After long workouts of the same intensity and duration, running and cycling affect your muscles and nervous system differently. A 2022 study found that while both exercises reduce muscle strength, running places more stress on the nervous system, and cycling fatigues more of the muscle fibres. This means runners may need more mental rest, while cyclists might require additional muscle recovery time.

What Does This Mean for Us?

When you think of endurance workouts, running and cycling often come to mind. These are fantastic for cardiovascular health, but they don’t impact your body in the same way. This study found key differences in how each sport affects your neuromuscular system—something many athletes might overlook.

Running: A Nervous System Challenge

Running is especially taxing on your nervous system. After a long run, especially one lasting around three hours, your brain and spinal cord struggle to send signals to your muscles as effectively. This is known as a decline in voluntary activation, meaning your nervous system gets fatigued. When this happens, your strength and coordination suffer—not just during exercise, but even in everyday activities. You may feel mentally sluggish, have slower reaction times, or find it harder to maintain good running form in the days after a hard session.

Cycling: A Muscle Fatigue Story

Cycling, on the other hand, impacts your muscles differently. While both activities cause a similar drop in strength, cycling leads to greater fatigue within the muscle fibres themselves. This means your muscles struggle to contract as efficiently after prolonged riding. As a result, you might notice heavier legs, more soreness, or reduced power output when you try to push hard in your next session.

Why This Matters for Recovery

Understanding where fatigue occurs can help you recover smarter. If your nervous system is drained (as in running), you may need more time for mental and neural recovery. If your muscles are exhausted (as in cycling), they need more direct attention and care.

Tailoring Your Recovery

Runners: Support your nervous system recovery by:
✔ Prioritizing sleep, which helps restore neural function.
✔ Incorporating gentle yoga, meditation, or light swimming to reset the nervous system.
✔ Avoiding back-to-back high-intensity sessions to prevent overtraining.

Cyclists: Help your muscles recover effectively by:
✔ Using foam rolling, massage, or stretching to promote circulation.
✔ Eating protein-rich meals to aid muscle repair.
✔ Scheduling rest days or easy rides to allow full muscle recovery before intense sessions.

The Takeaway

Running and cycling may feel similar, but they stress your body in different ways. Runners need to focus on nervous system recovery, while cyclists should prioritize muscle recovery. By tailoring your rest and recovery strategies, you can improve performance, reduce injury risk, and get the most out of your training.

So next time you lace up your running shoes or hop on your bike, remember—your recovery plan should be as unique as your workout!

Bevan McKinnon / March 2025

Understanding Recovery: Cycling v Running