Burn Calories While Having Fun: Ride-a-Bike for Vibrant Health

Riding a bicycle is the only exercise suitable for just about everyone.

A bike helps you gain health benefits without taxing your muscles. It can also assist you in reducing your risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and other chronic and life-threatening illnesses.

By Rajogpal Nidamboor

Pedaling is pure fun. When you ride a bike, you’ve that closeness to nature, and the smell of grass. Biking also brings joy — the way you can make it “work” through a busy intersection. Overall, the tangible health benefits of biking are immense.

Biking, medical experts opine, is the only exercise suitable for just about everyone. A bike helps you exercise without taxing your muscles. It also helps individuals affected by knee-joint problems, backache, or the more troublesome arthritis. There are millions of people who have turned to the bike for relief from such pain.

Agreed that the bike can never win any super-speed contest, or long-distance travel! But, it has a big plus-point. It is user-friendly, and environmentally sound.

Bicycles have changed quite a bit over the years. You could, therefore, make a choice from a host of options your bicycle manufacturer can offer.

If you want to ride a bicycle on hard surfaces, you need a road bike. Road bikes are light-weight and sleek. They have narrow tires and two chain rings. Bikes that have gears comprise of three chain rings.

Bicycle Options

If you wish to ride a bike that is adaptable on almost all surfaces, you can opt for the mountain bike. Mountain bikes are heavy compared to road bikes. But, they are quite comfortable to ride, thanks to their front and rear suspension. Many are made of Aluminum making them quite light weight.

Among other options, you have the hybrid bike. This bike is a “go-between” betwixt the road bike and the mountain bike. It has many gears. It works equally well on concrete/tar and tough dirt roads. The hybrid bike is, of course, not good on sandy, or countryside roads.

For those of you looking for a leisurely, comfortable ride, the good old cruiser is ideal choice. These bikes look like the bike you rode to school. They may have up to seven gears.

It would be a good idea to speak to your doctor, physical trainer, and the bike showroom person, before you choose your bike. This will help you make up your mind on the model that suits your needs best.

Once you have chosen the model you wish to own, you can think of bike accessories to add such as a carrier. You can also opt for a backpack, rear rack, comfortable-carrier bag or saddlebags hung on the rear rack or cross bar, if you want. This, of course, applies to men’s bikes.

Also, remember to buy a can of fix-a-flat tire. This is useful.

Biking for Health

1. Wear clothes that are comfortable. The best clothes are shorts and T-shirt. If you are wearing baggy trousers, jeans, warm-ups, slacks or any type of long trousers, you should tie them so that the loose end won’t flutter and get caught in the drive chain, crank or chain ring. If you don’t, you will end up with grease stains or torn trouser ends.

2. Footwear is just as important. Always use your favorite pair of shoes. Tie your laces securely, and don’t leave them hanging! Avoid sandals, flip-flops or open footwear.

3. Make sure that the soles of your shoes are made of rubber or a similar synthetic material. Reason: your shoes should firmly hold on to the pedal.

4. It would also be ideal to wear sunglasses or protective spectacles to keep your eyes safe from flying insects, dust, sand or other flotsam and jetsam.

5. Choose a good lock, and keep a water bottle in place. Don’t forget to carry your identification card and the name of someone to contact in case of emergency. Never carry alcohol or attend to or make calls on your cell phone when you are riding.

6. Remember — even small increases in light to moderate bike activity can produce measurable benefits among those who are least active. Cycle for pleasure. However, try to integrate bicycling wherever you can. A trip to the store, or a sporting event or party, or a concert, or a friend’s house. Try cycling to work at least once a month, to begin with, and then once a week — if this is possible.

7. When you ride a bicycle for both pleasure and fitness, you’ll shape up. Your body will thank you. This, in turn, will help you reduce your risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and other chronic and life-threatening illnesses. Besides, the bike is one great way to lower your healthcare costs. Furthermore, it enhances your physical health and improves your mental outlook and overall quality of life.

Bikes Are For Everyone

People of all age groups can ride a bike. However, it is always advisable for you to speak to your doctor before you begin your bike riding-health program, especially if you have any major back problems.

You now know it, don’t you? That riding a bike on a regular basis, to the grocer, or paying a visit to the bank, or ATM, provides a host of health benefits for all age groups. This includes senior citizens too.

Also, remember — the bike comes with an added benefit, at no extra cost. It provides you with a stronger heart, a positive mental outlook and an increased chance of remaining indefinitely independent. If fact calories burned while bicycling also help with weight management.

This is, indeed, one major benefit that will become increasingly appreciated as our sedentary, deskbound-populace grows old in the years ahead.

Bike riding is a recreational activity the whole family can enjoy together. Whether you are a newly married couple, seniors seeking recreation, or a family of four. bike riding is an activity that can create many happy memories.

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