Cycling, an enduring and versatile activity, has remained a favorite way to stay fit and have fun for people of all ages. As a physical specialist, I'm constantly amazed by how cycling boosts our health. Beyond the simple joy of bike riding, cycling is a powerful tool for getting and staying in shape. This article will explore why cycling is so good for your health. From improving your heart and lungs to reducing stress and much more, the benefits of cycling are both diverse and significant. Join us as we take a closer look at the top advantages of cycling for physical fitness and discover why this activity should be a part of your exercise routine.
Cycling offers numerous benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, reduced environmental impact, and an enjoyable way to stay active and explore your surroundings.
Improves Cardiovascular Health
Cycling is an excellent workout for people of all ages and fitness levels. It strengthens your heart, blood vessels, and lungs while helping you lose weight, and it's fun. It's also low impact, meaning it's easier on your joints than other cardiovascular exercises like running or jogging. It's even an excellent option for those recovering from injuries or sedentary. A good rule of thumb is to start at a lower intensity and work your way up.
A recent study found that people who cycled to work had a 46% lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those who commuted by car or public transportation. This is because cycling stimulates the heart, which helps reduce blood pressure over time.
Another benefit of cycling is that it builds muscle. Muscle burns more calories than fat, even when you're at rest. Adding cycling to your workout routine will help you build toned legs and glutes, and other muscle groups that are more challenging to target with another exercise.
The research found that cycling significantly improved cardiorespiratory fitness, and it helped people with diabetes control their blood sugar. It also increased levels of heart-protecting HDL cholesterol and reduced dangerous triglyceride levels. The studies adjusted for sex, age, diet, and existing conditions to see if they could alter the results. However, further adjustments such as smoking, sports participation, and self-reported diabetes duration did not attenuate the associations between cycling and all-cause or CVD mortality.
Increases Muscle Strength
As a low-impact exercise, cycling increases muscle strength and provides an excellent cardiovascular workout. It also burns many calories and improves balance, flexibility, and overall body composition. The best part is it can be performed year-round in nearly any environment.
However, cycling is primarily an aerobic, cardiovascular exercise that requires the heart and lungs to deliver oxygen-rich blood to the muscles of the lower limbs predominantly so they can do their job and propel the cyclist forward. To elicit maximum power and efficiency from the legs, increasing the cadence (how many times the feet turn over per minute) of the pedal stroke is often necessary. This will increase your cycling speed and strengthen the muscles of the lower limbs to withstand repeated high-intensity efforts.
Performing high-intensity cycling sprint intervals on a flat or slightly inclined bike is another effective method to develop leg power. This can be done in short, intense sprints at a higher-than-normal cadence for a few minutes, then returning to your normal cadence for a few more minutes. Aim for a total of about 12 sprint intervals in a single session.
Additionally, cycling can strengthen the core muscles to enhance stability and transfer power from the legs to the trunk. This can be further enhanced by complementing cycling with additional core exercises off the bike to promote a stronger, more stable base.
Reduces the Risk of Cancer
Cycling is a form of exercise that can be done by people of all fitness levels and can be easily added to your routine. It gives your body a great cardiovascular workout and helps to improve your overall health. It is also an activity that can be adapted to fit your abilities and needs, from longer rides to more gentle pedaling around the neighborhood.
In the largest study, researchers found that cycling reduces cancer risk. They studied people who commuted by bike, train, bus, or taxi and compared them to those who drove or took public transport to work. They found that those who cycled to work had a lower death rate from heart disease, cancer, and all other causes than those who didn't ride bikes. People who used a mix of cycling and non-cycling modes of transportation (like biking to the bus stop and then taking the bus to work) had a similar rate of reduced death.
The researchers also looked at the differences between men and women and found that men who biked had a lower death rate from all causes than men who did not. They did not find any significant difference between the death rates from cancer in men and women.
The authors note that this is a correlational rather than causal study and that there may be many reasons why those who cycle have better health. However, the study did show that even a moderate amount of cycling reduces your death rate and that this effect is seen across all genders and socioeconomic groups.
Reduces Blood Pressure
Cycling is a popular way to exercise, not only for the obvious benefits of saving on fuel and helping the environment, but it also engages just about every muscle in your body. But did you know this activity can help lower your blood pressure? This is because cycling is a form of cardiovascular exercise that works your heart. As you ride, your heart gets stronger, which can help to decrease your resting heart rate, reducing your blood pressure.
Riding your bike also helps to increase your vagal tone, which can help improve your vascular resistance and blood pressure, both of which are essential factors in controlling high blood pressure. This is especially true if you ride moderately on level ground or with few hills.
Another factor in why cycling can lower your blood pressure is that it causes your body to prioritize blood flow to working muscles. This is achieved by constricting the blood flow to non-working muscles in your upper body and by causing vasodilation in working muscles. This helps to maximize the amount of oxygen being delivered to your working muscles, which can cause a reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
If you are interested in riding your bike to lower your blood pressure, then it is a good idea to check with your doctor first, particularly if you have any health conditions or joint problems. However, once you have the go-ahead, try to ride your bike a couple of times a week and gradually work up to longer rides.
Cycling Reduces Stress
Cycling is a great way to enjoy the outdoors, get around town, and burn off stress. It's been shown that even a moderate workout, such as riding at about 70 percent of your heart rate for 30-60 minutes three to five times a week, is enough to start feeling the benefits.
Moreover, the repetitive nature of cycling can help you calm and focus your mind. It induces a form of passive hypnosis as you concentrate on the rhythm of your pedaling. This can be particularly helpful for people who suffer from mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, who may find it difficult to focus in a busy environment.
In addition to boosting endorphins and the 'feel-good' neurotransmitter dopamine, the repetitive cycling motion also helps increase serotonin, another mood-enhancing chemical. These chemicals have been proven to reduce your risk of chronic stress and improve your ability to cope with stressful situations.
As if that's not enough, the cardiovascular workout from cycling also reduces cortisol levels, which can lead to sleep disorders and other stress-related issues. It can also synchronize your circadian rhythm, making achieving restful and deep sleep patterns easier.
If you still need to become a cyclist, why not try? There are plenty of places to cycle, whether on local bike trails, in a cycling studio or just pedaling around your neighborhood. You might be surprised at just how beneficial it can be!
Safety Tips
Keeping yourself safe during bike rides is crucial for enjoying all the great fitness benefits cycling offers. Here are some important safety tips to remember:
Protect Your Head: Remember to wear a well-fitted helmet. It's the best way to keep your head safe if you fall or collide.
Follow Traffic Rules: Treat your bicycle like any other vehicle. That means stopping at stop signs, obeying traffic lights, and sticking to your lane to avoid accidents.
Be Visible: If you're cycling when it's dark or the visibility is poor, ensure your bike has proper lighting. A white light in the front and a red light in the back help others see you.
Signal Your Moves: Use hand signals to show when you turn or stop. This helps drivers and other cyclists know what you're doing.
Keep Your Bike in Good Shape: Regularly check your bicycle for wear and tear. Make sure your brakes, tires, and gears are working properly. A well-maintained bike is safer and works better.
Dress Bright: Wear clothes that are easy to see, especially when it's getting dark or the weather is bad. Bright and reflective clothing makes you more visible.
Stay Focused: Pay attention to the road and everything around you. Avoid using headphones or looking at your phone while cycling.
Pick Safe Routes: Plan your cycling route with safety in mind. Try to find roads or paths with less traffic and in good condition.
Stay Alert: Look for potential dangers like pedestrians, parked cars, or things on the road that might make you fall.
Watch the Weather: Be extra careful when cycling in bad weather like rain, snow, or strong winds. These conditions can be slippery and require more caution.
Ride with Others Safely: When cycling in a group, maintain a good distance between riders, signal your intentions, and communicate well with the others in your group.
Carry Essentials: Bring some basic tools and supplies, like a kit for fixing a flat tire and a basic first-aid kit in case of small problems.
Following these safety tips can lower the chances of accidents while enjoying the physical benefits of cycling. Always remember that staying safe is the most important when riding your bike.
The Bottom Line
There's a good reason why the bicycle has become so popular – cycling offers a great exercise option with many health benefits. This low-impact activity provides an aerobic workout that strengthens the heart, blood vessels, and lungs.
It also increases balance and improves flexibility. A regular cycling regime can help you avoid those aches and pains of aging by strengthening the muscles that support your joints and helping to keep your spine healthy by promoting core stability, says McManus.
Cycling can also replace sedentary time spent in cars or on public transport, which is vital for heart health and maintaining a healthy weight. "Swapping out sedentary driving for cycling can have a huge impact on a person's overall health, as it reduces their risk of developing a chronic disease, such as high blood pressure," explains physiotherapist Jaclyn Kubiak.
The good news is that you don't need a specialist bike or fancy equipment to get started, and even just 20 minutes of cycling a day can have some significant health benefits. "Even at a moderate pace, it's a very effective activity," says Whitney Thoman, an exercise physiologist at MD Anderson.
Aside from the physical benefits, cycling can positively impact your mental wellbeing. It can boost mood through the release of feel-good chemicals such as endorphins and the social element of riding with a group – something linked to improved self-esteem and confidence.
