Riding a stationary bike and walking are both great forms of low-impact cardiovascular exercise that can help improve your fitness and burn calories. But is riding a stationary bike for 3 miles really the same as walking 3 miles? While the distances are the same, there are some key differences between cycling and walking that impact the number of calories burned and the muscles used.
Calories Burned
One of the biggest differences between riding a stationary bike and walking is the number of calories burned. Here is a comparison of the approximate calories burned for a 155 lb person:
| Exercise | Calories Burned (for 155 lb person) |
|---|---|
| Riding a stationary bike at moderate pace (12-13.9 mph) for 3 miles | 183 calories |
| Walking at a moderate pace (3.5 mph) for 3 miles | 148 calories |
As you can see, riding a stationary bike burns around 20% more calories than walking the same distance. This is because riding a bike is non-weight bearing and you are sitting down. Your larger leg muscles have to work harder to pedal and propel you forward on a bike. Walking involves carrying your full body weight and uses more mixed muscle groups.
More on Calories Burned Biking vs Walking
The exact number of calories burned during stationary cycling vs walking depends on a few factors:
- Your weight – Heavier people will burn more calories.
- Intensity – Riding or walking at a higher intensity will burn more calories per mile.
- Efficiency – Those more efficient at cycling or walking may burn slightly fewer calories.
As a very rough estimate, cycling burns about 30-40% more calories than walking at the same speed over the same distance. However, both provide a solid workout and can help you achieve a calorie deficit for weight loss.
Muscles Worked
Another key difference between biking and walking is the muscle groups worked.
Cycling primarily uses the large muscles of your lower body to pedal, including:
- Quadriceps
- Hamstrings
- Glutes
- Hip flexors
- Calves
Your abdominal muscles are also activated to some degree to stabilize your upper body as you pedal. However, cycling is predominately a lower body exercise.
Walking, on the other hand, utilizes more full-body muscle groups, including:
- Quadriceps and hamstrings
- Glutes
- Calves
- Abdominal muscles
- Obliques
- Back muscles
- Shoulders and arm muscles
Because you are upright and weight-bearing, walking engages your upper body much more than biking. Your core and upper body have to work to stabilize your body and counteract the motion of your arms as you walk.
Muscle Building Differences
If your goal is specifically muscle building, cycling and walking can both help but in different ways:
- Cycling will better build leg and glute muscles.
- Walking can build some muscle mass in the legs but also works upper body muscles more.
- For best muscle building results, combine cycling and walking with strength training.
Joint Impact
Cycling and walking also differ significantly in terms of joint impact:
- Cycling: Very low-impact since your body weight is supported by the bike. No repetitive pounding on the joints.
- Walking: Moderate joint impact, especially on the knees, ankles, and hips. The continuous impacts can be tough on the joints for some people.
For this reason, cycling is often recommended over walking for people with arthritis, knee/hip injuries, or others concerned about high-impact activities.
Benefits of Lower Joint Impact Cycling
The benefits of cycling’s low-impact nature include:
- Prevents excessive wear and tear on the joints
- Suitable for people with injuries, arthritis, or at risk for joint issues
- Can maintain fitness while recovering from injury
- Less muscle and joint soreness compared to walking
Cardiovascular Benefits
From a cardiovascular health standpoint, cycling and walking can provide similar benefits. Both activities:
- Raise your heart rate into the target cardiovascular zone
- Increase lung capacity and oxygen circulation
- Burn calories to help with weight loss
- Improve heart health and lower blood pressure
- Build endurance so daily activities become easier
Some research shows cycling may build cardiovascular fitness more quickly than walking, especially among new exercisers. But both activities are excellent moderate-intensity aerobic exercises.
Tips for Maximizing Cardio Benefits
To maximize the cardiovascular benefits from cycling or walking, some tips include:
- Exercise at a moderate pace you can sustain for 30+ minutes
- Aim for 150+ minutes per week to meet physical activity guidelines
- Monitor your heart rate to keep in target zone
- Increase pace and duration gradually as fitness improves
Weight Loss Benefits
Both cycling and walking can help you lose weight. As aerobic activities, they burn calories and body fat, especially when done consistently over time as part of a calorie-controlled diet.
Cycling may support slightly faster weight loss than walking initially. A 155 lb person cycling at 12-13.9 mph would burn around 300 calories per hour. The same person walking at 3.5 mph would burn around 246 calories per hour.
However, both activities provide significant calorie burn to help lose or maintain weight when done regularly. And building either exercise habit can aid long-term weight loss results.
Tips for Maximizing Weight Loss
Some tips to boost weight loss from cycling or walking include:
- Go for longer durations like 45-60+ minutes to maximize calorie burn
- Increase pace and intensity over time to keep burning more calories
- Pair cycling/walking with calorie tracking and a modest calorie deficit
- Aim for 300+ minutes of exercise per week for meaningful weight loss
Safety and Accessibility
There are also some key differences in safety and accessibility with stationary cycling vs walking:
- Cycling safety: Very safe with no risk of cars or falls. Just adjust bike settings properly to avoid injury.
- Walking safety: Risk of hazards like uneven terrain, cars, weather if outdoors. Lower risk of injury than cycling though.
- Cycling accessibility: More accessible for those unable to walk longer distances. Easier on joints.
- Walking accessibility: Requires ability to walk unaided. Not suitable for some with joint conditions.
Overall, cycling is the more accessible exercise option for those unable to walk longer distances or concerned about outdoors conditions.
Making Cycling and Walking Safe
Some tips for exercising safely include:
- Use indoor stationary bikes if concerned about outdoor safety or weather
- Wear bright, reflective clothing if exercising outdoors
- Stay hydrated and monitor exertion level
- Listen to body and don’t overexert
- Start slow and build up duration/intensity gradually
Enjoyment and Boredom
Cycling and walking can both be fun and enjoyable activities. However, some key differences affect enjoyment levels:
- Cycling enjoyment: Stationary cycling can get repetitive but is less so than treadmill walking. Outdoor biking provides scenery.
- Walking enjoyment: Offers more sights/sounds/smells when done outdoors. Treadmill walking is very repetitive.
In general, the more variety you build into your workouts, the more enjoyable they will be long-term. Outdoor exercise tends to be more engaging than indoor.
Avoiding Boredom
Some tips to beat boredom include:
- Alternate cycling and walking days
- Vary your routes if exercising outdoors
- Listen to music, podcasts, audiobooks while exercising
- Find an accountability buddy to exercise with
- Mix up intervals, speed, and resistance
- Track your progress to stay motivated
Conclusion
In summary, riding a stationary bike for 3 miles will burn more calories and work your leg muscles harder compared to walking 3 miles. But walking engages more upper body muscle groups and provides a higher impact on your bones and joints.
For optimal health and fitness, the best approach is to incorporate both cycling and walking into your routine. Cycling is lower impact but walking provides important weight-bearing benefits. Alternating between the two activities will give you a well-balanced workout.
Aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, whether cycling, walking, or a mix of both. Be sure to also include some strength training, flexibility work, and proper nutrition. Combining different forms of exercise will provide the most benefits for your cardiovascular fitness, muscle building, weight loss, and overall health.