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Cycling for health and fitness

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Health

No-one ever forgets how to ride a bike – but most of us seem to have forgotten just how good it is for us.

As a way of keeping fit and healthy, there are few things that can beat getting out and about on two wheels – even cycling at just five miles per hour is estimated to burn 175 calories an hour.

Cycling helps to burn fat, keeps heart and lungs healthy, exercises lots of different muscles and can help reduce the stress of everyday life.

It’s even good for those who are unable to do other forms of exercise like running because of the impact on their joints. Because the bicycle support the body, cycling puts far fewer stresses and strains on things like knees.

A survey of bicycle ownership would suggest that this is all “old news” to the majority of the population. After all, most people own a bike; the problem is that the only bike-related exercise most of us get is when we move them of the way so that we can reach the garden chairs in the garage.

And cycling is good for brain as well as brawn. Regular exercise has been shown to help us think better and even to prevent dementia. It boosts oxygen circulation to the brain and can help clear harmful cholesterol from the arteries that supply our grey matter.