and hey there viewers just because
you've got a driver's license doesn't
mean that you should forget about biking
sure there are scenarios where having a
car can come in handy but
for everything else cycling's the way to
go after all
there are health benefits of riding a
bike that driving a car could never live
up to
as endless as the roads your bikes will
head down cycling health benefits trump
those of nearly
every other sport not only is cycling
great at boosting both your physical and
mental health
it's also one of the cheapest most
accessible and easiest ways to let off
steam and engage in endless hours of the
most treasured commodity
fun so what are these health benefits
that we're talking about
well keep watching today's video to find
out from enhanced muscles
increased flexibility longer life
boosted confidence to
improved mood we're talking all that and
more
number one improves mood
the runner's high isn't just for runners
any form of exercise can help you feel
great afterwards including cycling
activities that get your heart pounding
will release energy boosting hormones
called
dopamine after a nice bike ride that
dopamine rush can help
improve your mood and energy levels if
you typically feel an afternoon slump at
work
going for a quick ride outside during
your lunch break may be exactly what you
need to stay energized and focused
already thinking of things that spoil
your mood what are they
let us know below in the comments
section
number two weight loss without extreme
diets
cycling is one of the best methods of
exercise to trim fat and lose weight
across your whole body
there's a reason the pro bike riders are
so damn lean
just an hour of cycling can burn as many
as a thousand calories depending on the
intensity you're riding at
refueling has also never been more fun
with the number of calories lost on your
ride you'll need a few post-ride
guilt-free indulgences to get your
calories and energy levels straight back
up
in fact an hour or more peddling will
put your metabolism into overdrive
you'll be burning calories faster than
you can cram them back in
you also don't need a heavily structured
workout to start shifting that weight
spin classes are great but opting for a
bike instead of your car on the way to
work will do so much more for your
overall fitness and your weight loss
commuting by bike in fact has been
proven to be one of the most effective
ways to lose weight
a study found that people who switched
to cycling from driving on average
lost seven kilograms over the course of
the year when writing just 30 minutes
each way
number three improves heart health
getting your heart rate up cycling
strengthens your heart muscles
it also reduces your risk of developing
several cardiovascular diseases
including stroke high blood pressure and
heart attack
moreover compared to those who lead a
sedentary lifestyle those who
participate in physical activity such as
biking can experience an overall
improvement in cardiovascular function
too
and while we don't recommend ditching
your blood pressure meds just yet
there's a reason to believe that
including cycling into your daily
routine might have a positive impact on
your blood pressure
it can almost be as effective as
prescription medication
number four releases anxiety and stress
another important mental health benefit
of cycling is relief from anxiety and
stress
cycling helps you balance cortisol and
adrenaline levels in the body
when the perfect balance between these
two is attained stress is reduced
this perhaps is one of the healthiest
ways to deal with stress
this calming effect allows your brain to
focus on breathing and pedaling
these two become the prime focus and
this in turn shifts your focus from
all sorts of negativity and anxiety
number five slows aging researchers
found that high-intensity cycling and
other high-intensity interval training
can have major anti-aging benefits down
to a cellular level
the study found that people who did
high-intensity exercises had an increase
in mitochondrial capacity
a decline in mitochondria can lead to
physical decline
so the better your mitochondria can
function the more rejuvenated you'll be
all the way down to a cellular level
number six enhances muscles
while you may accept that cycling just
builds up leg muscles it's a complete
body exercise
remaining balanced and upstanding on a
bicycle reinforces and tones the muscles
in your stomach
region for instance guiding the bike
also encourages you to develop the
muscles in your arms and shoulders
don't disregard the leg muscles besides
leg muscles assume a crucial job with
regards to cycling
when cycling you use your butt muscles
and your glutes your lower leg muscles
and your quads and thighs when pushing
down on the pedals of the bicycle
when you're in the backstroke or
upstroke some portion of accelerating
you're utilizing flexor muscles in your
hips and your hamstrings in your thigh's
rear
number seven increases flexibility
flexibility is one of the most important
aspects of staying fit and minimizing
the risk of injury
if you feel your lower body remains
stiff then cycling is the best option
for you
from loosening quadriceps to hamstrings
and calves
cycling helps maintain flexibility not
only will being flexible make you feel
light but it'll also improve your
posture and your balance
number eight boosts your confidence
[Music]
you may find this absurd but cycling
really does boost your self-confidence
while cycling your body releases the
serotonin mood
transmitter this helps you stay stable
and confident both physically
and emotionally cycling also induces
positivity
self-esteem and self-confidence besides
this
it allows you to get a perfectly shaped
body which is also an important
self-confidence booster
number nine it's easy on your joints
when you sit on your bike you put the
weight on bones in your pelvis
unlike walking or running where you put
the weight on your legs knees
and feet even elderly patients with knee
pain and osteoarthritis have been shown
to improve their condition with cycling
it's gentle on the body but still packs
a punch in addition
it also improves posture and
coordination
number 10 improves brain power
there's good reason why studies show
that our mental skills are improved
after a bike ride
it all has to do with white matter in
your brain you may have heard of gray
matter but
white matter found beneath the brain
surface acts as a conduit
it links different regions of the brain
together like a cerebral subway system
evidence from a study conducted over a
six-month period showed that healthy
people who regularly peddled
increase their integrity of their white
matter helping their brains function
more smoothly
number 11 reduces cancer risk
the incidence of diseases such as cancer
can be reduced significantly by adopting
physical activities such as cycling
studies show for those people who took
up moderate to high physical activities
like cycling in early and middle ages
had a reduced risk of cancer compared to
those who did not
another study that investigated the
relationship between cycling as
active commuting and cancer suggested
that cycling as a method of commuting
can be associated with a lower cancer
risk
number 12 helps you sleep better
everyone can use some extra z's in a
study
researchers asked sedentary insomnia
sufferers to cycle for 20 to 30 minutes
every other day
the results showed that the time
required for the insomniacs to fall
asleep was reduced by half
and the sleep time increased almost an
hour exercising outside exposes you to
daylight
this helps your circadian rhythm get
back into sync and also rids your body
of cortisol the stress hormone that
prevents deep regenerative sleep
number 13 boost your immune system
cycling can help your immune system
fight off nasty bugs
the thymus organ is responsible for your
body's immune cells
from the age of 20 the thymus shrinks
and your immune system declines by two
to three percent
each year by middle age the thymus is
down 15
of its maximum size so the body relies
on the antibodies it's gained from
fighting germs over the years
a study of 125 long-distance cyclists
aged in their 80s found their immune
systems were robust
because they were producing as many
immune cells as someone in their 20s
physical activity like cycling can help
your body flush out bacteria from your
lungs and
airways which reduces the chance of a
cold or flu taking hold
a rise in body temperature while
exercising also prevents bacteria from
growing and fights infection
number 14 gives you a longer life
according to one study of tour de france
writers cycling
actually increased the racer's longevity
on average
former pros lived to 81.5 years compared
to the general population's
73.5 a 17 increase
another study suggested that even casual
bike commuters benefit
for individuals that shift from a car to
a bike it was estimated that 3 to 14
months of life could be
gained compared to the potential
downsides of bike commuting
another recent study showed that riding
between just one
and 60 minutes a week could cut the risk
of early death by up to 23 percent
not just cycling there are also many
foods that can help you live longer
find out what they are in this video
called 15 foods that can help you live
longer
now back to cycling health benefits
number 15. bettors balance and
coordination
cycling also improves your balance and
coordination
these qualities help with aspects such
as body awareness and reaction time
they help prevent falls that could occur
as well which could lead to a worse
injury down the road
number 16 reduces back pain
posture when cycling is optimum and
cyclic movement of the leg stimulates
muscles in the lower back
this is where slipped discs are most
likely to occur in this way
your spine is strengthened and secured
against external stresses
in particular cycling can stimulate the
small muscles of the spine
which are difficult to affect through
other exercises
this can help reduce the likelihood of
back pains and other spinal problems
how often do you cycle is it part of
your go to cardio routine
let us know in the comment section below
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