{"id":53575,"date":"2025-04-27T01:53:11","date_gmt":"2025-04-27T01:53:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/53575\/"},"modified":"2025-04-27T01:53:11","modified_gmt":"2025-04-27T01:53:11","slug":"which-is-a-better-workout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/53575\/","title":{"rendered":"Which Is A Better Workout?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you feel like all of your friends are suddenly training for major endurance competitions like half marathons<\/a>, marathons<\/a>, or even triathlons<\/a>, you might feel a bit of FOMO from watching them rack up miles in the water and on the road. Maybe you want to up your cardio game, but you\u2019re not sure which modality is the way to go.<\/p>\n

Both running and swimming are great forms of cardio, engaging your muscles, boosting heart health, improving endurance<\/a>, and potentially assisting with weight loss, says trainer and run club coach Molly Ertel, CPT. However, there is one choice that may take the slight edge over the other when it comes to achieving your fitness goals<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Meet the experts:<\/strong> Molly Ertel<\/a>, CPT, is a trainer and run club coach at DOGPOUND in New York City. Edward Zatawski<\/a> is a certified swim coach based in Pennsylvania. Audrey Bowman<\/a>, CPT, is a RRCA-certified run coach and personal trainer based in Tennessee. Emily Knuth<\/a>, CPT, is a trainer based in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the low-down on which form of exercise\u2014running or swimming\u2014is better for building muscle<\/a>, losing weight, and improving cardiovascular health, according to trainers.<\/p>\n

Running Vs. Swimming For Strength<\/strong><\/p>\n

Trainer verdict: <\/strong>Swimming<\/p>\n

While running engages your biceps as you pump your arms, it\u2019s fundamentally a lower body and core<\/a> workout that doesn\u2019t put resistance on your upper body. The way you\u2019ll build real muscular strength as a runner is if you also cross-train with two to three days of weightlifting<\/a> a week for the arms<\/a>, legs<\/a>, and core, says Ertel.<\/p>\n

Swimming, on the other hand, is more of a full-body workout because the resistance of the water causes your muscles to shorten while contracting and lengthen while under tension, says certified swim coach Edward Zatawski. Swimmers tend to build lean muscle while swimming because of the water\u2019s resistance, he explains. <\/p>\n

So, when it comes to swimming versus running alone, swimming is the better choice for building strength.<\/p>\n

Related Stories<\/p>\n

Each stroke activates different muscles, says personal trainer and RRCA-certified run coach Audrey Bowman, CPT:<\/p>\n