Why You Should Start Cycling

admin August 7, 2017 0 Comments

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. Here are some of the reasons why you should start cycling.

Cycling Improves Cardiovascular Health

You get the same cardiovascular benefits from cycling that you get from any other form of aerobic exercise. During cycling, the heart beats faster than usual. This exercises the heart and promotes good health. Studies showed positive results in terms of cardiovascular function. Those who participate in activities such as cycling, walking and running improve cardiovascular function. Hence, cycling is great for your heart. Cyclists are less likely to develop high blood pressure.

Weight Loss

Cycling is an excellent exercise for burning calories. It is a good way to control or reduce weight, as it raises your metabolic rate, builds muscle and burns body fat. A person cycling with a speed of 10 mph burns 260 calories in an hour. Cycling must be combined with a healthy eating plan if you’re trying to lose weight. It is a comfortable form of exercise and you can change the time and intensity, it can be built up slowly and be varied to suit you.

Strengthens and Tones Muscles

Regular working out helps a person maintain a lean body. Cycling is an activity that involves a great deal of pedaling. It exercises not just the muscles in the front of the thighs and the buttocks but also the arms, back and the core muscles. It is actually an overall physical workout and involves the movement of almost every part of the body. Studies have shown strong evidence showing that the health of muscles is directly related to cycling. On top of it all, cycling is gentle on your joints and helps preserve cartilage.

Increase Your Brain Power

Cycling helps build new brain cells in the hippocampus which is responsible for memory but starts to deteriorate from the age of 30. Researchers from the University of Illinois found that a five percent improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness from cycling led to an improvement of up to 15 percent in mental tests. A study conducted by Charles Hillman back in 2007 also showed that exercise boosts brain power and helps to stave off Alzheimer’s in the elderly. Cycling is said to boost blood flow and oxygen to the brain, which fires and regenerates receptors, explaining how exercise helps ward off Alzheimer’s.

Develop Stamina

Cycling helps increase the body’s stamina and gives a boost to the endurance capacity of a person. Stamina refers to your body’s ability to endure extended periods of exercise. You can build stamina by cycling if you combine longer ride sessions with set training programs and some lifestyle changes. The aim is to make your body used to the drawing of energy for a long time without getting too fatigued.

Reduces Stress

Most scientific research has generally supported the idea that exercise helps to ease stress. Experts say that playing any kind of sport can reduce stress and helps improve your self-esteem. Bicycle riding can be taken up for reducing stress and having fun. “Cycling is one of the most effective treatments for stress and in many cases has been proven to be as effective as medication – if not more so,” said Neil Shah, of the Stress Management Society.

Improves Your Sex Life

According to health experts in the US, being more physically active like cycling improves your vascular health, which has the knock-on effect of boosting your sex drive. A study from Cornell University also concluded that male athletes have the sexual prowess of men two to five years younger, with physically fit females delaying the menopause by a similar amount of time.

Grow Your Social Circle

Cycling is an incredibly sociable sport. Joining a cycling club or group is an excellent way to grow your social circle, and you’ll probably find all the maintenance and training advice you may have been looking for there. Plus, you meet new people and develop friendships with people whom you share a common interest.