdoors). Even in a structured class, most instructors will provide modifications for various fitness levels. That way, spinning is easy to get into as a beginner and provides ongoing opportunities for challenging yourself.

Why Choose Running for Weight Loss

Next, we’ll look at the benefits of running along many of the same parameters as our evaluation of spinning above.

Burn calories: Running burns a tremendous number of calories and helps build lean muscle. What’s more, there are lots of ways that you can increase your calories burned, including speeding up your tempo, running hills, and even wearing more layers while running.

Heart health: Running can help lower your resting heart rate and your risk of heart disease. Cardiovascular exercise in general has the potential to do both of these things, but no other singular type of exercise has yielded the same amazing results as running in terms of heart health in study after study.

Bones and joints: Running can support bone health, since it is a weight-bearing activity, though it isn’t always advisable. While running is not ideal for someone who is already suffering from bone density loss (because of the risk of fractures), it can spur bone growth for healthy bones. If you’re over 30, you may want to have a bone density scan done before beginning a running routine.

You can do it anywhere: All you need to run is a pair of sneakers. Therefore, it’s easy to take your workout (or hobby!) with you wherever you go. In order to spin, you’d need to find a gym or studio or take your bike along, which is not always possible or convenient.

Easy to track your progress: with running, it’s very easy to tell if you’re improving. Can you run faster or farther? Again, very simple to track. This kind of self-competition can be very good for your brain, as well.

How Many Days in a Week to Spin for Weight Loss

Although you may love the spin classes, it’s not ideal to do them every day. According to a study, high-intensity sessions could lead to developing non-functional overreach. A 45-minute indoor cycling session can burn up to 600 calories. It’s also a low-impact way to improve your overall health and reduce stress.

These durable and comfortable riding machines are ideal for people who are looking for a low-impact and effective exercise routine. The American Council on Exercise’s advice is to perform at a moderate intensity for at least 30 minutes a day. Doing so will help burn fat and increase your metabolism.

Too Much Spinning Can Cause Knee Pain

Although cycling is great for your joints, there are some common culprits that can lead to knee pain. Getting rid of these issues will help prevent knee pain and improve overall health. While it is not considered a knee-Sparing exercise, the repetitive motion of riding can lead to knee injuries.

Depending on your goals and other factors, instructors may suggest varying the frequency of your class. They say that you should start with at least 3 times a week. This is for people who are new to spinning and are looking to increase their sessions.

Spinning is known to help people lose weight. However, it’s not realistic to see the same results with the same amount of fat. To keep up with your fitness goals, it’s important that you regularly ride your bike at least twice a week.

Is Spinning Better for Weight Loss Than Running?

Both have tremendous benefits for a person’s overall well-being, especially when done in a healthy manner. The short answer: it really depends on you. Whether you’re looking to prevent heart disease, develop better muscle tone, or improve your overall stamina, either spinning or running should fit your needs.

At the end of the day, the decision between spinning and running might come down to your personal preferences. If you enjoy one over the other, you’re more likely to get out the door and engage in it in the first place, and then stick with it even when it gets hard.