Is biking or rollerblading a better workout? The truth is: it’s not easy to arrive at a conclusive answer without dissecting both biking and rollerblading. That’s why I’ve put together this post from personal experience as an inline skater and in-depth research.
Rollerblading is a better workout because it burns more calories, develops and tones body muscles, and offers more cardio and aerobic benefits. Rollerblading burns 573-1069 calories, while biking burns 300-400 calories per hour. Also, rollerblading works all body muscles like the core, quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, adductors, while biking only works the leg muscles.
This is only the tip of the iceberg. In the rest of this article, we’ll dive deeper into why rollerblading is a better workout than biking. So, if you’re looking to make an informed decision, it should be easy for you going forward.
Without further ado, let’s get to it!
Why Rollerblading is a Better Workout Option than Biking
Is biking or rollerblading a better workout? As we’ve already seen earlier, rollerblading is the real deal. But that was the scratch on the surface, so it’s time to find out how it works. So let’s jump right in!
1. Calories Burned Rollerblading Vs. Biking
While rollerblading burns between 573 and 1069 calories, biking only burns between 300 and 400 calories per hour, going at a casual pace. Calories burned are an integral part of working out, and it’s impressive how rollerblading helps burn many calories.
When you eat, the excess calories are converted into fats and stored in the body. Over time, the fats accumulate in the body, especially around the core or stomach, and become problematic.
The healthy way to get rid of it is by burning the excess calories in the blood and what’s already stored as fat. So, if you want to burn more calories, keep fit and healthy, a rollerblade workout would be worth trying out.
How’s rollerblading able to burn this many calories? You could be wondering. See, rollerblading, also known as inline skating, is a vigorous sport, meaning it requires much energy for the push and glide movements. So the body responds by burning excess calories to produce energy.
Related Post: Rollerblading Vs. Biking | the Ultimate Comparison
2. Muscle Development and Toning When Rollerblading Vs. Biking
Roller skating exercises benefit the body in several ways, including muscle development and toning. Compared to biking, rollerblading works and tones more body muscles.
While biking mainly works the leg muscles, rollerblading works the core, glutes, hamstrings, adductors, and quadriceps muscles.
The muscles play the important role of holding the body together, especially the skeletal system, meaning strong and healthy muscles go a long way.
In addition, rollerblading helps with toning muscles. So. If you’ve been wondering if rollerblading is an excellent exercise to lose weight, the answer is yes. Rollerblading tones the stomach muscles and helps to melt away the belly fat. Lastly, it also tones the legs and hips muscles.
Related Post: What Muscles Does Rollerblading Work? The Ultimate Discovery!
3. Cardio Benefits of Rollerblading Vs. Biking
Since rollerblading is more intensive ad burns more calories, it’s got more cardio benefits than biking. By this I mean, the benefits kick in quickly than when biking. This is mainly because the heart is made to pump oxygenated blood to all body cells for aerobic respiration.
This keeps the heart on toes and helps a long way to improve heart health and lung function. In addition, this process opens up the blood vessels and helps to control cholesterol build-up that can lead to high blood pressure.
4. Aerobic and Anaerobic Benefits of Rollerblading Vs. Biking
Rollerblading has more aerobic and anaerobic benefits than biking. Ideally, we’re talking about the same benefits, only that they kick in pretty fast in rollerblading than biking. The main reason behind this is that rollerblading is vigorous and helps burn more calories.
For starters, aerobic and anaerobic respiration are the processes by which the body generates energy. Aerobic respiration requires oxygen and takes place in the cells. On the other hand, anaerobic respiration occurs in the muscles and doesn’t need oxygen.
That being said, the anaerobic and aerobic benefits of rollerblading include:
- Decreased heart disease risks
- Low body cholesterol
- Balanced blood sugar level
- Improved lung function
5. Safety on Joints
According to studies, rollerblading is considered a low-impact aerobic exercise, meaning it’s gentle on joints but rough on calories. However, compared to biking, rollerblading guarantees more safety on joints, especially the knee joint.
How’s this so? You could be wondering. There’s no direct hard impact between the feet and the ground when rollerblading, thanks to the wheels. The only time there’s a hard impact is when jumping to avoid an obstacle or when doing rollerblading tricks.
Therefore, because of the nature of rollerblades, it’s considered the best exercise for people with bad knees. If you’re looking to lose weight while having fun, rollerblading would be a good fit. On the other hand, biking can be rough on the knee joints.
While pedaling, there’s a constant rubbing happening around the knee area. So, if you do this long enough, your knees may end up hurting.
Related post: Is Rollerblading Bad for Knees? Best Aerobic Exercise Revealed!
6. Low Barrier to Entry
Getting started in rollerblading is cheaper than biking. From as little as $50, you can get yourself a pair of inline skating shoes and some protective gear. On the other hand, the cheapest bike costs approximately $150.
If you don’t have the money to invest in acquiring a bike, buying rollerblades helps a long way. The end goal is to stay fit and healthy. The good news is you can realize that from rollerblading without the stress.
When Biking Is Better Option for Workout Rollerblading
Biking beat rollerblading pants down on one thing: You can go biking almost anywhere so long as there’s adequate security. In addition, unlike rollerblading, you can skate on wet and rocky surfaces.
Therefore, biking is primarily convenient since you can easily go off-road biking without the stress. All you need are a sturdy bike tire with enough pressure, and you’re good to hit the road. On the other hand, there are only a few places you can go rollerblading.
Off-road skating is off the table due to the nature of inline skate wheels. However, there are a few exceptions to inline skates that are designed specifically for off-road skating. Unfortunately, maneuvering on them is such a hassle that you’d instead go for the usual inline skate shoes.
Related Post: Where to go Rollerblading | 9 Amazing Places for Inline Skating
Is Biking or Rollerblading a Better Workout? Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do you Burn More Calories Rollerblading or Biking?
A person indeed burns more calories rollerblading than biking. While rollerblading burns anywhere between 573 and 1069 calories, biking burns anywhere between 300 and 400 calories per hour at a casual pace.
2. Is rollerblading a Good Cardio Workout?
Rollerblading is a good cardio workout since it helps keep the heart healthy, improves lung function, controls blood sugar, and controls cholesterol in the blood.
3. Is Rollerblading Good for Toning?
Rollerblading works and tones all body muscles, including the glutes, core, hamstrings, quadriceps, and adductors. The muscles come in handy in anaerobic respiration, during which the stored muscle fats are converted to energy for rollerblading.
4. How Rollerblades Help you Lose Weight?
Rollerblade workouts come with aerobic, anaerobic, and cardiovascular benefits. In addition, the body burns excess calories during these processes and converts stored fats to the energy needed for rollerblading. Eventually, rollerblading for a while helps with losing weight.
Wrapping Up: Is Biking or Rollerblading a Better Workout?
Is biking or rollerblading a better workout? If you’re still wondering the better way to work out between biking and rollerblading, the truth is rollerblading is better in several ways.
Rollerblading is a better workout because it burns more calories, develops and tones body muscles, and offers more cardio and aerobic benefits. Rollerblading burns 573-1069 calories, while biking burns 300-400 calories per hour.
Also, rollerblading works all body muscles like the core, quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, adductors, while biking only works the leg muscles.
So, if you’re looking to work out, keep fit, and stay healthy real quick, rollerblading would be worth trying out. The best part is, rollerblading is fun and helps to lose excess body fat while having fun. Is biking or rollerblading better? The quick answer is, rollerblading is!
So, what’s stopping you now? If you’re getting started, here’s a comprehensive article on how to learn rollerblading. So, keep going and stay safe!
