Swimming or running. What is better? You are looking for an answer to that question on a swimming with Lifeguard Course blog, what do you think ;). No, this blog is objective.
I am often asked what I prefer to do. Swimming or running? Because I started with triathlon, I started with both directly from 0. In both I had no foundation from childhood (or adult). As a child I was a horse girl and still a bit. I didn't run and I didn't swim. So I started at about the same time with both sports. For me personally, swimming gives more benefits. But in this blog we cover the pros and cons of both sports.
Swimming or running, the pros and cons
Let's put the two sports side by side and the pros and cons of the most important questions that many ask themselves beforehand.
To share in your own time
Swimming: No, depending on swimming pool opening times
Running: Yes, whenever you want. Put on your shoes and walk.
Cost
Swimming: Average. Average entrance is between € 3 and € 7 for an hour of lap swimming. A subscription or becoming a member of a swimming club is of course cheaper.
To run. Low, no fixed costs obligation after purchasing stuff. Association membership is not required.
Burning calories:
Swimming: High. Intensive swimming provides a high calorie burn. Of course depending on your stroke and technique.
To run. Also high, but with swimming you can burn just a little more with the same effort.
Risk of injuries:
Swimming: Low. The risk of injury is low when swimming. It falls under the low-impact sports.
To run. High. Running is a high-impact sport. A beginner in particular has an increased risk of injury. But even for advanced players, the injury remains sensitive.
Difficulty:
Swimming: High. Learning to swim well (chest crawl) is difficult and challenging at a later age. It takes many hours to master technique well and speed is often lacking for a long time.
To run. Low. The basics in running are relatively easy and something we often master to some extent. The most important thing is to build up slowly and really give your body time. Technique training obviously helps to become even better.
Biggest Benefits
I definitely think the biggest advantage of running is that it is nice in the open air and that you can really organize it into your own schedule. You do not have to take into account the opening times of a gym or swimming pool. The biggest disadvantage is that running is prone to injury (a lot of shock load).
It works the other way around with swimming. The opening times of the swimming pool are decisive. You can never just go for a swim. On the other hand, it is wonderful to spend an hour with your head underwater and it is good for your body. The chance of injury is much smaller. It is a low-impact sport, but that doesn't say anything about the intensity at which you can practice it. I personally find the lack of stimuli underwater to be a huge advantage. But that is of course personal.
Difference in costs.
The costs are as high as you want. The biggest difference is in the recurring costs. Where you have to start running with the purchase of (good!) running shoes, after that you are actually ready (okay and another running outfit).
You can also start with swimming with a basic swimsuit. Swimming goggles are also recommended if you are going to swim more fanatically. You don't necessarily need more in the beginning. Although it will soon expand with various swimming materials.
Running has no fixed costs after purchasing the basic equipment. Where you lose money at the pool with every workout. If you want to spend less costs, think of becoming a member of a swimming club. However, swimming is a bit more expensive than running.
Swimming or running lose weight
When I started running, I definitely lost some weight in the beginning. However, when I started swimming, I lost a lot of weight. So when it comes to pure weight loss. I would absolutely recommend swimming. You burn a lot more calories with an hour of fanatic swimming than you do with an hour of running. Since it is also less taxing, swimming is the better choice if you want to lose weight.
Combining swimming and running
But why choose? The two sports can be combined very well. Swimming and running are a good combination, especially for condition building.
As a runner, you can use swimming to recover (or prevent) from injury and still maintain or build your fitness. It can serve as recovery after a match or to improve your form even further.
If you pick up swimming a little more fanatically and include some interval sets and condition building sets here too, you will also see that you get stronger with running. If you swim regularly, your lung capacity will increase, which is an advantage when running.
The other way around is not necessarily the case. A good running condition does not necessarily help you much further in the pool. Swimming is a technical sport. You therefore make the most progress from your technique and not from your condition.
Another advantage is that with running you mainly train your lower body. And with swimming mainly your upper body (shoulders and torso).
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