By: Jason Markum

We all know that we need to exercise. We all know that we should exercise at least three to five times per week. We also all know that we should exercise at least half an hour at a time, and we know that an hour at a time is even better.

We also all know that an exercise is best when you finish it having worked up a really good sweat, and are fairly tired out from the whole thing. If I’m not out of breath when I finish a work out, I know I wasn’t really working hard enough. And that is only cheating myself.

What DON’T we know?

Well, we don’t know the best exercises to do DURING those three to five workouts we do every week.

Some people suggest that jogging is the best form of all around exercise. Some people, on the other hand, swear by bicycle exercise machines. Others suggest weight lifting or different machines like rowing machines. And of course, there’s a whole legion of people that suggest cardio workouts like aerobics or yoga or different things like that.

Myself, I like to focus on one of a few different things. For me it comes down to two choices. Either jogging, or peddling away on the exercise bike.

Of course, with any workout you are going to want to spend a good amount of time stretching and whatnot before you begin any serious workout work.

And before I go any further, please let me note that you should never engage in any exercise routine without first consulting a doctor, no matter what your health history is, and no matter how old or young you are. It’s an important step that many, if not most people never do. I’m not a doctor though, so keep that in mind too.

So jogging and biking, which is best? It’s hard to say. Why? Because each person is different. My mother is getting on in age and isn’t very robust physically. She’s had some major medical problems in the past. Jogging isn’t even remotely an option for her.

She can, whoever, climb up onto the old faithful exercise bike and get a pretty good work out. The exercise bike is great no matter what the weather is like outside. You can work as hard, or as easy as you like.

Another great feature of the exercise bike is that it is very low impact. Jogging is high impact. You are literally pounding on your knees and joints. Not to mention slamming your feet on the ground over and over. If you are healthy and fit, this might not be such a big deal. If you aren’t so fit, it quickly becomes a HUGE deal.

And that’s really where I draw the line. If you are fit, jogging (to my mind) is the best exercise you could ever hope to have. It’s quick, doesn’t require any special equipment (besides a good pair of jogging shoes), can be done almost anywhere, and has a great many healthy benefits.

On the other hand, if you are not as fit or healthy, or if you are a little older, then an exercise bike is a great option that allows you to get nearly as good a workout as jogging, without all the tearing and pounding on your joints and muscles.

So there you have it, the age old debate of jogging versus biking is finally settled.

No matter what you decide, even if it has nothing to do with either biking OR jogging, the important thing is to try to get a little bit of exercise, at least a half hour or so, every day. You’ll feel better for it and you’ll live longer. And who doesn’t want that?