Swimming vs Cycling: Which Is The Better Workout For Fitness?

When it comes to swimming vs cycling, both are excellent workouts, but which one is better for fitness? Swimming provides a full-body, low-impact workout, while cycling strengthens the lower body and improves endurance. 

Each has its benefits and drawbacks, making the right choice dependent on personal fitness goals. This article compares swimming and cycling in terms of calorie burn, joint impact, accessibility, and overall health benefits. 

What Are The Benefits And Disadvantages Of Swimming

Swimming is a popular fitness activity that provides a full-body workout while being gentle on the joints. It offers a range of health benefits, including improved cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, and mental well-being. 

However, like any form of exercise, it has its challenges, such as accessibility and the potential for overuse injuries.

Benefits Of Swimming

Swimming is well-known for its versatility and effectiveness as a workout. It strengthens multiple muscle groups, improves heart health, and promotes mental relaxation. Unlike high-impact exercises, swimming allows individuals to stay active while reducing stress on joints and muscles.

• Full-Body Workout: Swimming engages nearly all major muscle groups, including the core, arms, shoulders, back, and legs, promoting overall strength and endurance.
• High Calorie Burn: Swimming can burn a significant number of calories. For instance, an average adult can burn approximately 360 calories per hour swimming breaststroke, 600 calories per hour doing front crawl, and 900 calories per hour performing the butterfly stroke.
• Low-Impact Exercise: The buoyancy of water supports your body, reducing stress on joints and minimising the risk of injury, making swimming suitable for individuals with joint issues or those recovering from injuries.
• Cardiovascular Health: Regular swimming raises your heart rate, improves circulation, and strengthens the heart, thereby enhancing cardiovascular fitness and reducing the risk of heart disease.
• Mental Well-Being: Swimming has been associated with reduced stress levels, and lower occurrences of depression and anxiety, contributing to improved mental health.

Disadvantages Of Swimming

Despite its many benefits, swimming does have some challenges that may impact accessibility and suitability for certain individuals. From overuse injuries to post-workout appetite increase, it’s important to be aware of potential downsides before making swimming a primary workout routine.

• Risk of Overuse Injuries: Engaging in extensive swimming training can lead to overuse injuries, particularly in the shoulders and knees, due to repetitive movements.
• Exposure to Pool Chemicals: Swimming in chlorinated pools can cause skin irritations such as dry skin, itchy nose, or red eyes due to the chemicals used for hygiene purposes.
• Limited Weight-Bearing Benefits: As a non-weight-bearing exercise, swimming does not provide the bone-strengthening benefits associated with weight-bearing activities like running or cycling.
• Accessibility and Convenience: Swimming requires access to a suitable pool, which may not always be available or convenient, especially for those without a nearby facility.
• Increased Appetite Post-Exercise: Exercising in cold water can lead to an increased appetite post-swimming, potentially hindering weight-loss efforts if not managed properly.

What Are The Benefits And Disadvantages Of Cycling

Cycling is a popular and accessible form of exercise that offers a wide range of health benefits, including improved cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, and mental well-being. It is a low-impact activity that can be enjoyed both outdoors and indoors, making it a convenient choice for many.

Benefits Of Cycling

Cycling is an excellent exercise for building endurance, improving overall health, and managing weight. It engages the legs, core, and cardiovascular system, while also being gentle on the joints, making it suitable for a wide range of individuals.

• Cardiovascular Health: Regular cycling strengthens the heart, improves circulation, and enhances overall cardiovascular fitness, reducing the risk of heart disease.
• Muscle Strength and Flexibility: Cycling engages various muscle groups, particularly in the lower body, leading to increased muscle strength and improved joint mobility.
• Mental Well-Being: Engaging in cycling can reduce stress levels, alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improve overall mood and cognitive function.
• Weight Management: Cycling is an effective exercise for burning calories, aiding in weight loss and helping to maintain a healthy weight.
• Low-Impact Exercise: As a low-impact activity, cycling is gentle on the joints, making it suitable for individuals with joint concerns or those seeking a less strenuous form of exercise.

Disadvantages Of Cycling

Despite its many benefits, cycling does have some drawbacks that should be considered. From potential injuries to environmental exposure, these factors may impact its suitability for certain individuals.

• Risk of Accidents and Injuries: Cycling carries a risk of falls or crashes, which can lead to injuries.
• Muscle Strain from Repetitive Movements: The repetitive motions involved in cycling can strain the muscles of the hips and knees.
• Limited Upper Body Engagement: Cycling primarily focuses on the lower body muscles, offering less engagement and strengthening of the upper body compared to full-body workouts like swimming.
• Exposure to Environmental Conditions: Cyclists are directly exposed to environmental factors such as excessive heat, cold, or wet weather, which can make rides uncomfortable and potentially hazardous.
• Risk of Overuse Injuries: Repetitive movements in cycling can lead to overuse injuries, particularly in the hips and knees.

Which Exercise Burns The Most Calories?

Swimming and cycling are both excellent exercises for burning calories and improving fitness, but their effectiveness depends on various factors, including intensity, duration, body weight, and individual fitness levels. 

While both activities can aid in weight loss and calorie expenditure, the way each burns calories differs due to the nature of movement, muscle engagement, and resistance involved. 

Calorie Burn In Swimming vs Cycling

Swimming is a full-body workout, requiring engagement of multiple muscle groups, which increases overall energy expenditure. The resistance of water forces the body to work harder compared to land-based activities, leading to higher calorie burn over shorter periods. 

On the other hand, cycling primarily targets the lower body muscles, and the number of calories burned depends largely on speed, resistance, and terrain.

Here’s an estimate of calories burned per hour for an average adult (70kg/154lbs):

These figures indicate that both exercises can burn a high number of calories, but the actual expenditure varies depending on intensity and duration.

How Intensity And Duration Affect Calorie Burn

The effectiveness of calorie burning depends largely on workout intensity and duration.

Swimming: Intensity and Duration

• The faster and more powerful the strokes, the higher the calorie burn.
• Strokes like butterfly and freestyle require more energy, while breaststroke is slightly lower in intensity but still effective.
• Swimming in cold water can cause the body to burn additional calories as it works to maintain body temperature.
• Shorter, high-intensity swims (e.g., interval training) can burn just as many calories as longer, moderate sessions.

Cycling: Intensity and Duration

• The resistance of terrain plays a significant role in calorie expenditure—hill climbing burns more calories than cycling on flat roads.
• Speed also influences calorie burn—cycling at higher speeds or with resistance burns more than leisurely rides.
• Long-distance endurance cycling may burn more calories over time, but it requires sustained effort compared to high-intensity swim sessions.
• Indoor cycling can offer a controlled, consistent calorie burn, especially with interval-based cycling workouts.

Choosing Between Swimming And Cycling For Weight Loss

For individuals focused on weight loss, the choice between swimming and cycling should consider personal preference, accessibility, and sustainability.

• Swimming for Weight Loss:

• • More effective for burning calories in shorter periods due to full-body engagement.
  • Ideal for individuals with joint issues since water reduces impact on the body.
  • Can be challenging to sustain for extended periods due to muscular fatigue.
  • Requires access to a swimming pool, which may not always be convenient.

• Cycling for Weight Loss:
  • Easier to sustain for longer durations, allowing for gradual but consistent calorie burn.
  • Can be done indoors or outdoors, offering flexibility.
  • Best suited for those looking to build endurance over time.
  • May cause joint strain, particularly in the knees, if done incorrectly or on rough terrain.

Ultimately, both swimming and cycling are excellent calorie-burning exercises. Those looking for high-intensity calorie burn in a shorter time may find swimming more efficient, while individuals preferring longer, sustained workouts may benefit from cycling. 

The key is to choose an exercise that fits into a long-term fitness routine, ensuring consistency and enjoyment.

5 Factors On Choosing A Better Workout For Fitness

Finding the right workout is essential for maintaining long-term fitness, health, and motivation. Both swimming and cycling offer excellent benefits, but the choice depends on individual goals, physical condition, accessibility, and enjoyment. 

By considering key factors such as fitness objectives, joint impact, calorie burn, accessibility, and sustainability, individuals can select the workout that best suits their needs.

1. Fitness Goals

The primary objective behind exercising plays a huge role in determining the most suitable activity. Some focus on weight loss, while others prioritise building endurance, improving strength, or maintaining overall health.

• For Weight Loss: Swimming tends to burn more calories per session due to full-body engagement, making it an excellent choice for those aiming to shed excess weight efficiently. Cycling, however, allows for longer workout durations, which may lead to sustainable calorie burn over time.
• For Endurance: Cycling is an excellent choice for cardiovascular endurance as it enables long-distance training at a steady pace. Swimming also builds endurance but requires a more technically demanding breathing rhythm.
• For Strength Development: Swimming provides resistance training as every stroke works against the water, strengthening the core, arms, legs, and shoulders. Cycling primarily develops lower-body strength, especially in the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves.
• For General Health: Both exercises contribute to better cardiovascular health, improved lung function, and stress reduction. The best choice depends on personal preference and lifestyle.

2. Impact On Joints And Injury Risk

The impact an exercise has on the joints is crucial, especially for individuals dealing with injuries or mobility concerns.

• Swimming is a low-impact exercise, making it ideal for individuals with joint pain, arthritis, or recovering from injuries. The buoyancy of water reduces pressure on the joints, preventing strain and discomfort.
• Cycling is also low-impact, but depending on the terrain and riding style, it can put stress on the knees, hips, and lower back. Long rides without proper posture or bike adjustments may lead to joint discomfort over time.
• Swimming carries a lower risk of acute injuries since falls and collisions do not occur in water. Cycling, particularly outdoors, has a higher chance of accidents, especially when riding on roads or rough terrain.

For injury rehabilitation, swimming is often the safer and more effective choice due to its gentle movements and reduced impact on the body.

3. Calorie Burn And Weight Management

Both swimming and cycling are great calorie-burning exercises, but their effectiveness varies based on intensity, duration, and body weight.

Swimming burns more calories per minute than cycling due to full-body muscle engagement and water resistance. High-intensity strokes like butterfly and freestyle can burn up to 900 calories per hour, while cycling at a moderate pace burns between 400–600 calories per hour.

Cycling is easier to sustain for longer periods, making it effective for gradual weight loss and maintaining fat-burning zones. While calorie burn may not be as high per minute as swimming, longer rides can lead to steady fat loss over time.

For long-term weight management, both activities can be effective, but success depends on consistency, intensity, and diet. Those who prefer shorter, high-intensity workouts may benefit more from swimming, while individuals looking for longer, endurance-based exercise may find cycling more sustainable.

4. Accessibility And Convenience

The availability of facilities and ease of incorporating the exercise into daily life is another important consideration.

Swimming requires access to a pool or open water, which may not always be readily available. Pool memberships and entry fees can also add to overall costs.

Cycling offers more flexibility, as it can be done outdoors on roads, trails, or even indoors with a stationary bike. Many people already own a bicycle, making it a more accessible option.

Cycling is easier to fit into a daily routine as it can be used as a mode of transport. Swimming, on the other hand, requires preparation, travel to a facility, and post-swim cleanup, making it slightly less convenient for a busy schedule.

For those looking for a workout that fits into a fast-paced lifestyle, cycling may be more practical, while individuals with access to a swimming pool may benefit from a structured swim routine.

5. Enjoyment And Sustainability

Sticking to an exercise routine long-term is much easier when the activity is enjoyable. Both swimming and cycling provide unique experiences, but personal preferences play a major role in sustainability.

Swimming offers variety through different strokes and water-based activities. Many enjoy the meditative nature of swimming, making it a great choice for those seeking a relaxing yet effective workout.

Cycling allows for exploration, as outdoor rides can be social, adventurous, and refreshing. For individuals who enjoy long-distance rides or group cycling, it can be highly engaging.

Choosing a workout that is enjoyable and engaging increases the chances of staying consistent and committed. Those who love water-based activities will likely find swimming more enjoyable, while those who prefer outdoor movement and exploration may gravitate towards cycling.

Conclusion About Cycling Vs Swimming

When it comes to swimming vs cycling, both offer outstanding health benefits, but the best choice depends on your fitness goals. 

Swimming provides a full-body workout, improves cardiovascular health, and is gentle on the joints, making it ideal for those recovering from injuries or looking for a low-impact exercise. 

Cycling, on the other hand, strengthens the lower body, enhances endurance, and offers convenience for those who prefer outdoor workouts.

If you’re looking for an exercise that builds strength across your entire body, enhances lung capacity, and improves flexibility, swimming is the way to go. 

However, if leg endurance, accessibility, and outdoor activity are more important, cycling may be a better fit. Ultimately, trying both will help you decide which best suits your lifestyle and fitness needs.

If you’re considering learning or improving your swimming skills, JustSwim Singapore offers high-quality, private swimming lessons for both adults and children. Established in 2020, our team consists of competitive swimmers, triathletes, and lifesavers dedicated to providing patient, effective coaching. 

With our customised lesson plans, tailored to all ages and abilities, we make learning to swim both fun and effective. Our coaches stay in the pool with you until you get your strokes right. Experience a unique and proven teaching approach that makes swimming a lifelong skill.

Contact JustSwim Singapore today and take the first step towards water confidence and fitness!

Frequently Asked Questions About Cycling Vs Swimming

Does Swimming Or Cycling Provide Better Resistance Training?

Swimming generally provides better resistance training because water creates natural resistance against every movement, engaging multiple muscle groups at once. Unlike cycling, which primarily targets the legs, swimming works the core, arms, shoulders, and legs, making it a more balanced full-body workout. 

When Is The Best Time To Swim Or Cycle For Maximum Fitness Benefits?

The best time depends on individual goals and body rhythms. Morning workouts can jumpstart metabolism and provide an energy boost for the day, making them ideal for fat-burning and mental clarity. 

Evening workouts, on the other hand, may allow for better performance since body temperature and flexibility are higher, reducing the risk of injury.

Should Beginners Start With Cycling Or Swimming For Fitness?

Beginners often find cycling easier because it requires less technical skill—just balance and pedalling. Swimming, however, demands proper breathing techniques, stroke coordination, and water confidence, making it more challenging to learn initially. 

That said, for individuals with joint pain or mobility concerns, swimming is a gentler starting point as it reduces strain on the body, whereas cycling can put pressure on the knees and lower back, especially on rough terrain.

Do Swimming And Cycling Require Different Nutrition Strategies?

Yes, swimming and cycling require different nutrition plans due to the way each activity affects the body. Swimming burns more energy in a shorter period due to full-body engagement and water temperature regulation, meaning higher carbohydrate intake is often recommended for endurance swimmers. 

Cyclists, especially those engaging in long-distance rides, require steady energy replenishment, meaning a balance of carbohydrates, protein, and electrolytes is crucial to sustain performance and hydration.

Is Swimming Or Cycling Better For Training In Triathlons?

Both are critical disciplines in triathlon training, but swimming is often the most challenging for beginners due to its technical and endurance demands. Open-water swimming requires strong breathing control, efficient strokes, and water navigation skills, while cycling relies more on power, endurance, and strategy for pacing. 

Since cycling makes up the longest distance in a triathlon, strong cycling endurance is essential, but mastering swimming early can give athletes a competitive edge by conserving energy for the later segments.