Go Cycle Fit

If we are just starting out, or getting back on a bike for the first time in a while, start slowly and be sure to brush up on bike basics, like the rules of the road and simple bike maintenance. And remember to stay safe. Wear a helmet and apply sunscreen before hitting the road or trail.

Chronic stress can have big health impacts. But physical activities like cycling can help reduce daily stress. Any time we exercise, it releases endorphins. Endorphins can help you feel better when we are under stress. And, exercising outdoors has added benefits. When we exercise outside, we release serotonin in addition to endorphins. This helps manage stress hormones, which could help decreases our risk for cancer.

Cycling improves our proprioception and our balance, Think of our bike as an extension of our body. Keeping it upright calls for some balance. But we know that riding a bike can actually help improve our balance. Cycling requires proprioception, or knowing where our body is in space. This is an important aspect of balance. As far as maintaining or improving our proprioception, if we don’t practice it, it will decline. As we age, balance can worsen, leading to falls, injuries and a decline in physical activity. To stay active, we need to maintain our balancing skills.

Cycling burns calories, which can help us to stay lean. Being overweight or obese is a risk factor for several cancers, including postmenopausal breast and colorectal cancers. And while we can’t target weight loss in a specific area, The way to cut down on pounds around the waist area, where it’s most likely to hurt our health, is to get active. The more we are active, the more we decrease our risk for chronic diseases, including cancer.

Cycling is considered aerobic exercise, not resistance training. But the effort required to put our bike in motion will improve the overall function of our lower body. And keeping a bike upright and moving engages muscles throughout our body, including your upper body and core. In addition to cycling, try to include resistance training as part of our exercise routine at least twice a week. Here are some easy strength training exercises we can do at home.

For anyone with back pain, arthritis or damaged joints in the lower body, cycling may be a good choice. Most of our body weight is supported by the seat, so it’s low-impact. For some, cycling may even improve joint health.

“Cycling strengthens the muscles around the joint, which helps support the knee,” Thoman says.

If you have back or joint problems, talk to your doctor to see if cycling could be beneficial to you.

Get up, get out and Go Cycle Fit!