The time when bicycles were considered mere transportation devices is long gone. Nowadays, people also ride their bikes for health, fun, relaxation, or a little bit of each. Biking is not a universal cure, but it is a highly accessible and affordable exercise you can choose if you want to get fit or maintain your current shape and state of health.
The benefits of biking as a lifestyle
Fight illness
Biking intensively trains your legs, improving muscles and circulation and greatly reducing the chances of edema and varicose veins. Physical effort also enables your lungs to function more efficiently, improving your lung capacity and preventing respiratory conditions such as asthma and bronchitis.
Riding your bike regularly trains your joints, tendons, and ligaments, preventing diseases such as osteoporosis, tendonitis and coxarthrosis (arthrosis of the hip).
Mental health
Cardio exercises in biking included improving brain oxygenation and increasing intellectual capacity. Every time you work out, your body releases endorphins, also known as the happy hormone that gives you a sense of well-being, helps reduce stress and depression, and acts as a cure for various sleep disorders.
Train your heart
Regular cycling leads to better oxygenation of all your organs and muscles, causing the heart to pump more blood to the tissues. Your cardiovascular system will strengthen over time, allowing you to do more exercise with less effort.
Weight loss
Biking is a type of physical activity as good as any other (or even more since it is done outdoors) when performed regularly, and it will help you lose or maintain your weight, tone your muscles, and improve your general state of health.
The calories burnt by cycling can vary a lot, mostly depending on your weight and pedaling speed. However, if you’re a beginner, you can start at a slower pace and increase the intensity and duration of your biking sessions over time as your endurance improves.
Biking is suitable for anyone
The best thing about biking (besides being cheap and convenient) is that you can do it at your own pace. That’s why it makes a great form of training for obese people since most of the weight is taken by the saddle, preventing the risk of joint injury.
As a low to moderate physical activity, cycling is also preferred by elderly people and pregnant women. Research studies have demonstrated that regular biking helps expectant mothers maintain and improve the condition of both themselves and their fetus, allowing for an easier pregnancy, a less complicated delivery, and a speedy recovery.
Biking can prevent and cure many health-related problems but let’s not forget that it’s also fun. It’s a great way to spend quality time with your friends or family, breathe fresh air, admire the surroundings and relax. Plus, in many cases, the bike can get you somewhere faster than the car. There are never enough excuses to get up on that saddle and start pedaling!
