Health benefits of cycling



solmon

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Jun 11, 2016
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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. Riding your bicycle regularly is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of health problems associated with a sedentary lifestyle.

Cycling is a healthy, low-impact exercise that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, from young children to older adults. It is also fun, cheap and good for the environment.

Riding to work or the shops is one of the most time-efficient ways to combine regular exercise with your everyday routine. An estimated one billion people ride bicycles every day – for transport, recreation and sport.
Cycling for health and fitness

It only takes two to four hours a week to achieve a general improvement to your health. Cycling is:
  • Low impact – it causes less strain and injuries than most other forms of exercise.
  • A good muscle workout – cycling uses all of the major muscle groups as you pedal.
  • Easy – unlike some other sports, cycling does not require high levels of physical skill. Most people know how to ride a bike and, once you learn, you don’t forget.
  • Good for strength and stamina – cycling increases stamina, strength and aerobic fitness.
  • As intense as you want – cycling can be done at very low intensity to begin with, if recovering from injury or illness, but can be built up to a demanding physical workout.
  • A fun way to get fit – the adventure and buzz you get from coasting down hills and being outdoors means you are more likely to continue to cycle regularly, compared to other physical activities that keep you indoors or require special times or places.
  • Time-efficient – as a mode of transport, cycling replaces sedentary (sitting) time spent driving motor vehicles or using trams, trains or buses with healthy exercise.

Cycling is mainly an aerobic activity, which means that your heart, blood vessels and lungs all get a workout. You will breathe deeper, perspire and experience increased body temperature, which will improve your overall fitness level.

  • The health benefits of regular cycling include:
  • increased cardiovascular fitness
  • increased muscle strength and flexibility
  • improved joint mobility
  • decreased stress levels
  • improved posture and coordination
  • strengthened bones
  • decreased body fat levels
  • prevention or management of disease
  • reduced anxiety and depression.
Cycling and specific health issues

Cycling can improve both physical and mental health, and can reduce the chances of experiencing many health problems.


Obesity and weight control


Cycling is a good way to control or reduce weight, as it raises your metabolic rate, builds muscle and burns body fat. If you’re trying to lose weight, cycling must be combined with a healthy eating plan. Cycling is a comfortable form of exercise and you can change the time and intensity – it can be built up slowly and varied to suit you.

Research suggests you should be burning at least 8,400 kilojoules (about 2,000 calories) a week through exercise. Steady cycling burns about 1,200 kilojoules (about 300 calories) per hour.

If you cycle twice a day, the kilojoules burnt soon add up. British research shows that a half-hour bike ride every day will burn nearly five kilograms of fat over a year.


Cardiovascular disease and cycling



Cardiovascular diseases include stroke, high blood pressure and heart attack. Regular cycling stimulates and improves your heart, lungs and circulation, reducing your risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Cycling strengthens your heart muscles, lowers resting pulse and reduces blood fat levels. Research also shows that people who cycle to work have two to three times less exposure to pollution than car commuters, so their lung function is improved. A Danish study conducted over 14 years with 30,000 people aged 20 to 93 years found that regular cycling protected people from heart disease.


Cancer and cycling


Many researchers have studied the relationship between exercise and cancer, especially colon and breast cancer. Research has shown that if you cycle, the chance of bowel cancer is reduced. Some evidence suggests that regular cycling reduces the risk of breast cancer.

Diabetes and cycling


The rate of type 2 diabetes is increasing and is a serious public health concern. Lack of physical activity is thought to be a major reason why people develop this condition. Large-scale research in Finland found that people who cycled for more than 30 minutes per day had a 40 per cent lower risk of developing diabetes.
 
The most important benefit is that it helps us to burn a lot of calories. It's the best way to keep your joints active and fit along with burning calories. It has been proved by many people that it helps to lose weight. I was an overweight guy but I lost a lot of weight by road cycling and gym cycling. The road cycling is better because it's more challenging. There are countless benefits of cycling.
 
I think my favorite aspect of cycling as exercise is that it seems more like a leisure activity even when it is hard. I'm sure serious cyclist view training as work. But for the average joe like me, I don't mind working up a sweat when riding. I can't say the same for activities like jogging.
 
I had been riding when I was young but purely for leisure especially so that I ride with my female friends. But later in life, when we moved to this suburban village with a park conducive to jogging and biking, I started biking primarily for leisure again but secondarily for health because I needed to lose weight - depending on my mood, the primary and secondary reasons are interchangeable. So for me, the prime benefit is the energy I get from the physical exertion and the peace of mind that goes with the relaxing ride.
 
You get similar benefits from practicing swimming as I did several years ago, but swimming is not something easy to practices since you need a pool with clean water with healthy levels of ph. So cycling is the easier option because you only need a good bike and hit the lane to start the exercise.
 
Well I never really thought of it like the way @sharkantropo put it above. In that sense it is like the easier form of swimming. They probably are similar in the groups of muscles that they work, but I still think that swimming is probably a little better. You are right though and I am not lucky enough to live by a body of water so cycling is really the best option for me.
 
Cycling is one of the best exercise around actually. Not only you do your cardio workout which is essential for your general health, heart, blood vessels, the whole biorhythm of our bodies but you also work your muscles in a great way. Legs, but and stomach are three areas most affected and by adding stamina overtime you can go far and see some great results. I love running and cycling but cycling in summer is more attractive to me because it is not only a good exercise, it also gets me to places fast and cheap.
 
The most important benefit is that it helps us to burn a lot of calories. It's the best way to keep your joints active and fit along with burning calories. It has been proved by many people that it helps to lose weight. I was an overweight guy but I lost a lot of weight by road cycling and gym cycling. The road cycling is better because it's more challenging. There are countless benefits of cycling.
I agree with most of this but I dispute your claim about road cycling. I can be challenged by stationary cycling just as much or even more depending on the settings used.
 
Cycling is a low-impact form of exercise that has many health benefits. Some of the key benefits of cycling include:
  1. Cardiovascular Fitness: Cycling can improve cardiovascular fitness, lower blood pressure and decrease the risk of heart disease.​
  2. Weight Management: Cycling can help to burn calories and maintain a healthy weight.​
  3. Muscle Strength and Tone: Cycling can tone and strengthen the muscles in the legs and lower body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.​
  4. Improved Mental Health: Cycling can improve mood and reduce stress and anxiety.​
  5. Increased endurance: Regular cycling can help to increase endurance and stamina, allowing you to exercise for longer periods of time.​
  6. Low Impact: Cycling is a low-impact exercise, making it easy on the joints and suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels.​
  7. Convenience: Cycling is a convenient form of exercise that can easily be incorporated into daily routines, such as commuting to work or running errands.​
  8. Environmental Friendly: Cycling can help reducing pollution and traffic congestion.​
It is recommended to cycle at least 30 minutes on most days of the week for optimal health benefits.​
 
The post's good for your heart and lungs. Biking regularly has been found tostrengthen your heart muscles, improve blood circulation in your heart. Cycling offers a variety of health benefits, and regular exercise can help reduce the risk of many serious conditions and extend lifespan.
 
The post's good for your heart and lungs. Biking regularly has been found tostrengthen your heart muscles, improve blood circulation in your heart.
 
Absolutely! Cycling is not only an excellent form of exercise, but it's also a practical and eco-friendly mode of transportation. I've recently started commuting to work by bike and it's been a game changer for me. Not only do I feel more energized and alert during the day, but I also love the feeling of accomplishment that comes from completing my ride.

As for reducing health risks, cycling is definitely a winner. It's a low-impact activity that's easy on the joints, making it a great option for people of all ages and fitness levels. Plus, it's a great way to build endurance and strength, which can help protect against chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes.

And let's not forget about the mental health benefits of cycling. Getting outside and soaking up some vitamin D can do wonders for your mood and overall well-being. And if you're feeling stressed or anxious, a good bike ride can help clear your mind and ease your worries.

If you're interested in getting started with cycling, I'd recommend joining a local cycling club or finding a cycling buddy to ride with. It's a great way to stay motivated and have fun while getting in your daily exercise. Just be sure to follow proper safety guidelines and always wear a helmet!

Oh, and a little tip for all you road cyclists out there: don't forget to signal your turns and use hand signals to communicate with other riders. It's a simple gesture that can help prevent accidents and keep everyone safe on the road. Happy cycling! :)
 

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