Riding a bike or cycling is one of the best methods to get in shape and increase your activity levels with a low-impact exercise. Before beginning any type of exercise routine or program, you should always consult with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physical therapist.
Take a look at some of the many health benefits of biking and see why you should consider adding cycling to your exercise routine.
One of the great things about cycling or riding a bike is that it’s a good compound workout. Compound exercises allow you to work multiple muscle groups at one time. While riding a bike, you’ll be engaging several muscle groups at the same time which include your glutes, hamstrings, calves, back, abdomen, and forearms.
Individuals who are looking to begin exercising for the first time or increase their activity levels gradually should consider riding a bike. Cycling can be an excellent low-impact activity to get in shape, increase functional strength, and improve joint mobility. Riding a bike has less of an impact on your joints than other types of aerobic exercise like running and can be an effective option for individuals who are looking to build functional strength after recovering from a recent surgery or injury.
In addition, riding a bike may help to reduce arthritis symptoms which can be caused by weak supporting muscles around joints. Riding a bike may strengthen those supporting muscles and maintain or improve knee mobility as a result. Even though biking is a low-impact activity, it can still provide you with an intense workout without having to add additional pressure or stress to joints and supporting structures.
Regular exercise can also help individuals decrease their body fat and provide a positive method for keeping their weight under control. Biking can be an effective way to increase your metabolism, work up a sweat, burn body fat, and build muscle at the same time. Depending on the incline and difficulty of the trail or bike path, the average cyclist can burn upwards of 300 calories per hour while riding a bike. Riding a bike, in tandem with proper nutrition, can help individuals manage their weight.
Cycling can help you increase the strength of your lower body. Riding a bike can be an effective way to build strength in your calves, hamstrings, quads, and glutes. A low-impact activity like riding a bike can help you focus on improving your strength levels in your lower body without having to stress your joints.
Biking can help you improve your stamina and endurance. Riding a bike is an excellent way to push your body to its limits for an extended period of time with a consistent aerobic workload that helps you build your conditioning and increase your body’s ability to perform at peak levels.
Another fantastic health benefit of exercising with a bike is that it can be done at variable levels of intensity. Whether you’re using a stationary bike that has custom modes set which allow you to adjust your difficulty with a push of a button or you choose to mix up the trail you ride on outdoors, there are ways you can mix and match your workouts to your heart’s desire.
Riding a bike can be done both indoors and outdoors which means that you can squeeze in a workout when you’re looking to avoid the weather. Riding a stationary bike indoors can also help you avoid external variables which can have an impact on your ability to exercise the entire duration which can include surprise trail elements, weather shifts, traffic, and more. If you’re looking to track and manage your workouts consistently, riding a bike indoors will give you the opportunity to control every element of your workout so you can effectively track your performance over time.
The variable nature of riding a bike both indoors and outdoors means that you’re able to tailor your workouts and exercise how you see fit.
Riding a bike can also be an effective way to improve your cardiovascular health. Regular cycling exercise can help individuals strengthen their lungs and heart which in turn can help to reduce cardiovascular diseases and associated risk factors.
Cycling can also be an effective way for individuals to improve their joint mobility and flexibility after a recent surgery or for individuals who experience arthritis or damaged joints. The low-impact nature of riding a bike means that individuals can strengthen their muscles and supporting structures to alleviate pressure on joints and help improve mobility in their legs.
Cycling can also have a significant impact on coordination levels. Riding a bike requires a lot of stimulus and coordinated effort between your body’s balance systems and muscles. In addition, research has shown that riding a stationary bike can help chronic stroke victims improve their coordination, balance, and gait abilities.
Riding a bike can also help with a variety of mental health aspects which include reducing stress levels, anxiety, and depression. Exercise is one of the best methods to reduce some of the things that can contribute to poor mental health. In an extensive study that evaluated over a million participants, cycling was one of the most popular activities that helped individuals improve their mental health when exercising for at least 45 minutes for three to five times per week.
According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, participation in moderate to vigorous physical activity for extended periods of time may help to reduce symptoms of anxiety and may reduce the risk of developing depression.
In addition, there are plenty of groups and like-minded riding and exercise hobbyists who you can pair up with if you’d rather exercise with a community than by yourself. This group of individuals can help keep you motivated when you’re biking for health benefits.
Another health benefit of biking is that it has a low barrier to entry. This means that it can be a relatively easy and affordable way to get started and wouldn’t require the purchase of expensive equipment or years of physical activity beforehand to have adequate preparation to start cycling.
Regular physical activity is an essential aspect of staying healthy alongside building or maintaining the strength you need to continue to do all that you enjoy. Our licensed and trained physical therapists are movement experts who can help you alleviate pain, increase functional strength, and improve joint mobility. Schedule an appointment today at a nearby PT clinic to see how our physical therapists can help you!
