Can riding a bike make you faster at running?

Answer 1

Depends on what you mean by better.

Running is harder on your joints, like knees, ankles and hips. But you need less gear, and it's usually easier to find a safe place to run.

Biking is softer on your body)good if you're a bit overweight), but you need a bike and somewhere to ride it.

In terms of calorie usage and general fitness, how longand how hard you exercise is more important than what you do.

Every activity that gets you equally sweaty and winded for the same amount of time will burn the same amount of calories, and give the same cardio workout.

Answer 2

Depends on where you're starting from. If you're very unfit, then cycling is a softer way of getting some good cardio exercise with less risk of injuries - and getting better cardio would help with running. If you're at an intermediate level, then it's usually beneficial to have some variation in your training program, which cycling certainly can help with.

But if you're already a good runner, then the thing that's most likely to make you even better is runners specific training. Sprinters can benefit from some weight training. Otherwise it's lactic threshold and anaerobic (interval) training that's the ticket. Basically go flat out for a short while, slow down and recover, go flat out again. Keep repeating.

Answer 3

That would depend on your fitness level. Usually its considered overall beneficial to have a certain span of variation in your training, if nothing else it can make it more fun. But if you already are an accomplished runner, with a good training program - then it's unlikely that bike riding will be much help.

Answer 4

There's really no set answer to that. For exercise running is a bit harsher on the knees, but for the same amount of time spent doing it at the same level of intensity you get about the same amount of workout.

For the trail as such it doesn't matter. A bike rolling along creates less wear than a runner while a bike skidding creates a lot more wear than a runner. And you're probably going to skid a little at some place along the track no matter what.

If there's a lot of other people walking or running along the track, I'd probably prefer running over bicycling. It's less risk for conflict between other trail users that way.

Answer 5

Kinda-sosrta, but not really. Bicycling is a good cardio workout, can improve your endurance. But to really pick up speed running you need to train running. Intervals, sprints, hills - that kind of things can increase running speed better than cycling.

Answer 6

Usually a bike will be faster but everything has to be controlled. (fair) You will get more exersize from walking though. A bike is faster though.

Answer 7

Yes since it works your leg muscles.