Ride Your Bike For Exercise

February 23, 2009

Exercise and eating healthy keep our bodies feeling young and free of disease. Sometimes, it’s hard to find the time to exercise, no one will argue that. One way to get into the groove, without taking huge chunks of time to make use of a gym membership or wasting money on equipment that will just collect dust, is to ride your bike.

Some people have tried what seems like everything to find an exercise that works for them and fits into their schedule. We can join a gym but if we never go we are not losing pounds but instead just dollars from our pocket. Ever wonder what people did before there were workout facilities?

They used what they could to get a good workout each day – that’s what! They made the most of their resources. One valuable piece of equipment for exercising that almost everyone has already is a bicycle. Remember learning to ride as a kid? It was hard but oh so much fun. Once you learned, you rode without hands, through the woods, or down steep hills without your feet on the pedals.

Bike riding can be just as fun and athletic as when you were a kid. Warm or cold, a bike ride provides excellent fitness for young and old alike. Don your helmet and pump up those tires. If you haven’t ridden in years, visit a bike shop and find the perfect bicycle for your fitness level.

Besides fun, bicycle riding is a great source of exercise for anyone of any age. What are the benefits of riding a bike? Bike riding is a low impact exercise. For people with knee or other joint injuries, riding a bike won’t hurt those joints. In fact, riding a bike strengthens the muscles in the legs and the buttocks so help ease the pain in your joints.

When you have some time, hop on your bike and take a scenic ride through the neighborhood. Most bikes have tension levers to adjust for a harder or easier ride up and down hills. Mountain bikes are good for neighborhoods with rocky terrain.

If you live in an apartment, opt instead for a stationary bicycle. Even when it’s raining outside you can still get a great lower body workout without having to brave the elements. You can ride a stationary bike with hand weights to increase your heart rate. Add a few military presses, chest presses, or shoulder lifts to your bike riding routine.

Stationary bikes come in many styles. There are bikes that look similar to the bike you might ride outside. Others have a fan in the front wheel that produces wind as you ride the bike. For people with bad backs, a recumbent bike allows the rider to relax back while still getting a good workout. Stationary bikes have electronic monitors so you can measure heart rate, speed, and distance traveled during the workout.

Riding a bicycle was fun as a kid and can be fun again for exercise as an adult. Ride alone or with your family. Use an outdoor or indoor bike depending on your fitness level and preferences.

Posted by admin | Filed Under Home Cardio Workouts 

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One Response to “Ride Your Bike For Exercise”

  1. Skyler on January 26th, 2010 12:01 pm

    The extint of how long I can ride my bike is not up to par. If I ride my bike 20 minutes at a time about 3 times a day will that also burn enough calories to burn body fat? Or does it make it pointless? I just want to loose a few pounds off my stomach, my legs are rock hard and my arms are fine…

    Beth: Yes, you will burn fat.

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