It is difficult to argue with the fact that regular exercise is of great benefit to many people. However, this benefit differs depending on the sport. Some kind of sport strengthens the lungs well; some kind of sport trains dexterity. And somewhere the heart muscle develops most actively. Consider today specifically the benefits of cycling and cycling at a moderate or slow pace in particular.
Which bike to buy
Depending on which riding style you want to practice, you need to choose different types of bike. Since we are talking today about long cycling trips at a slow and moderate intensity, then a bicycle in bike shop it is necessary to choose the appropriate one for such trips.
Currently, a huge line of bicycles has been created for this kind of riding. These bikes differ in wheel diameter, handlebar shape, derailleur quality, and more. There are also differences in price. In the high price category, you can buy bicycles from several thousand dollars. In the budget category, you can buy a bike in the region of $ 100-150. For example a bicycle Stels Navigator 550.
If we talk specifically about which bike to choose for such trips, then I advise you to choose the lightest in weight. It is desirable that it does not have a rear shock absorber, that is, it has a single suspension. A mandatory front shock absorber if the roads in your city are the same as elsewhere in Russia. Wheel diameter from 26 if we are talking about teenagers and adults.
The rest of the characteristics are purely individual and for their consideration it is necessary to write a separate article. The goal of this article is to tell about the advantages of cycling, one of which is the fact that a bicycle is a completely accessible form of transport and training.
Benefit for health
Cycling is a cyclic sport. All these sports are united by a similar load on internal organs and metabolic processes in the body. Let's talk about them.
Strengthening and training the heart
Heart rate increases during cycling. The body begins to require more oxygen to supply the required muscles with energy. Therefore, while cycling evenly, your overall endurance performance improves, which is primarily characterized by how well and efficiently your heart and lungs deliver oxygen to your muscles and internal organs.
In addition, while driving, you periodically have to go uphill or accelerate. In this case, the stroke volume of the heart is trained and increased - this is the amount of blood that the heart is able to pump in 1 minute. It is these interval flashes followed by rest that best affect this parameter.
Leg muscle training
Unfortunately, cycling has a significant drawback - a large emphasis on training the leg muscles, and a weak training of the upper shoulder girdle. However, the leg muscles train very well. Due to the uniform load on the legs, the muscles become more resilient. The number of mitochondria in their cells increases, due to which they can work longer under a certain load.
Weight loss
Fat is best burned during uniform physical activity with a heart rate of 120 to 140 beats. This heart rate range is characterized by the fact that the body uses lipids as an energy source more actively than carbohydrates. When your heart rate rises or falls below this range, your fat intake drops significantly.
But if you are cycling at moderate intensity, then your heart rate will be just in the right range. Therefore, cycling can be used as a means of losing weight. Of course, do not forget that firstly, the amount of fat burned will depend on the driving time, the longer, the more fat will be burned. Secondly, without proper nutrition, even on long trips, you will not be able to burn enough fat.
