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Are you seeking the ideal way to get in shape? Cycling offers a ton of benefits and advantages that other forms of exercise lack.
While you need to invest in a quality ride for the best experience, you can find models to suit various price ranges. Once you have what you need, prepare to get in the best shape of your life while enjoying adventure and practicing sustainable living.
If you have any one of several arthritis forms, cycling can offer you nearly pain-free exercise. Since you’re sitting, there’s no undue pressure on your hips or your knees. Even when you stand up to pedal, your feet don’t strike the earth’s surface.
If you have ankylosing spondylitis or another condition that causes chronic back pain, models that lean you forward might create strain. However, you can find recumbent bikes built for the road and your home fitness studio alike.
Do you want to build sculpted, lean thighs? If so, cycling’s benefits and advantages include killer quads. You won’t get bulky like a bodybuilder, but you will start to see definition.
Your quadriceps make up the front of your upper legs. These bad boys work to power you up hills. Instead of dreading the climb, think of it as how an artist looks at a fresh piece of clay. Here’s your chance to sculpt, baby.
Do you have a bit of extra cottage cheese on the back of your thighs? Cycling can help you tone that area and reveal muscle.
Consider getting your bike adjusted by a professional so that it suits your body perfectly for the maximum toning effect. Since you don’t get a full range of motion while cycling, complement your bike workouts with squats to maintain balance and prevent injury.
Did you give up on Zumba after a few classes? While some folks follow choreography with seeming ease, others never seem to catch on to the beat.
A significant benefit and advantage of cycling is that you need no coordination. As long as you have sufficient core strength to maintain your balance, you can ride. Take a post-dinner spin around the block with your kids. You’ll love the togetherness, and they’ll appreciate the one-on-one lessons.
Everyone has those days where going to the gym is akin to a spin in the torture dungeon. However, while it’s impolite to ask your HIIT instructor to slow down due to your migraine, you can bike as leisurely or vigorously as you wish.
Look for a bike that allows you to shift gears with ease. That way, you can ramp up the intensity or dial it down a notch with a few clicks. You should check your gear casings and brakes once a year, more frequently if you ride every day.
You can cycle indoors or out — both offer their benefits and advantages. Outdoor cycling gets you moving in the fresh air. You can also take in the sights as you travel, and the varied terrain offers a challenge.
Indoor cycling lets you avoid the rain and snow. Plus, you don’t have to watch for hazards like traffic, especially in urban areas. If you have the means, you can invest in a stationary bike for at-home use — bye-bye, long waiting lists at the gym.
Let’s face it — if you work multiple jobs to survive, you don’t have much time left over for self-care, including exercise. Ironically, you need fitness even more to endure your demanding schedule.
Cycling serves as a form of transportation and a workout in one. Why not transform your office commute into a fitness session by riding your bike? If you face hills that you fear will leave you sweating in your sensible suit, you can find electric models that let you cruise up obstacles with minimal effort. Switch to pedal power when you return to flat land.
Why get in your car and produce emissions to run to the farmers’ market for organic produce? Make your trip super-sustainable by riding your bike. Go ahead and invest in a basket to carry your goods home — it’s undeniably retro-chic.
You can use your bike for tons of errands. You’ll increase your fitness quotient while treating the planet kindly. Don’t blow fumes in the parent pickup line — ride to pick up your children and have them follow you home via pedal power.
Cycling offers multiple benefits and advantages to your physical health and our environment. Find your dream ride and start harnessing this form of fitness and transportation today.
