To be fit and healthy, you need to be physically active. Regular physical activity can help protect you from serious diseases such as obesity, heart disease, cancer, mental illness, diabetes and arthritis. Regular cycling is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of health problems associated with a sedentary lifestyle.
Riding a bicycle is a healthy, low-impact exercise that people of all ages, from young children to the elderly, can enjoy. It’s also fun, cheap and good for the environment.
Going to work or shopping is one of the most effective ways to combine regular exercise with your daily routine. An estimated one billion people ride a bicycle every day – for transportation, recreation and sport.
Cycling for health and fitness
Two to four hours a week is enough to achieve an overall improvement in health. Cycling is:
Low recoil – it causes less strain and injury than most other forms of exercise.
Good muscle training – cycling engages all major muscle groups as you pedal.
Ease – Unlike some other sports, cycling does not require a high level of fitness. Most people know how to ride a bicycle, and once you learn, you won’t forget.
Good for strength and endurance – Riding a bicycle increases endurance, strength, and aerobic fitness.
As intense as you want it to be. Cycling can be done at a very low intensity to start with if you are recovering from an injury or illness, but can be supplemented with a heavy physical workout.
An interesting way to get in shape – the adventure and high you get from riding down hills and being outdoors means you are more likely to continue to ride your bike regularly compared to other physical activities that force you indoors or require special time or space.
Time savings – As a mode of transportation, bicycling replaces the sedentary (sedentary) time spent driving a car or taking streetcars, trains or buses with healthy exercise.
The health benefits of regular cycling
Riding a bicycle is mostly aerobic activity, which means your heart, blood vessels and lungs get a workout. You will breathe deeper, sweat and experience an increase in body temperature, which will improve your overall fitness level.
Health benefits from regular cycling include:
- increased cardiovascular fitness
- increased muscular strength and flexibility
- improved joint mobility
- stress reduction
- improved posture and coordination
- strengthened bones
- decrease in body fat
- disease prevention or treatment
- Decrease in anxiety and depression.