Bicycling

Pedal Your Way to Fitness 
 

Bicycling is an activity that is becoming more popular among people over the age of 50. Many people want to stay active and are looking for low-impact exercises, which is one of the reasons bicycling is growing in popularity. Most people learn how to ride a bike as a child, and it’s true, once you have learned, you don’t forget. There are many benefits of cycling. 

 

Easy To Fit Cycling Into Your Day 

Life can get so hectic and busy! A great thing about bicycling is one can easily fit it into their day. For example, you can ride a bicycle to the store, to visit friends or run errands. 

 

Protects Your Heart 

Heart disease can develop at any age, but a person's chance of developing heart disease increases with age. But you can protect your heart by cycling. Cycling helps improve cardiovascular fitness and may also help reduce the risk of heart disease. Furthermore, cycling can lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Elevated blood pressure and cholesterol can also increase your risk of heart disease. 

 

According to the British Medical Association, cycling just 20 miles a week can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 50%. A major study of 10,000 civil servants suggested those who cycled 20 miles over the period of a week were half as likely to suffer heart disease as their non-cycling colleagues. 

 

Prevents Weight Gain 

Weight gain is common after turning 50, and slow metabolism is often the cause. If the metabolism is slower, then a person will burn fewer calories during the day. However, bicycling can boost metabolism. It’s also a great way to burn a lot of calories, which can help prevent weight gain. In fact, you can potentially burn over 500 calories in one hour by cycling at a moderate pace. 

 

Reduce Stress 

Bicycling is a stress-relieving activity. It can help boost endorphin production, which reduces stress. Additionally, the mind focuses on other things while bicycling, redirecting your focus from what was causing the stress. 

 

Improves Muscular Tone And Strength 

The muscles in your legs are not the only ones being worked while you are cycling. The muscles in the abdomen, thighs and arms are also working while you cycle. This is why cycling is great for toning your entire body. 

 

Improves Coordination 

Cycling is an activity that involves the whole body improving arm-to-leg, feet-to-hands and body-to-eye coordination. 

 

Start Slowly, then Increase Your Cycling 

For beginners it is important to start slow and build up to intense work outs. They should employ a program wherein cycling is done three times a week. Doing it two times a week is also fine, but this depends on the capabilities of the person undergoing the training. 

 

Increase Speeds Gradually 

Gradual increase in speeds is an important aspect of fitness cycling. Cycling can also be strenuous to the body and the key towards successful fitness cycling is to be patient and not hurry in increasing your limits. 

 

Benefits Of Using A Topical Pain Reliever 

Do not let pain keep you from bicycling. But how can you ride pain free? Use a topical pain reliever as a part of your warm up so you can avoid pain while exercising. Also use an over the counter topical pain reliever afterwards to reduce any pain or muscle soreness you may experience later. Super Blue Stuff OTC is a natural pain relief cream, which not only aids in warming up muscles before exercise, but also relieves muscle ache and joint pain afterwards. The lightweight cream features the power of menthol along with emu oil, MSM and aloe vera along with therapeutic herbs for quick absorption and fast pain relief. Often in as fast as 5 minutes! 

 

If you are sensitive to fragrance or color, try Super White Stuff OTC. It has all the same great, pain fighting ingredients found in Super Blue Stuff OTC but with no trace amounts of fragrance or colors. Apply it freely without worry. You will get the fast, effective pain relief in as little as five minutes. 

 

Sources: 

healthywomen.org/content/article/benefits-bike-riding 
adultbicycling.com/component/content/article/9-bicycling-basics/37-health-benefits-of-cycling-ii.html