The phrases
say it all – “Easy as riding a bike!” and, “Once you learn how, you never
forget!” Riding a bicycle really
is something many of us find to be a lifelong experience, even with some gaps
here and there. And one reason for
that is how easy it is for almost anyone to incorporate riding a bicycle into
their life – and how rewarding and fun!
If you’ve been off of yours (or just never got on one) maybe it’s time
to kick the tires again.
Every turn of the wheel brings you so many physical and
mental benefits, and is one of the easiest ways to stay fit and have fun at any
point in life. And it has the
practical option of actually being transportation in addition to exercise.
Bicycles do
not discriminate based on age. The
youngest and oldest in our world can enjoy bicycling equally. They can even
enjoy it together!
And for an
aging population, getting back in the bicycle saddle can provide some excellent
health benefits, including:
·
Heart Health: cycling
can increase your heart health and decrease chances of coronary disease and
strokes.
·
Mental
Health: regular, moderate exercise can help
release those endorphins that make you feel good and give you a more positive
outlook. Exercise like cycling is a good way to reduce stress – and reducing
stress helps your mental outlook and
your physical health.
·
Improved
Mobility & Physical Conditioning: cycling helps you have stronger legs,
better coordination, improved range of hip and knee motion, more limber
ligaments – and that keeps you happy, healthy, and independent in younger years
but is especially important as you roll towards (or are in) your senior years. And cycling really uses your entire
body, so you benefit from some overall conditioning.
·
Improved
Physical Stamina: regular exercise like bicycling can increase your overall physical
stamina, letting you enjoy more things with more ease.
·
Weight
Control:
As we all age, our weight tends to creep up easier and our metabolism is not
firing as fast. Even mild to
moderate cycling can burn in the neighborhood of 250-300 calories an hour (a
nice neighborhood to cycle through!) and can increase muscle mass (and muscle
burns fat even when your body is at rest) – and both lead to healthier
weight.
More
Benefits of Bicycling
·
Easy! Almost
anywhere, almost any time of year, and it doesn’t cost a lot. And really – once
you learn how, you know how, even if you need a little practice. There is no complicated learning curve
with this form of exercise.
·
Fast! Any extra
15-30 minutes you have to just get on and ride is beneficial to your body and
mind. And you don’t have to make a special trip to a class or a gym, just walk
out the door. Or not, in the case
of an indoor stationary bike!
·
Fun! Exercise
should be fun. When it is, you
engage in it more often and often for longer periods of time – and that means
more benefits (other than just the FUN part!) You can get out and see the world around you while getting
your daily exercise.
·
Safe! Because you control the difficulty of
the terrain (don’t start out trying to bike up a mountain, please) and the pace
and duration, and because it is relatively low impact, it is a great way to
exercise safely with reduced risk of injury or strains.
Like any
form of exercise, you should use common sense before beginning or changing
existing routines.
·
Talk to your
doctor. Check to be sure you don’t have any
health concerns that might make hopping on a bicycle a bad idea.
·
Keep safety
first. Make sure your bike is in great working
order, wear all the recommended safety equipment (helmets are a MUST!) and be
aware of traffic rules and any regulations where you want to bike. If you ride on the roads, you need to
observe laws.
·
Practice
makes perfect. If you haven’t ridden in a long time
and don’t own your own bike, ask to borrow one from a friend, or contact a
local bike shop and rent one for a while.
·
Something
for everyone.
Talk about how you see yourself riding (terrain, speeds, goals) and do some
research/ask advice on the best bike for you. Bikes come in many varieties and
price ranges.
Once you
have turned the pedals on some test runs, you can invest in your own bike that
will meet your needs.
Don’t forget
there are a lot of 3 wheelers out there if you find balance is an issue for you
but would still love to get out and ride!
And if you have physical challenges, there may still be a bike for you.
·
Be smart. Don’t start out with a 50-mile
ride. Go slow, take short rides,
and gradually increase your distance and pace. No law says you have to take one long ride – take multiple
shorter rides each day!
Find out if any local parks have biking trails if your
neighborhood does not offer a safe place to ride. You can also check into riding groups of all fitness levels
if you’d like to make new friends and ride with other people.
What are you waiting for? Let’s ride!
