Biking: good and bad for your health. Cycling in the open air

Sports activities have a beneficial effect on the physical and emotional state of a person. They relieve stress, charge the person with energy and, importantly, make the figure more attractive. But any load on the body, in addition to positive effects, can cause harm to health. This includes cycling, the benefits and harms of which are described in many medical and scientific publications. In which cases, cycling is uniquely useful and when it is necessary to be more careful with it, it is worth investigating in more detail.

What is the benefit of cycling?

In the context of the right way of life, biking and health are almost synonymous, since balanced nutrition and regular biking are a guarantee of an excellent health and attractive appearance. Biking, as well as cross-country walks, strengthens the human body, positively affects the work of the cardiovascular system and facilitates the accelerated purification of the lungs. It is for this reason that in all modern gyms there are treadmills and exercise bikes, although what could be better than a full cycle bike in the fresh air?

Experts say that cycling 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 movements of the legs prevent it from stagnating and forming blood clots.

Also, while driving in the open air, the lungs start to work much more actively, so that they are quickly cleared of the harmful substances that a person inhales daily in a dusty city. Regular cycling trains the endurance of the body, reduces fatigue, improves immunity and eliminates insomnia. Moreover, this sport helps to strengthen the eye muscles. Looking into the distance, the cyclist trains his eyes, preventing the development of myopia.

The harmful effects of cycling

As already mentioned, not only a positive effect on a person rides on a bicycle. The benefits and harms of such trips largely depend on their duration and the state of human health.

The main reason for the negative impact on the body is the wrong and hard seat 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. Solid and convex seats lead to the fact that the arteries passing through the pelvis are in a compressed state, resulting in poor blood flow in the body.

In men, as a result of the transmission of blood vessels and nerve endings in intimate areas, the reproductive function suffers and there are problems with erection. In women, because of the constant squeezing of this area, the sensitivity of the intimate zone disappears, which also leads to sexual disorders.

It is worth emphasizing that these problems arise when cycling Regular and lengthy. Periodic bike tours in the open air bring much more benefits than harm.

Slimming with a bicycle

Separately, it should be mentioned that regular cycling stimulates metabolic processes in the body and helps to lose weight without exhausting diets, so this method of losing weight is very relevant today. Muscles when riding a bicycle are quickly pumped up, acquire elasticity, and the figure becomes close to the ideal. Weight reduction occurs due to the burning of fats accumulated in the body. Many people are interested in the question: how many calories are wasted when riding a bicycle? It is difficult to answer unequivocally, since the quantity of calories burned depends on the person's age, body weight, growth and ride intensity.

A person weighing up to 50 kg at a slow speed (no 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 can get rid of 500 calories . At the same time, high sportsmen spend much less energy, so they are recommended to pedal as often as possible to lose weight.

Where can I ride a bicycle?

Planning their own weekend, many are wondering: where to ride a bike? If you have your own bike, the choice of places for a walk will not cause any special difficulties. It can be a trip outside the city, a measured family cycling along the territory of a forest or a park, and, maybe, someone will decide to go to the mountains. And what about those who have not yet had a two-wheeler transport, but do not want to go for a ride at all? In this case, you can use the services of bicycle rental. In the summer months in the territories of most parks there are rental offices that will kindly provide transport for the whole family, and anyone can enjoy cycling and beauty of the surrounding nature.

How to choose the right bicycle?

At first glance, choosing a bicycle is very simple, just find the model you like. But in fact, this process has some nuances that must be taken into account, so that riding a two-wheeled "friend" was comfortable and did not cause harm to health.

It is very important to choose a bicycle for growth, because it is too small or, conversely, a high frame will certainly cause a "blow" on the spine.

If a person is more than 185 cm tall, he needs to choose a bicycle with a frame size of about 54 cm. For medium height athletes (170-180 cm), a 48 cm high frame can be chosen.

To choose the right bike for growth, it is better to use the table below.

Particular attention should be paid to the choice of seating: it should not be too rigid and convex.

For people weighing more than 90 kg, you should purchase models of aluminum or heavy-duty steel, since the carbon frames are designed for loads of up to 80 kg.

What should be a bicycle for the city?

The bicycle for city driving should be convenient enough, to differ a high wheel and a wide seat.

For everyday use it is better to choose lightweight bicycles, which are easy to lower and lift on the staircase.

Do not buy very expensive bicycles, because 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 convenience of movement on city models various baskets, luggage carriers and other trifles are established, allowing conveniently to place the bought products and to release hands for management of a bicycle.

The chain on city bicycles should be equipped with a special protection, preventing clothing from getting into it.

For driving in rainy and dirty weather, it is recommended to choose bicycles with disc brakes.

Models for the city should be equipped with a front shock absorber and have several speeds.

Clothing for cycling

The choice of clothing for riding should be approached no less seriously than to buying the bike itself. It depends on her how comfortable walking is, so she should not restrain 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, fit tight lycra pants with a warming layer and so-called "diapers".

You can buy any footwear on your feet: sneakers, sneakers, boots - the main thing is that they are higher than the ankles. Under the shoes it is recommended to wear only cotton socks, since in them the legs will be most comfortable.

Also, you need to buy a special thermal underwear (pants and jacket), which is worn under the main clothes in the cold season.

To protect hands from freezing, use special sports gloves with suede palm.

Clothes for summer walks are much simpler, here you can use simple elastic shorts and a T-shirt.

If desired, you can purchase a bicycle helmet and glasses that protect the eyes from the sun.

Are there any contraindications for riding a bicycle?

Any sport has its contra-indications. No exception and cycling, the benefit and harm of which depend on many factors. Direct contraindications to cycling are:

• Various diseases of the joints;
• Presence of an intervertebral hernia;
• Diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
• Diseases of the spine;
• Heart disease;
• Problems with blood vessels;
• arrhythmia.

The presence of one of the listed diseases should become an occasion for consultation with a doctor about the possibility of controlling a bicycle. It should also be understood that sometimes even the most banal cold and nasal congestion can become an obstacle to cycling. That is why, before you sit on a bicycle, it is very important to correctly assess your health, so that the load during the ride does not cause more damage to the body.

A few tips for novice cyclists

For beginners, cyclists will benefit from some tips that will prevent the emergence of health problems from sudden physical exertion:

• Do not go on a bike ride immediately after a meal.
• Every time, when going on the road, it is necessary to take drinking water with you, because you often want to drink while riding a bicycle.
• Before you sit on the bike, it is recommended to perform a small workout for the joints.
• We must pay due attention to our own safety. For this purpose it is recommended to wear bright clothes with the presence of light reflecting elements, which help to designate the cyclist in the dark.
• It is extremely important to have a protective helmet on the head, preventing serious injuries in the event of a fall.
• To maintain a sporty uniform, you should ride a bicycle at least 2 times a week.
• Increase the distance you need to gradually. Overcoming long distances, it is necessary to stop for rest.
• During long runs it is recommended to get up from the seat periodically 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 considerably saving their own time and money on the way to work will allow cycling. The benefits and harms of cycling in each case are different, but if you choose the right model and gradually prepare your body for work, riding a bike will only bring pleasure.

The road to the place of work on a bicycle will charge a person with a mass of positive energy and the energy needed for a productive day. And if you consider how many calories are wasted when riding a bicycle, then it is quite possible that this mode of transport will become the most popular in the near future.