These are the three reasons why cycling is a better cardio than running when you’re trying to build muscle and strength. First, out of all cardio types cycling has the greatest hypertrophic effect if you don’t overdo it. That is because it is biomechanically similar to most common leg exercises in the gym. Second, running beats you up more than cycling which can interfere with your recovery between gym sessions. That is because running is higher impact and has higher eccentric component leading to significantly more muscle damage and inflammation. Finally, it’s the whee factor when you are flying down the hill as a reward for all your hard pedalling. With running, downhill is actually harder than going up the hill.
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