Unless you’re an exercise expert, it can be hard to determine which cardio workouts would be most helpful to tone your body how you want it. The most common go-to-exercise is running, but for those who hate running, it’s not the only option.
Whether your goal is to get stronger or to lose some weight, cycling can be a great way to incorporate cardio into your exercise regime. Unlike running, which is a high impact activity, cycling also can do the necessary work of increasing strength while giving a necessary rest to your knees and ankles. Best of all, it’s fun!
Things to Do to Prepare Yourself
Before starting any new work out, it is imperative you make sure you are doing the activity properly, safely and with the correct equipment. This includes finding the right bicycle and safety equipment for your skill level. There are plenty of online resources that will help you find the right bicycle for your cycling style, skill level, and budget needs, such as at cyclinginquisition.com.
Benefits of Cycling Over Other Cardio Exercises
You may be wondering how cycling can have different results than running. Is cardio right? Well, not exactly.
Your body will fatigue much more after a mile of running than a mile of biking. Running puts a significant amount of stress on your muscles, which can disturb your body’s natural process of regenerating stronger muscle in place of the damaged muscle.
Cycling takes a massive amount of weight off those muscles, reducing the chance of injury. Along with the increased distance, you can go on a bicycle comes increased stamina. Building up your stamina can heighten your performance in everyday activities that you may not have had the energy for previously.
Not only will your leg muscles become powerful, the most important muscle in your body—your heart—will grow stronger, too! According to a study done by BBC, cycling regularly can reduce the chance of heart disease by 46%. Not only does heart disease rank at the top of the cause of death in the United States killing over 375,000 people every year, it is also number one in the world.
Half an hour of riding a week may seem small but it can significantly reduce your chances of a cardiovascular disease. Cycling is a proven and easy way to increase your lifespan.
Mental Advantages
Physical exercise does not always have to be something to dread. Cycling is an invigorating and fun activity that can allow you to travel increased distances to places too far or too treacherous for running.
This is an exercise that can easily be fit into a daily routine by utilizing your bike as transportation to work or even to the store! You can cycle with friends or family and still be able to enjoy their conversation and company.
Cycling also is directly related to reduced stress and anxiety levels. Aerobic exercises—wworkoutsthat require your body to increase oxygen circulation through the bloodstream—reduce the onset of anxiety before it leads to something more serious.
This method of training can also boost self-esteem resulting in mood elevation. Finding a fitness routine that does not cause as much soreness and fatigue is something a person less motivated would be totally on board for. The more you enjoy training, the less you’ll put it off, and the better shape you’ll be in.
Giving Your Body a Rest
It is extremely important to allow your body to rest. A wonderful thing about cycling is that it can be an extreme sport or a low-energy work out. You can go for a relaxing ride at the end of a long day to get that heart rate up, clear your mind, and reduce the amount of weight bearing on your joints. It is a well-rounded exercise that will make you look, feel and perform better with every passing day you continue the regime.