We’ve all heard that the best thing to do to improve the longevity of our lives is to move more. While that advice is true, it leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to clarity. How much should you move your body each week? What sort of intensity should you move at? What sort of movements are best?
Well, the best answer is the movement that is best for you is the one that you can do the most consistently! The best way to get consistent at something is to do something fun so it doesn’t feel like a chore every time you do it. That’s where cycling comes into play. Cycling has so many benefits to it from improved cardiovascular health to improved mental health. If you’re on the search for the perfect exercise to help get your body moving, here are 5 general benefits of cycling that will make you want to hop on your bike and start pedaling!
Improved Cardiovascular Health
Cycling is one of the best ways to improve your cardiovascular health. The reason why is that you can scale your ride so you can challenge yourself at whatever level of health you’re starting at.
If you’re a beginner and you’re looking to just get moving again, start with a mild ride around your neighborhood. Keep your gears low and just pedal as fast or as slow as you like. That way, you won’t over-exert yourself in your first few rides.
As you stay consistent with your riding, you’ll notice a distinct change in how you feel in your everyday life. Walking around won’t feel as laborious as it did before. Walking up a set of stairs will feel a lot easier. And, if you have little kids, you’ll find yourself being able to keep up with them a lot more easily!
Each time you get on your bike for a ride, your heart begins expanding and contracting at a higher rate than it does as you’re resting on the couch. Your heart is elastic, so each time you work it out, you expand it so that it can push a higher volume of oxygenated blood through your body, which in turn helps your muscles work more efficiently.
Leg Muscle Workout
In addition to your heart, the next biggest health benefit to cycling is the leg workout you get. Trust me, pedaling your bike up a steep hill will really set your legs on fire! Each pedal stroke requires that you’re pushing as hard as you can with your legs, which in turn helps grow your leg muscles.
And if you don’t believe me, just take a look at the legs of any professional cyclist out there! Their legs are huge because they’re the main driving force that propels the bike forward.
Cycling is also a great way to get a safe leg workout in because it is low impact on your joints. By pushing against pedals which transfer your energy into the bike’s drivetrain, you don’t feel the same wear and tear on your knees and ankles while cycling as you do while you’re running. This will keep your legs, knees, and ankles safer from injury, which ultimately will keep you on your bike longer!
Core Muscle Workout
Another set of muscles that often get overlooked when it comes to exercising is the core muscles. Cycling is a great way to incorporate your core muscles, because as you ride, you have to depend on your core to help you balance your bike as well as push the pedals with your legs.
Each turn you take requires that you brace your core to keep your bike upright throughout the course of the turn. And as you pedal uphill, you have to keep your core tight to keep your weight forward, so you don’t end up accidentally looping out if you’re on an exceptionally steep hill.
While you likely won’t get a shredded six-pack from cycling alone, riding your bike consistently will stimulate those muscles much more effectively than if you did nothing at all!
Mental Health Benefits
Cycling is more than just a physical workout. Each time you get on your bike for a ride, you get the benefit of being able to set aside all of the troubles from the day and focus on your riding. Whether you’re going on a short jaunt around the neighborhood or you’re saddling up for an epic 100-mile ride, one thing is certain: you need to focus on the road ahead!
In addition to the mental clarity you get from focusing on your ride, your brain releases chemicals like dopamine and serotonin as you exercise. These chemicals are the “feel-good” chemicals you get when you’re doing something fun and physically demanding. They’re part of the reason why when you get home after a ride that you feel happy and why it is you look forward to the next time you can go ride again!
Social Benefits
Staying healthy doesn’t have to be a solo adventure. It’s much easier to stay on track when you have people around you with similar goals and interests. And the cycling community is one of the best ways to stay consistent with your health goals!
Whether you get involved with a local riders association, enter into competitions, go riding with friends, or just download an app like Strava, there are so many ways to get social with your riding. Having a group of people that are all excited about the same thing really helps make the activity that much more fun and cycling certainly has a vibrant and active community around it!
Final Thoughts
As you can see, cycling truly is one of those activities that will dramatically improve the quality of your life. From the physical health benefits like improved cardiovascular output and muscular strengthening to the social and mental health benefits, it’s an all-around great activity. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and just ride your bike!
