Bike riding is a form of exercise that is well-suited to athletes and beginners alike. You can benefit from riding to work, puttering along to do errands or becoming a serious road racer or mountain biker. You can burn around 300 calories in 30 minutes of moderately fast cycling of 12 to 14 mph.
Cycling has a high energy expenditure rate. Cycling can produce tremendous increases in cardio-respiratory endurance, muscular strength and muscular endurance. Bike riding, like swimming, is not a weight-bearing exercise, meaning that while it does not help maintain bone density or fight osteoporosis, it does spare joints from excess weight that some who are new to exercise might be carrying.
Bike riding is an aerobic activity that boosts cardiovascular effectiveness while keeping the heart rate lower than walking or jogging, so your stamina will be longer. Cycling primarily works the front thigh muscles, or quadriceps and hips, and can be combined with swimming or rowing to work the upper body.
Riding a bike is great for toning and building your muscles, especially in the lower half of the body; your calves, your thighs, and your rear end. It’s also a great low-impact type of exercise for those with joint conditions or injuries to the legs or hips, which might otherwise keep them from being active. You can burn a lot of calories while biking, especially when you go faster than a leisurely pace.
- Riding has been associated with helping to keep weight gain down.
- Riding has the added benefit of ramping up your metabolism, even after the ride.
- Biking is a great way to increase your longevity, since riding regularly has been associated with increased ‘life-years’, even when adjusted for risks of injury through biking.
- Moving both feet around in circles while steering with both your hands and your body’s own weight is good practice for your coordination skills.
- Riding a bike has also been linked to improved mental health.
- Cycling can strengthen your immune system, and could protect against certain kinds of cancers.
In order to lose one pound, you must create a calorie deficit of 3,500. This deficit can be created through eating less, exercising more or a combination of both. A 155 pound person burns approximately 598 calories for one hour of outdoor mountain biking; 281 calories for a leisure bike ride less than 10 miles per hour; 1,126 calories racing at speeds over 20 miles per hour; 563 calories outdoor riding at a moderate pace of 12 to 13.9 miles per hour; 739 calories during a vigorous indoor cycling workout.
Stationary cycling can be used during bad weather, and at any time of day or night. If you do not feel comfortable on a bicycle, you may find a liking for the stability of a stationary bike. Recumbent bikes position your legs out in front of your body instead of underneath, which reduces back discomfort. Whatever method of riding you choose if fine, as long as you feel comfortable.
