Depending on how old you are, you might be considering starting up a new exercise routine, but you want to do something that is low impact. The reason might be that over the years, you have sustained sports injuries and it has left you with weakened knees and joints. It is important, therefore, that you find an activity that will go easy on your joints, but still provides you with all of the benefits that aerobic exercise can give you. You also want to be able to increase the intensity when necessary, without causing further injury to yourself. This is quite an easy one to solve, because cycling offers you all of the above, and lots more.
You then need to decide what kind of cycling that you would like to do. Many people like to ride on the road, while others like to go off-road, and sometimes people want a little bit of both worlds. This is where mountain bikes come in, because they can offer you the ability to ride on the road, while also having the option to ride on uneven gravel, and dirt roads. In the current circumstances that we find ourselves in, it is difficult to find a past time that allows you to stick to the social distancing rules, but cycling allows you to stay fit physically and mentally, while still following the rules.
Here are some of the numerous benefits of cycling, and how it can help you to stay fit.
- Assists with weight management – Cycling on a regular basis, helps to burn body fat quite quickly, especially if you maintain your speed and intensity over longer periods of time. It will also help you to build muscle, and this, in turn, helps with burning more calories.
- Stronger lower body – Cycling is a great sport for strengthening your lower body, especially your leg muscles. You will find that you will get stronger thighs, hamstrings, and calves, without having to risk injury. Cycling is actually encouraged by our many local governments.
- It’s easy to do – Cycling is the perfect exercise for people, who are just starting out on their weight loss and fitness regime. Most of us have been able to ride a bike since we were very young, and so jumping back on a bike as an adult, should be a simple thing to do. You can begin slowly, and then increase the intensity as you begin to get fitter.
- A stronger core – Cycling is a great exercise for your back and abdominal muscles. It also greatly enhances your stature, because in order to keep your body upright, and to keep the bike in a straight line, this requires you to use your core.
These are only a few of the many benefits of cycling, and as well as keeping you physically fit, it also helps you to stay fit mentally. It provides a great start to your day, and allows you to have that extra energy that you need, for the working day ahead.