Cycling Reduces Health Problems

The human body requires physical activity for normal functioning to achieve long-term good health. To stay fit and healthy, the body needs to be physically active through various forms of exercises. One of the easiest exercises is cycling, which is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of health problems associated with a sedentary lifestyle. It is a healthy, low-impact exercise that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

 

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.

 

Health benefits of regular cycling

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:

1. Increased muscle strength and flexibility
Cycling regularly involves a lot of pedaling, which strengthens the leg muscles and also the hip and knee joints.

2. Increases Cardiovascular fitness
While you are cycling, the heart beats faster than the normal rate, which promotes a healthy heart.

3. Builds Body Strength
Cycling aids in increasing the body’s stamina and boosts the endurance capacity of a person. Cycling exercise benefits the body by increasing your energy levels and getting you charged up for the day.

4. Decreased stress levels
If you want to get a relief from stress, try cycling every day.

5. Decreased body fat levels
Cycling is a good way to eliminate the unwanted fat from the body. It exercises the muscles of the thighs and buttocks and it also increases your metabolic rate, thus reducing your belly fat.

6. Keeps Diabetes In Control
Diabetes increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and blood sugar levels. Cycling every day will help lower the risk of diabetes and it is one of the best ways to keep the blood sugar levels under control.

7. Lowers The Risk Of Cancer
Prevent cancer by cycling every day. People who follow a sedentary lifestyle with moderate to high physical activities, which include cycling and running, are known to have a lesser risk of cancer.

8. It Improves Joint Mobility
Cycling is an ideal form of exercise for people suffering with osteoarthritis. This is one of best exercises to prevent or reduce arthritis because the joints in the legs are given lesser stress.

9. Boosts Your Bowel Movement
Cycling is a kind of aerobic exercise that accelerates your breathing and heart rate, which helps to stimulate the contraction of the intestinal muscles.

10. Increase brain power
Cycling helps to build new brain cells in the hippo-campus – the region responsible for memory.