A hobby that has experienced tremendous growth recently thanks to (in part) the huge success of the 2012 Olympics, cycling is an affordable, exciting, rewarding and (most importantly) fun activity that is also a great sport. Of course, it won’t be news to anyone that cycling can have such a positive effect on your body, but what Specific effect it has and all of them need positive?
These are questions worth asking and are questions we will try to answer in this short blog.
Heart
One of the most important organisms in our body, our liver can be seriously damaged by a sedentary lifestyle. Cycling really helps strengthen the heart by training it to be able to cope with heavier physical activity. It is estimated that regular cyclists are 50% less likely to suffer a heart attack than non-cyclists and blood pressure is also significantly lowered in the majority of riders.
So get ready! Your lungs should also really feel the benefit thanks to the positive effect it has on your respiratory system, which will result in smoother lung ventilation.
Mental health
Cycling can also be a huge boon to a rider’s mental health. Uniform (precise) cyclic movements have been shown to stabilize emotional fluctuations, warding off stress, anxiety, and depression. Of course it’s not a ‘miracle cure’ by any means but as the wind blows your hair and your wheels cut through the dirt beneath you like butter it can be a very relaxing experience.
Weight loss
The number of calories you burn while cycling obviously depends on many factors (how fast you pedal, the incline, and the weight of the person), but regardless of that, more calories will be burned than when you walk, simply because you are using up more calories. your body parts. Even at a leisurely pace, relaxed cycling can result in serious weight loss with an average of 300 calories burned every hour cycling at a moderate pace. If you really want to lose those extra pounds, you may want to consider mountain biking where the more challenging terrain and steeper inclines will really work your body.
You won’t want to jump right into mountain biking thoughts (at least it’s not recommended) as you’re better off first increasing your stamina, strength, and overall endurance. After all, you don’t want to give yourself a heart attack halfway, do you? Of course, if weight loss is the main reason for your newfound cycling habit, you don’t need to limit yourself to the outdoors either. Stationary cycling on an exercise bike can be just as rewarding (though not nearly as fun).
Muscle
When cycling, almost all the muscles of the body are ‘activated’. Your leg muscles are used to pedal, your back muscles are used to keep your body stable in the saddle, and your shoulder and arm muscles are used to support yourself on the handlebars. All of these efforts will go a long way towards strengthening your muscles and even increasing muscle tone and definition. For older riders this is especially beneficial because as we age our muscles tend to shrink by as much as 50% if left inactive for too long.
Journey
We’re not just talking about intense mountain biking here, even just cycling to work can have beneficial effects. For example, it is estimated that the average person will lose more than 10 pounds in a year driving to work and logistically and financially the savings you will make on both the wallet and the environment will prove invaluable.
joints
Cycling is great for strengthening bone cartilage so that the forces exerted on our bones by our bodies are much less damaging. This is especially helpful for those who are in the early stages of arthritis.
Negative
So does cycling have a negative effect on the body? Only if you overdo it or you really shouldn’t be cycling. Of course there’s always the potential for an accident to be dealt with (especially if you’re cycling around town) and there are certain sexual ailments associated with male cyclists because of the pressure exerted on the genitals by the typical bicycle seat. Accidents are rarer now than ever and as long as you wear a helmet and invest in a wider, more comfortable bike seat you should be fine.
We’ve only scratched the surface here, but simply put, for most people cycling is a hobby that can be as relaxing or as demanding as you want it to be, but either way, your body will seriously benefit from it!
This article was written by Amy from 50 Cycles. 50 Cycles specializes in Electric Bikes but is passionate about all types of cycling and tries to spread the word about the benefits of cycling as much as possible. Amy contributes by managing their blog and writing cycling-related articles for various blogs.
