Cycling can be a great way of keeping fit and healthy
CYCLING has many benefits, from saving you money on fuel or public transport to helping the environment by reducing pollution. Above all, it can boost your physical and mental health in numerous ways.
Riding a bike is an effective form of exercise that has benefits for the whole body. It strengthens your arms, legs and other muscles.
It can also help your heart muscle.
e stronger your heart, the more effectively it pumps blood through your body, which lowers your heart rate and reduces the risk of high blood pressure. Reducing the pressure on your heart reduces your risk of heart disease.
Cycling, as with other forms of aerobic exercise, increases the presence of good cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein) in the body that transports fat away from arteries.
It may also reduce levels of bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein), which can form fatty deposits in the arteries and contribute to heart disease
Riding a bicycle can also help reduce stress. It is a great way to increase the endorphins in your body, making you feel happier and more positive.it is also a great way to forget about the sources of your stress while at the same time keeping fit.
You can burn off fat and calories quickly by cycling. It is good for you whether you arewanting to maintain your weight or drop a few kilogrammes. Riding a bike at a steady pace is believed to burn around 300 calories an strengthen hour.
e exercise also boosts your metabolic rate, meaning you will continue to burn calories for a while after you get off your bike. is means one hour's cycling could potentially equate to even more than 300 calories burnt.
Cycling is gentle on your joints. Unlike running, which is a high impact form of exercise, cycling is gentle on your joints. It is also a safe way to remain physically active without aggravating any painful arthritic joints.
Riding a bike can help improve muscle tone and strength in your legs. Pedal power is an intense workout for your legs.
e more cycling you do, the stronger your legs will look and feel. You will notice this increased strength in everything you do, from climbing stairs to running around the park with the children or playing a social game of soccer with friends.
Cycling works on your upper body too. Although it is clearly excellent exercise for your legs, when you ride up hills or over rough terrain 70 percent of your body weight goes through the saddle and handlebars, rather than your hips, knees and ankles, which is a great workout for your upper body as well.
You can build your stamina as well by cycling. e more often you cycle, the longer you will be able to ride before you feel tired. Building stamina is not only really great for your overall fitness, but it also gives a sense of personal achievement, which is important for good mental health.
If you are new to fitness training or recovering from an injury or illness, you can cycle at a low intensity, increasing the intensity as you become fitter. You can increase the intensity for better results or simply continue to cycle at your preferred relaxed pace.
Riding a bike is also a healthy mode of transport for you and for the environment. It is wise to wear a helmet to protect your head in the event of an accident. Once you have purchased a bike and safety helmet, you have access to free and completely green transport.
It also helps you live a less sedentary life and keeps you moving, toning you up and keeping you fit.
Another advantage of cycling is not having to fight for a parking space in crowded areas or worry about your car being clamped, sources of stress for many motorists in busy city centres.
For most people, commuting is something we do almost every day so turning your commute into a workout is one of the easiest ways of ensuring you are having regular exercise.
Fitting exercise into a busy schedule can be difficult. When you arrive home from work exercise is probably the last thing you want to do.
However, if you are exercising in the course of your day-to-day travel by cycling or walkingto and fromwork, you have already done your workout for the day.
Cycling for just 15 minutes to and from work each weekday adds up to the 150 weekly minutes of moderate activity that is recommended by health experts.
Many people find that, cycling, running or walking to work helps wake them up, setting them up for a more enjoyable and productive day.
Getting started
To start cycling, you just need a bicycle, a helmet and some suitable footwear. If you want to start running or walking for exercise, all you need is a good pair of shoes.
ere are proven health benefits to incorporating activity into your commute, whether cycling or walking.
Caution
While cycling is great exercise and beneficial for both your physical and mental health, it is good to be aware of the dangers when cycling on busy roads. Motorists tend to be more aware of other motorised traffic than of cyclists and pedestrians.
A motorist in a parked car may open the car door just as you are approaching it.
Motorists on our roads are notorious these days for ignoring the rules of the road, frequently driving through red traffic lights, turning right across lanes of traffic and even driving on the wrong side of the road, as well as driving off the road in order to jump ahead of other vehicles in a queue of traffic. So you need to remain alert on busy roads.
On the other hand, joining traffic queues at intersections is a problem that cyclists do not have to worry about.
With the congestion that occurs on major roads during rush hour, cycling may in some cases even be a quicker way of returning home than driving, and yet another way of beating the stress that motorists often have to contend with.
e information in this article is provided as a public service by the Cimas igo Wellness programme, which is designed to promote good health. It is provided for general information only and should not be construed as medical advice. Readers should consult their doctor or clinic on any matter related to their health or the treatment of any health problem. — igo@cimas.co.zw or Whatsapp 0772 161 829 or phone 024-2773 0663