Two types - running and swimming - constantly compete with each other. In front of people trying to lead healthy image life is faced with a dilemma: what kind of sport to engage in, trying to achieve ideal weight? After all, it is absolutely obvious that you can do it both in the pool and in the gym, but which method is more effective and in whose favor should you make a choice? Let's try to figure out what running is better or swimming?
Counting calories
As you know, the easiest way to burn a certain amount of calories is to load your own. The best way to cope with this task is running, which allows you to achieve maximum effect and much faster than expected. Water activities also bear fruit, but only an athlete burns about a thousand calories per hour.
It is worth understanding that every coin has two sides: jogging. Such active loads require significant physical training and, therefore, they will face a huge number of difficulties when they first set out on the path. No such problems arise in a swimming situation– it is available to almost everyone.
Resistance: how important is it?
When we start training, we rarely think about what we will have to face. The thought of having to overcome the resistance of water or air seems harmless only at first, but then the understanding comes: it is really difficult.
Of course, the resistance of water during swimming is much greater than the resistance of air when running, but there is also a subtlety: load level weather conditions significantly influence. Running in a pleasant breeze is one thing, but cutting through harsh wind currents is something else entirely.
In a pool, the water resistance is always the same; difficulties can only arise in open bodies of water. In addition, people practically do not feel own weight, diving into the water column, therefore the load is much less.
Additional loads
Jogging involves additional loads such as clothing weight and . Even a properly chosen suit will create certain difficulties, the understanding of which will come with time. Swimmers do not face such a problem - they only work With own weight , which naturally becomes much smaller due to water support.
For the sake of fairness, it is worth noting that it is quite difficult to say what can be considered a disadvantage here and what can be considered an advantage, because active activities sports become more effective due to weights.
Only one thing can be decided for sure: people with overweight at least at first you will need a gentle regime and an individual training program.
Environment
Experienced runners won't let you lie - it's healthier, but not always more pleasant. The environment consists of street congestion, human flow, exhaust fumes and the condition of the road surface. Everything together forms a single picture and brings into a person’s life either the pleasure of sports or the desire to urgently change the type of activity.
This is much easier for swimmers - they always train in the pool in equally comfortable conditions, without unnecessary, angry dogs and car horns. However, the obstacles inherent in running stimulate more active activity, and therefore make the exercise somewhat more effective. Pursuing comfort or losing weight is a personal matter for everyone.
What are the benefits of water?
Swimming like way to strengthen the body, has been known since ancient times. Many famous trainers, advising clients on solving a number of cosmetic or medical problems, use exercises in the pool, arguing that swimming:
- Completely safe for health. Due to its physical properties, water is able to restrain human movements, slow down their speed and thereby prevent any injury;
- Guarantees massage effect. Water flows around body fat and exerts some pressure to achieve the effect of losing weight and;
- It supplies additional oxygen to the lungs, and it is instantly absorbed by the blood and accelerates the process of destruction of persistent fatty deposits concentrated in the collar area, and;
- Makes it possible to accelerate with the help of special ones that increase the volume of fat cells processed by the body;
- Improves the process of formation of blood cells and blood circulation itself;
- Improves body tone, gives a boost of energy and gives a good mood.
In combination with, swimming will help improve metabolism and over time will lead to weight loss. At correct execution exercises in water, the result will be lasting; maintaining the desired level will not be any problem. If running requires the athlete to go through many inconveniences to maintain shape, then visiting the pool can only be a couple of times a week.
What are the benefits of running?
Running is considered one of the most useful species sports It belongs to the category, because we run with early childhood. In order to deal with such a load, you don’t need a special place or special equipment, just nature outside the window is enough comfortable clothes. The main advantages of this sport include:
- Everyone's work. Running involves the whole body in the process, which means that a huge amount of energy is spent;
- Strengthening the cardiovascular system. This type sport not only gives, but also turns out. By running, you prevent lung and heart diseases;
- Change in biochemical composition of blood, eliminating oxygen starvation and, as a result, reducing the risk of developing cancer cells;
- Stimulates metabolism.
With the help of running, you can get your body in shape and forget about many chronic diseases forever. However, get up treadmill or with a brisk step fresh air maybe not everyone. People suffering from lung or heart diseases should not experiment with their own body and risk your health without doctor's approval.
Swimming or running: making the final choice
So, having dealt with a huge number of sports nuances, you should make a choice, taking into account your own inclinations, goals and aspirations.
If you want to improve your well-being and have fun, go to a modern swimming pool. Even rare activities in the water make a person happier and more beautiful - they improve your mood, tighten your skin, get rid of cellulite and train your core muscles.
But if your goal is to lose weight, and you realize that you need to get rid of significant weight, then you will have to buy. Running will require a responsible approach, consultations with doctors and trainers, drawing up individual program and purchasing a special suit, but also the effect with ease will exceed expectations. Running will change your body and possibly the way you feel about your body. Teaches you how to monitor your well-being and eat right, because only a set of measures will maintain the result obtained.
Experts assure that the ideal option is combination of running and swimming, alternating training and reasonable restrictions in both sports. However, not everyone can afford versatile activities, so you can only rely on your feelings.
Video. Running or swimming?
So, before I launch into various kinds of explanations, let me immediately state the conclusions.
Swimming is not the most effective way to lose weight and certainly not the most effective way to burn subcutaneous fat.
When we try to burn fat with the help of cardio exercises, that is, running, swimming, elliptical, etc. Firstly, none of these exercises should be perceived as a way to spend calories, this is fundamentally wrong, we do not lose weight due to this. Because creating a calorie deficit, when we spend 10-15% more than we consume, is easier by cutting down on food, rather than by running laps or kilometers around the pool.
Secondly, we begin to burn fat only under certain conditions, namely: first it must go through a period when we deplete the stores of glucose and glycogen found in the muscles and blood, and after that our pulse must be in a certain fat burning zone, which triggers the mechanism of fatty acid oxidation. Our entire body, including in this matter, works on ATP (adesine triphosphate).
Adenosine triphosphate
Nucleoside triphosphate, which is of great importance in the metabolism of energy and substances in organisms. ATP is a universal source of energy for all biochemical processes occurring in living systems. ATP is our energy bargaining chip. No matter what happens, the fuel for your muscles and, in general, for all processes in our body is always ATP. So, when we run out of glucose and glycogen as a fuel source in the muscles, the body needs to get energy from somewhere. And if our pulse is in this very fat burning zone (there is a conditional formula 220 minus age multiplied by 0.7), and at the same time you continue to exercise and the reserves of glucose and glycogen in the blood are depleted, the body in order to resynthesize ATP (adesine triphosphate) begins to use fatty acids. From this moment we begin to burn fat, and only from this moment we begin the process of fat burning. So...
Why is swimming not a very convenient way to lose weight?
Professional swimmers burn crazy amounts of calories, but they don't look like bodybuilders and they have plenty of subcutaneous fat. They don’t have six-pack abs, they don’t have prominent veins, but what’s the matter? And the fact is that in order To start burning fat, and not just burning calories, you need to monitor your heart rate zone.
You will not swim along the track, keep your finger on the pulse and count. That is, when swimming, control of this pulse zone somewhat difficult. And the second point is that you are in water, usually with a not very high temperature. A cascade of mechanisms is launched that prevents increased heat transfer. The body prevents heat from escaping through the surface with which water comes into contact. As a result, the blood supply to the subcutaneous fat is disrupted and the body tries to retain heat. That is why athletes who are on the pedestal have this subcutaneous fat layer.
We talked about how you can lose weight better with the help of cardio exercises, when you can completely calmly control your heart rate zone and, if necessary, warm up.
In addition to everything, we have another way to lose weight, which does not affect the formation of adesine triphosphate through the oxidation of fatty acids. This is any anaerobic training. Look what stayers look like long distances, and look closely at how the sprinters - short distances. It's like night and day.
With short anaerobic exercise, the principle of fat burning is completely different.
(for example, sprinting - 100 m)
It consists in the fact that you:
a) increase oxygen consumption, that is, when we form this same ATP not due to the oxidation of fatty acids, but due to direct anaerobic glycolysis, that is, we take glucose and without the help of oxygen, we get 2 ATP molecules;
b) any anaerobic load (constant muscle work lasts less than 3-5 minutes) leads to a monstrous increase in the sensitivity of muscle tissue to insulin, which causes a corresponding decrease in insulin secretion. This means that the pancreas can safely secrete less insulin to meet the body's needs, which results in improved fat burning, meaning it is much easier to burn fat with lower levels of insulin in the blood.
Conclusions:
if we consider running and swimming as ways to lose weight, especially burning subcutaneous fat, swimming, of course, loses.
Because it is very difficult to control the pulse zone, which must be controlled if we want to start the process of aerobic oxidation of fatty acids, being in a cold environment the body reduces heat loss by reducing the permeability of capillary vessels in the subcutaneous layer, thereby interfering with the fat burning process.
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Running or swimming, which is more effective and better for losing weight?
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It has been scientifically proven that physical activity benefits absolutely everyone, regardless of age.
Regular exercise has a positive effect on the state of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
During physical activity, blood circulation improves and oxygen supply to tissues and organs increases.
Contraindications for jogging
Running is a fairly strenuous sport that puts stress on the heart, muscles, joints and the entire body as a whole. He contraindicated if you have a history of at least one of these diseases:
- previous myocardial infarction;
- heart disease;
- stroke;
- angina pectoris;
- tachycardia;
- improper blood circulation;
- bronchitis with manifestations of asthma;
- lung diseases;
- arthritis, arthrosis and polyarthritis;
- osteochondrosis;
- glaucoma;
- intervertebral hernia;
- chronic diseases during exacerbation.
Attention! If any of the above pathologies are present, it is necessary consult your doctor.
People leading sedentary lifestyle often have overweight . Due to lack physical activity they find it difficult to run. Heavy weight negatively affects the joints, and during running the harmful effects increase several times. Therefore, with weight more than 120 kilograms training must be started with low loads.
Ulcerers It will be more difficult to run due to poor stomach function. For serious pathologies of the cardiovascular system A mandatory consultation with a cardiologist is required. If you have diseases of the leg joints, then you need to run exclusively in high-quality shock-absorbing shoes and always on a soft surface, since jogging in sneakers on asphalt can worsen the situation. In addition, there are many diseases of internal organs, in which such a load is contraindicated.
Comparisons of running with other types of training: which is better for losing weight
There are many sports that are effective for losing weight.
fast walking
- They mostly work while walking calf muscles , when running - muscles of the chest, back, shoulder girdle, thighs and buttocks.
- When walking, the spine and joints experience the least load than when running.
- Walking is safer it has a soft and gentle effect on the human body. Running is not only dangerous, but also puts a lot of strain on the heart, lungs, joints and spine.
- If you need to lose weight quickly, then you should definitely give preference to running. When walking to achieve the same result, you will need much more time.
- Walking promotes relaxation, I’ll put myself in the right mood and think, and running helps get rid of sad thoughts.
Pros and cons of running and walking
Basically, running and walking are very similar types of exercise. The only difference is to varying degrees of severity. While running, the muscles of the chest, back, shoulder girdle, abs, hips and buttocks are involved in the work. When walking, the spine does not experience much stress, the knees are not loaded, and the calf muscles are more involved.
The main advantage of walking— relative convenience, unlike running. Walking will fit freely into your usual schedule. If your work is close to home, you can skip the bus and walk to work, or refrain from using the elevator and take the stairs. Due to the low intensity while walking Doesn't burn fat well. And running, due to its high intensity, is excellent for getting rid of fat reserves.
Photo 1. Walking with Scandinavian sticks. It can be a good alternative to running for weight loss.
These two types have the same advantage: they are great for improving metabolism. And poor metabolism is the main problem of overweight people.
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In the absence medical contraindications Running will help you lose weight much faster. But If you have health problems, you should choose walking. When walking, the body experiences big changes: stabilizes blood pressure, cholesterol levels decrease, memory improves, immunity and stress resistance increase. Long and regular walks will help you lose weight, only this process will take a little longer compared to jogging.
Jumping rope or running: which is more effective?
Main differences - intensity and duration of physical activity. When jumping, the emphasis falls on the toe of the foot, and when jogging, the impact is softened due to a smooth roll from heel to toe. Therefore, running is not so dangerous.
Important! To achieve the effect, jogging must be given 45-60 minutes daily. Jumping rope - by half an hour once a day.
Pros and cons of running and jumping rope
While jumping rope the muscles of the arms, shoulders, body, and legs are involved. And although the main load falls on the calf muscles, the quadriceps and hamstrings also take an active part in the process. Constantly jumping rope increases the strength of your legs and knees.
To maintain balance muscles are involved during jumping chest, back and arms. When turning the rope, the forearms, triceps, biceps and shoulders are included in the work.
Pros of running:
- heals the heart muscle;
- strengthens muscle corset;
- eliminates excess weight;
- does not require large financial costs.
Disadvantages of running:
- in order not to harm the heart, it is necessary to follow the recommended heart rate;
- high percentage of knee joint injuries;
Pros of jumping rope:
- an hour of jumping can burn you from 1 thousand to 1200 kcal;
- coordination, balance, agility improves;
- keep the muscles of the legs, arms, buttocks, shoulders, abdomen and back toned;
- reduce the volume of the lower body;
- affordable price.
Disadvantages of jumping rope:
- are loaded knee joints and ligaments;
- Quite a lot of space is required;
- when not correct technique The back and lower back are very stressed.
If the goal is only to lose weight, then great results can be achieved by running. Jumping rope may be more effective than jogging, but only with the ability to jump at a high pace.
Swimming
You can run almost anywhere and anytime, while Swimming requires a pool, which not everyone can afford to visit.
Pros and cons of running and swimming
Percentage of energy expenditure while running only slightly ahead of swimming.
Nevertheless, the final result of losing weight when swimming is generally low, since after swimming you will feel hungry and without nutrition control the results of the workout will go down the drain.
Water softens the load on the joints and spine, for this reason this sport is recommended overweight people, the elderly, and those with sore joints. With the correct movement technique, injuries during swimming are almost zero, unlike running, where the joints and spine are heavily loaded.
While swimming all muscle groups are involved, and not just the legs, as when running. Alternation and relaxation occurs different groups muscles, which has a beneficial effect on performance and strength. In water, the static tension of the body is not so great. Active leg work while swimming prevents the development of flat feet.
Running will become effective means to combat excess weight, but for overweight people and people in poor physical shape there is a high risk of injury, it is quite difficult for them to achieve the desired result. Swimming, on the contrary, is highly recommended for overweight people, like the safest sport for them.
But despite the cumulative load on the various muscles of the body, it has a slight final weight loss effect. Therefore, when choosing between two sports, you need to take into account your weight, physical fitness, presence of contraindications and injuries, age, individual preferences. Experts recommend the best option - combine jogging and swimming.
Photo 2. Different swimming styles: crawl and breaststroke are shown above, butterfly and backstroke are below.
Cycling, how much healthier is it than jogging?
Based on research by scientists at the Canadian University, it was concluded that Cycling is more beneficial than jogging. The cyclists performed significantly better than the runners. When running, vibration occurs, which negatively affects the feet, joints, and internal organs.
For those suffering from flat feet athletics prohibited, and cycling will be beneficial for health. Scientists have proven that with the same intensity of training, a runner can get more injuries than a cyclist. The rhythm of exercise also has an effect: The load when cycling is constant, and when running it is impulse.
Pros and cons of running and cycling
To figure out which is better, you need to know all the advantages and disadvantages of each sport.
Pros of running:
- lack of inventory;
- the existence of various techniques;
- strengthens cardiovascular system, increases endurance;
- helps to lose excess weight;
- There are practically no contraindications.
Disadvantages of running:
- long distances are difficult for a beginner; it takes time for the body to get used to the stress;
- Jogging along the same route can soon get boring.
Pros of cycling:
Disadvantages of cycling:
- The bike is quite expensive.
- Riding is possible only in the warm season.
- Special equipment required: helmet, bell.
- The main load falls on the knee joints. To reduce it, you need to drive so that the rotation is frequent, not strong.
- After long bike rides, the muscles of the buttocks begin to ache. For these cases, professionals use special saddles and pads.
Photo 3. Bicycle training. During the trip it is necessary to wear a protective helmet.
Since cycling belongs to aerobic exercise, That to get rid of extra pounds she'll be perfect. But due to the low intensity, you will need to ride a bike a lot and for a long time to lose weight. Due to the fact that running is more intense and uses almost all muscles, more energy is consumed. Over time the body gets used to it to constant jogging and stops burning fat. That's why you need to not only run, but also include fartlek in your training.
Useful video
Watch a video that compares the effectiveness of running and walking for weight loss.
What is the best sport? Does it exist?
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Beauty and self-confidence have always attracted and become the subject of envy and desire. Continuous work on oneself, on personal qualities and appearance determines the result, the ultimate goal of which is a confident person with a beautiful body and seductive appearance. Basis for effective weight loss are cardio training, - physical activity, exposing cardiovascular system stress. Such stress is achieved due to the intensity of exercise and entails the activation of fat burning processes.
The benefits of running for weight loss
One of the most effective cardio workouts is running. Its benefits can hardly be overestimated and it carries a number of additional positive aspects:
- fat burning, during running the body breaks down fat cells in order to replenish energy reserves;
- stimulation of respiratory function;
- stimulation of the cardiovascular system, training of the heart muscle, prevention of blood clots;
- increased muscle tone;
- increasing the elasticity of the skin;
- reduction in weight and overall volume.
There is an opinion that walking helps you lose weight. Having set your goal to lose weight and burn excess fat, you should understand that the process of fat burning is possible only in one case, if you consume fewer calories during the day than you burn. At the same time, the body spends calories exclusively on the load that is stressful for it.
Walking is a standard movement for the body, perfected over the years, the execution of which does not entail significant muscle load and, as a result, does not consume a sufficient number of calories. An increase in the distance walked daily gives the body the opportunity to spend extra calories. But at the same time there is no load on either the respiratory or cardiovascular systems. Therefore, walking, unlike running, is not effective technique weight loss.
Separate topics can be considered sports and Nordic walking. They include additional muscle groups in the movement, which is performed more movements and the load increases, it is worth considering them as a warm-up element or as the main type of load.
Swimming can be considered a fairly intense workout. This load is quite sufficient for the body to perform necessary work And effective loss excess volumes. Almost every muscle in the human body works here, but the main emphasis is on the muscles of the shoulder girdle. Compared to running, swimming works in a completely different way. muscle group. The effect of such training is very good, the pulse and breathing intensity increase, which gives the necessary stress to your body and activates the body's protective functions, leading to the production of the hormone cortisol, and consequently to catabolism and fat burning.
Swimming well stimulates the entire musculoskeletal system, warms up muscle tissue and gets involved in work large number joints on par with running.
Training with a skipping rope is very monotonous; the working amplitude of the muscles when performing exercises is very small and can be considered static. This causes the body to quickly get used to this type of stress. Heart rate And respiratory system are stressed, however, the muscle tissue and joints do not do enough work to produce an effect equal to the load felt when running. This type of load is well suited for inclusion in the main training as one of the exercises. But we can’t talk about its independent existence as a separate type of training aimed at losing weight.
The whole process of restructuring the body is closely related to the feeling of stress loads; getting used to a certain type of training means reducing the stress received by the body and leading to a loss of effectiveness of such exercise. Stable progression should be accompanied by a change in type and intensity training complex. For example, one week is aimed at slow running and long distances, the second - at shorter distances with increased speed.
Having analyzed different types training, we can come to the conclusion that it is better to use a set of training aimed at a varied, active fat-burning process. Of course, not many beginning athletes are able to withstand such a rhythm. Therefore, it is necessary to build on personal preferences and focus on the type of training that is close to your understanding, tastes and capabilities.
The pool where I regularly go in the morning to swim my two kilometers recently closed for its annual two-week maintenance. I decided to fill the forced pause by jogging in the morning. The experience was interesting, it made me discover unexpected advantages and disadvantages of these popular types sports
I already wrote about my passion for swimming in this article: http://pomyslivden.blogspot.ca/2013/08/blog-post.html. Swimming has a good physical effect on me: the pressure stops “jumping” and begins to slowly decrease, the muscles of the shoulder girdle are strengthened, belly fat is reduced, all processes in the body are much easier and more successful, especially sleep. Not just sitting in the water, but frequent, long, non-stop endurance swimming helps me successfully fight the deadly consequences sedentary image life.
About the destructive effect it has on the body sedentary work, I already wrote here: http://pomyslivden.blogspot.ca/2013/09/blog-post_30.html. It is this type of work that has been feeding me in Canada for many years now, and it is necessary to adapt to this state of affairs in order to maintain health. I came to the conclusion that with my eight hours a day working in front of the computer, if I didn't do something... physical sports, then I won’t have to enjoy my long-awaited retirement for long. But in Canada, life only begins for people when people retire! Scientists have proven that a person begins to age at 39 years old, that is, the degradation of my body is already in full swing. I am confident that I have the power to speed up or slow down this process. In addition to this, I want to please my family and friends with my company for as long as possible. Most often, this is a good company! I decided that I needed to go in for sports in the morning, so that the working day at the desk would become like a rest after the morning efforts, would be a prefix, or rather a suffix to the root, that is, the main event of the day - morning high-quality physical exercise.
I started swimming every day two months ago, on July 12, the day of the Supreme Apostles Peter and Paul. A month before, I injured my leg quite badly, by pure accident. Due to the injury, I decided to temporarily stop going to the pool, which previously happened once or twice a week. There is only one sedentary job left. Never in my life have I felt worse than then. Temporarily giving up active physical exercise I suddenly realized how important they were for my already middle-aged body. I decided that after the wound healed, I would go to the pool every day, seven days a week. Now I understand that it was a slightly ambitious, but essentially correct plan. His ambition was to refuse days off. The weekend turned out to be necessary after all. The correctness was that this plan finally brought the long-awaited results: optimization of blood pressure, good sleep, increased tone, improved mental health, slim figure, low weight. When I went to the pool 1-2 times a week, the positive results were not nearly as obvious as when I started doing it every day.
One of my fears was having to get up at five in the morning. When I got up at five in the morning once or twice a week, it was a real torture. However, when I started getting up at five in the morning every day, and, accordingly, going to bed at nine every day, my life cycles shifted, and the change happened almost painlessly. The torment happens when life cycles haven't shifted and I'm just waking up at the crack of dawn from time to time. When this began to happen every day, the torment ended. Moreover, sleep has become much better for me, perhaps due to the fact that falling asleep occurs earlier.
Having quite quickly mastered the technique of crawl swimming, I am now without special effort I swim 2200-2400 meters every morning with this style without stopping. This takes me just over an hour of continuous swimming (about 1:10). Previously, I swam part of this distance on my back, but then I gave up on it - I was swimming too slowly. I feel wonderful after swimming, my tone stays high all day, my head is clear. At work, after such stress, I rest, as planned. I call this “earning your health for the day.” If you swam the distance, you earned health for the day; if you didn’t swim, you didn’t earn it, and you lost your health for that day. Eight hours of sitting in front of a computer will take care of this. I try to swim every day with this approach. I can do this for 6-7 days in a row, but I have to stop for one day because I get quite tired. If you ignore it, the pleasure of swimming disappears and the immune system is weakened. I try to take breaks on weekends, when I don’t sit at the computer, but go somewhere or do something around the house, that is, I spend the day a little more active than usual.
Despite all the many advantages, the big disadvantage of swimming is, of course, that doing it for a long time is quite boring. Swimming for one hour without a break, without raising your head, 24 laps in the pool looking at the white tiles of the bottom is not the most exciting thing in the world. I don’t think about anything serious at this time, the brain is in some kind of half-awake state, it doesn’t seem to be turned off, but it’s also possible to work full force can't. The only intellectual activity that is more or less possible at this time is counting laps, and even then I often get confused towards the end. It would be great to listen to some light music in the background at this time, but headphones for swimming have not yet been invented. I presented the idea of such a device to an engineer I knew, and he became interested. Let's see what happens. I seriously think that whoever patents a wireless mini radio/mp3 player with headphones for swimming in the pool can make a lot of money from it. Someday such a device will definitely appear, but for now it is not in stores.
Of course, swimming is much safer than running. When you swim, there is no chance of tripping, hurting your knee, or hurting your back. These concerns are always very relevant for runners. Sometimes, however, you take a sip of chlorine water, but nothing, negative consequences I don’t seem to be experiencing it yet. One of the unexpectedly discovered advantages of swimming in a pool is its complete independence from weather conditions. It can pour like buckets outside, it can snow and a piercing wind can blow, but in the pool this is no less comfortable and no wetter. All these uncontrollable weather factors are very important for running and can easily ruin a runner's plans.
Running early in the morning, from half past six to seven in the morning (about 14 kilometers, the first half of which was only running, the second half only walking), I also had to deal with such an unpleasant moment as running through dark alleys, which is not really Nice. A couple of times I saw homeless people sleeping on the benches, and this, of course, did not add to the pleasure, especially when you are running in the darkness, which is coming early now, and the light of a flashlight suddenly snatches out of the darkness some overgrown bearded man nearby. The homeless themselves are not happy about these meetings, and they are unpleasant both for me and for them. Fortunately, there are no stray dogs in our area. Meeting them may not be as harmless as meeting homeless people.
However, running has serious advantages over swimming. Running is much more fun, especially in our beautiful coastal locations. At first I thought that I would be bored, I began to prepare my player, but it turned out to be unnecessary. Morning dawn landscapes in good weather are very beautiful. After two weeks of running, I never felt the need for additional entertainment. My route kept me entertained quite well.
Another benefit of running is that this high-intensity exercise helps you lose weight much faster. I always sweat very well while running and quickly lost a couple of extra kilos. It's hard to understand how much I sweat while swimming in the pool, but obviously less than when running, otherwise I wouldn't have lost so much weight in these two weeks. However, fatigue comes from running much faster. When it comes, it is felt much more strongly. I had to take breaks in my running schedule not once every 6-7 days, but once every three to four days.
Both running and swimming are aerobic exercise, in which the body uses oxygen as the main source of energy to maintain muscle activity. I learned very well that the oxygen inhaled while swimming in a chlorinated pool is very different from the oxygen inhaled in the early morning near the ocean, when there are no cars and there is a riot of plant life around. It's not that chlorine is noticeable in the pool atmosphere, but it's not nearly as good as the fresh morning air. I've long wanted to go outside more often in the early morning to get some fresh air, but usually I can only do this during the minute it takes me to walk to the car that takes me to the pool. You leave the house early in the morning, take a couple of deep breaths of fresh air filled with the aromas of flowers and the ocean, and... you sit behind the wheel of a covered car, where this splendor is no longer felt. At times it’s a pity that I have to miss this wonderful opportunity; during the day there is no such air anymore. During your morning run or walk, you can breathe in the morning air as much as you want. Then the air, rich in oxygen and the aromas of herbs and the ocean, not yet spoiled by car exhaust fumes, permeates all my muscles and blood vessels. The sensations arise as if I had bathed in living water. Just to breathe the morning air, you should wake up quite early and, if not run, then at least walk for an hour and a half. I am sure that even this will be of great benefit to the body.
From my small experience I draw the following important conclusions. With age, the need to exercise active sports rises. A person is like a decanter of drinking water: if you drink the water and change it often, then the decanter does not become dirty as quickly as if you do not change the water in it. I compare human body with this decanter: over time it begins to become dirty, that is, all sorts of sores appear. However, if the water is changed frequently, that is, by exercising, then the body will last much longer before it needs cleaning, that is, medical intervention. This is especially true in our computer-sedentary age. Swimming and running very effectively protect a person from physical inactivity, and running is much more intense and much more accessible than swimming. My personal choice is swimming, its intensity suits me better. And during forced breaks, I will go jogging or long walks in the morning to enjoy the cleanest morning air.
PS Facts about running and swimming are compared in this interesting article.