Riding a bicycle is one of the most considered practices when it comes to obtaining certain benefits for our health. Whether it is a mountain bike, stationary bike or a tandem bike, you will be able to lose weight or stylize your buttocks among other advantages..
In a world where the population is increasingly aware of physical exercise, going out with these machines for a walk or relaxing in the gym is most encouraging.
In this article I will explain 10 amazing benefits of riding a bike for mental and physical health, and for children, adolescents, adults (men and women) and the elderly.
If you have a friend or relative who is dedicated to cycling, either as a hobby or professionally, you will most likely have observed that they are in an enviable state..
Without going too far, a single hour by bike will help you burn no more or less than 500 calories! His activity gradually will help you find your ideal weight.
It is also one of the physical activities in which we use a greater variety of muscles. Those that will develop the most with this sport will be the quadriceps, hamstrings, hips and the entire rear area.
The constant pedaling helps our blood flow in a much easier way than it normally would. In addition, studies show that the risk of cardiovascular disease in older people decreases when they have ridden a bicycle throughout their lives.
We can reduce the risk of heart attack by 50%. With a constant heart rate, the heart works in a way that helps reduce bad LDL cholesterol, making blood vessels less likely to calcify. As a consequence, it increases the good HDL cholesterol.
Did you know that cycling is much healthier than running, for example? When we go out for a run, the body tends to exert pressure on the joints with each step. This occurs especially when we do not heat in the proper way.
However, when we ride a bike we do not "torture" our joints due to its quality of being a low impact sport. Bear in mind that 70% of your body gravitates on the saddle.
In addition, when the joints are mobilized with a lower pressure, the nutrients reach it much more easily, thus reinforcing them..
Dr. Callahan explains that it is the ideal sport for overweight people, since their joints will suffer less than with any other type of physical activity: “If you are overweight and start exercising, your joints can suffer. Swimming or cycling would be the ideal sports so as not to harm you ".
It is also convenient to point out that the movements we perform on a bicycle guarantee us an adequate support situation for our cartilage, which results in a decrease in the risk of suffering from osteoarthritis..
It is well known to all that many back pain derive from sports inactivity. Over time, both the musculature and nutrition of the intervertebral discs are reduced, losing their ability to cushion impacts..
Therefore, the reason for this benefit is due to the position we adopt in the saddle. When we sit in the right way - with our torso slightly inclined towards the front - our own muscles, which are under tension, force us to stabilize our trunk.
If you usually ride a bike fairly regularly, you will greatly reduce the possibility of suffering a hernia.
According to the following survey by the British Heart Foundation, almost a quarter of the population admitted that they would rather meet a cyclist than any type of athlete.
Likewise, 80% of the participants admitted that they would be impressed to see a cyclist in full action.
Did you know that people with cancer or AIDS are recommended to ride a bicycle??
This is because it promotes the creation of phagocytes, which are cells that fight against different infections in the body, mobilizing and eliminating both bacterial and cancer cells..
The expert Ingo Froböse, doctor in Sports Medicine and head of the Health Center of the German Sports University (DSHS) states that "These types of cells exist in our body asleep, and when we pedal, they wake up".
Riding a bicycle is one of the most dangerous sports practices that you can find. Safety is crucial if you don't want to risk your life and for this reason, cyclists must learn a series of safety measures.
To give examples, first of all they should dress in the appropriate clothing so that, in the event of an accident, damage is minimized. Helmets are very important for this - 97% of cyclists who have died in traffic accidents were not wearing helmets - .
You can also mention the safety distances that must be carried with other cyclists or with cars on the road. Despite this, it should be noted that the health benefits of this practice are greater than the risks that are run.
If what you want is to live longer and above all in a healthy way, put on your shoes and propose to pedal for a while as a daily routine.
According to various investigations, Tour de France cyclists live on average about eight years longer than the rest of the population. This has been stated by the International Journal of Sports Medicine.
Likewise, there is other research that explains that the intensity with which we pedal will shape our future. If we can pedal at an intensity with which we can breathe properly and chat with the partner next to us, it will help our life expectancy to increase. Specifically, four more years for women and five for men.
On the contrary, if we begin to suffocate or suffer, it can have a negative cost for our health. When we get to this point it is convenient to lower the intensity.
Riding a bicycle is one of the physical activities that requires the least concentration. If you are not going to practice it at a high level, just let yourself go. Thanks to this beneficial sport, you will get your brain to oxygenate much more easily than normal, which will lead to more fluid and lucid thoughts.
This physical activity is considered one of the best natural antidepressants that exist. The explanation for this derives from the secretion of endorphins - commonly known as the happiness hormone - that is generated with physical exercise..
It is for this reason that people who regularly ride a bicycle are less likely to suffer from brain diseases such as anxiety or depression.
At the end of your training you will feel much stronger mentally.
You will be in front of one of the sports that will offer you results faster. With a proper routine, you can reach the last of the following states that I will explain below:
- After ten minutes pedaling, your joints, blood flow and muscles will be enhanced.
- At thirty, it will be your heart's turn, with cardiac function being strengthened.
- Within fifty minutes, the fat metabolism will kick in. This facilitates relaxation and anti-stress and depressive stimulation.
- Finally, when you have been exercising for an hour, the anti-aging treatment will begin to take effect..
- Did you know that more than fifteen million bicycles are abandoned in the storage rooms of different houses around the world? All the more reason to take it out, clean it and prepare it for use.
- The most expensive bicycle in the world can be found in the United States. Built by the House of solid Gold and named The Beverly Hills Edition. It is covered with 24 carats, 600 black diamonds and 500 sapphires embedded on its surface. And last but not least, the seat is lined with crocodile skin leather..
- It has been proven that for distances of seven kilometers or less in the city, it is faster to go by bicycle than in any other transport. So now you know, if you want to save a few minutes, go for the bike rather than the car..
- The number of bicycles in the world is double that of cars. There are an estimated 1 billion bicycles around the world. Only in China we can find 450 million of these.
- The first bicycle models to be built did not have brakes. This was a real problem for anyone who wanted to hang out with them. The high speeds they took surprised those who used them. In addition, to this danger was added the non-existence of insurance.
- The world bicycle speed record belongs to Eric Barone, who reached a whopping 223 kilometers per hour.
- The fastest bike in the world is called AeroVelo. It weighs only 25 kilograms and can reach 137 kilometers per hour on the road.
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