Sports activities have a beneficial effect on the physical and emotional state of a person. They relieve stress, charge a person with energy and, importantly, make the figure more attractive. But any load on the body, in addition to the positive impact, can be harmful to health. This includes cycling, the benefits and harms of which are described in many medical and scientific publications. In what cases cycling is definitely useful and when you need to be more careful with it, it is worthwhile to understand in more detail.
What are the benefits of cycling?
In the context of a proper lifestyle, bicycle and health are almost synonyms, since a balanced diet and regular cycling are the key to excellent health and attractive appearance.
Riding a bicycle, like jogging, strengthens the human body, positively affects the work of the cardiovascular system and promotes accelerated lung cleansing. It is for this reason that all modern gyms have treadmills and exercise bikes, although what could be better than a full-fledged outdoor bike ride?
Experts say cycling they help prevent even the development of varicose veins, explaining this by the fact that during the ride the blood through the veins begins to move much faster, and the constant movement of the legs does not allow it to stagnate and form blood clots.
Also, during movement in the fresh air, the lungs begin to work much more actively, due to which they are faster cleared of harmful substances that a person inhales daily in a dusty city.
Regular
cycling trains the body's stamina, reduces fatigue, boosts immunity and relieves insomnia. Moreover, this sport helps strengthen the eye muscles. Looking into the distance, a cyclist trains his eyes, preventing the development of myopia.
The harmful effects of cycling
As already mentioned, cycling is not only a positive effect on a person. The benefits and harms of such trips largely depend on their duration and the state of human health.
The main reason for the negative effects on the body is the incorrect and hard sitting of the bicycle. During the ride, the weight of the whole body is directed to the sacral vault, which is not designed for such loads. Hard and bulging seats lead to the fact that the arteries passing through the pelvis are in a compressed state, as a result of which the blood flow in the body worsens.
In men, as a result of blood vessels and nerve endings in the intimate areas, reproductive function suffers and problems arise with an erection.
In women, due to the constant compression of this area, the sensitivity of the intimate zone disappears, which also leads to sexual disorders.
It is worth emphasizing that these problems arise if cycling regular and long. Periodic cycling in the fresh air brings much more benefit than harm.
Slimming bike
Separately, it should be mentioned that regular bicycle rides stimulate metabolic processes in the body and help lose weight without exhausting diets, so this method of losing weight is very relevant today. Muscles while cycling quickly pump up, gain elasticity, and the figure becomes close to ideal. Weight loss occurs due to the burning of fats accumulated in the body.
Many people are interested in the question: how many calories are spent on cycling? It is difficult to answer unequivocally, since the number of calories burned depends on the person’s age, body weight, height and intensity of the ride.
A person weighing up to 50 kg at a slow speed (not more than 15 km / h) burns about 150-240 calories, at a speed of 20 km / h - from 250 to 350 calories, and riding more than 25 km / h allows you to get rid of 500 calories . At the same time, tall athletes consume much less energy, therefore, in order to lose weight, they are recommended to pedal as often as possible.
Where can I ride a bike?
When planning their own weekend, many wonder: where to ride a bike? If you have your own bike, the choice of places for walking will not cause any special difficulties. This may be a trip out of town, a measured family bike ride through the forest or park, or maybe someone decides to go to the mountains.
And what about those who have not yet managed to acquire two-wheeled vehicles, but are not at all averse to ride on it? In this case, bicycle rental services are available. In the summer, in most parks, rental offices open that will kindly provide transport for the whole family, and anyone can enjoy a bike ride and the beauty of the surrounding nature.
How to choose a bike?
At first glance, choosing a bike is very simple, just find your favorite model. But in fact, this process has some nuances that must be taken into account so that riding a two-wheeled "friend" is comfortable and does not cause harm to health.
It is very important to choose a bicycle by height, as it is too small or, conversely, a high frame will certainly inflict a “blow” on the spine.
If a person is more than 185 cm tall, he needs to choose a bike with a frame size of about 54 cm. For athletes of medium height (170-180 cm), a frame with a height of 48 cm can be chosen.
To choose the right bike by height, it is better to use the table below.
Frame size relative to human height| Frame size inches | human height, see | Frame size, see | Frame size, conv. units |
| 13" | 130-145 | 33 | XS (XSmall) |
| fourteen" | 135-155 | 35.6 | XS (XSmall) |
| fifteen" | 145-160 | 38.1 | S (Small) |
| 16" | 150-165 | 40.6 | S (Small) |
| 17 " | 156-170 | 43,2 | M (Medium) |
| 18" | 165-178 | 45.7 | M (Medium) |
| 19" | 170-180 | 48.3 | L (Large) |
| 20" | 178-185 | 50.8 | L (Large) |
| 21 " | 180-190 | 53.3 | XL (XLarge) |
| 22 " | 185-195 | 55.9 | XL (XLarge) |
| 23 " | 190-200 | 58.4 | XXL (XXLarge) |
| 24 " | 195-210 | 61 | XXL (XXLarge) |
Particular attention should be paid to the choice of seat: it should not be too rigid and convex.
For people weighing more than 90 kg, aluminum or heavy-duty steel models should be purchased, since carbon frames are designed for loads up to 80 kg.
What should be the bike for the city?
A bicycle for city driving should be quite comfortable, have a high wheel and a wide seat.
For everyday use, it is better to choose lightweight bicycles that are easy to lower and raise along the landing.
You should not buy very expensive bikes, as in this case you will have to worry about the safety of the vehicle, leaving it under the walls of a store or office.
For ease of movement on city models, various baskets, luggage racks and other trifles are installed, which make it possible to conveniently place purchased products and free hands to control the bike.
The chain on city bicycles must be equipped with special protection to prevent clothing from falling into it.
For riding in rainy and dirty weather, it is recommended to choose bikes with disc brakes.
Models for the city should be equipped with a front shock absorber and have several speeds.
Cycling Clothing
The choice of clothing for riding should be approached no less seriously than the purchase of the bike itself. It depends on her how comfortable the walk will be, so she should not hamper the cyclist's movements.
Many athletes use a bicycle in winter and summer, respectively, all clothing is divided into warm and light.
For a winter measured ride, tight-fitting lycra pants with an insulating layer and so-called "diapers" are optimal.
You can buy any shoes on your feet: sneakers, sneakers, boots - the main thing is that they are higher than the ankle. It is recommended to wear exclusively cotton socks under the shoes, since the legs will be most comfortable in them.
You should also purchase special thermal underwear (pants and a sweater), which is worn under basic clothing in the cold season.
To protect your hands from freezing, use special sports gloves with a suede palm.
Clothing for summer walks is much simpler, simple elastic shorts and a T-shirt are suitable here.
Optionally, you can purchase a bicycle helmet and glasses that protect your eyes from the sun.
Are there any contraindications for cycling?
Any sport has its contraindications. Riding a bicycle, the benefits and harms of which depend on many factors, is no exception. Direct contraindications to cycling are:
- various diseases of the joints;
- the presence of intervertebral hernia;
- diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
- spinal diseases;
- heart disease
- problems with blood vessels;
- arrhythmia.
The presence of one of the listed diseases should be an occasion for consultation with a doctor about the possibility of driving a bicycle. It should also be understood that sometimes even the most commonplace cold and nasal congestion can become an obstacle to cycling. That is why, before riding a bicycle, it is very important to correctly assess the state of your health, so that the load during riding does not cause even more harm to the body.
Some tips for novice cyclists
For beginners, cyclists will find some tips that will prevent the occurrence of health problems from sudden physical exertion:
- You should not go on a bike ride immediately after eating.
- Each time, going on a trip, you need to take drinking water with you, as you often feel thirsty while riding a bicycle.
- Before you sit on the bike, it is recommended that you do a little warm-up for the joints.
- Due consideration must be given to personal safety. For this purpose, it is recommended to wear bright clothes with the presence of reflective elements that help identify the cyclist in the dark.
- It is imperative that you have a safety helmet on your head to prevent serious injury in the event of a fall.
- To maintain fitness, you should ride a bike at least 2 times a week.
- Increase the travel distance you need gradually. Overcoming long distances, you should stop to rest.
- During long rides, it is recommended to periodically get out of the seat to restore blood flow in the body.
In conclusion, it should be noted that bicycles are becoming more popular, and not only among avid athletes.
Many have already realized that cycling will allow you to significantly save your own time and money on the way to work. The benefits and harms of cycling in each case are different, but if you choose the right model and gradually prepare the body for the loads, cycling will bring only pleasure.
The road to the place of work on a bicycle will charge a person with a mass of positive and energy necessary for a productive day. And if you take into account how many calories are spent on cycling, it is quite possible that this type of transport will become the most popular in the near future.