When you think about working out in the summertime, swimming might come to mind. It's an excellent form of exercise. Or maybe you are considering setting up a home gym to stay indoors. Have you considered pulling your bicycle out of the garage? There are many reasons it could be considered the best summer exercise:
Is biking good exercise?
Biking – or cycling, as it is more commonly called – "is considered an excellent form of exercise due to its numerous health benefits," says Dr. Michael Fredericson, director of the physical medicine and rehabilitation division of Stanford University. As a moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, it boosts cardiovascular health by elevating your heart rate, lowering your blood pressure, strengthening cardiac tissue, improving respiratory fitness and reducing your risk of heart disease. "It's also helpful in stabilizing blood glucose levels, lessening insulin resistance and lowering cholesterol by improving blood lipids," says Daryl Parker, emeritus professor of exercise science at Sacramento State University.
Such benefits are among the reasons research shows "a strong relationship between commuter cycling and decreased all-cause mortality," says Fredericson.
Cycling also builds endurance, releases feel-good hormones and improves flexibility and joint mobility. And the activity burns plenty of calories, with research from Harvard Medical School showing a 155-pound person burning 252 calories in just 30 minutes of moderate intensity cycling and close to 300 calories when doing so vigorously.
The exercise also "enhances metabolic function," says Brad Schoenfeld, a professor of exercise science at Lehman College of the City University of New York, which means it's using more energy that other movements, leading to burning more fat stores for energy.
This is why studies show that cycling can be helpful in preventing obesity and maintaining a healthy weight.
Does cycling build muscle?
Along with such cardiovascular and weight management benefits, regularly riding your bike can also help you build muscle. While cycling involves muscle groups throughout most of the body, most growth occurs in the lower body and hip flexor muscles. "The quadriceps muscle group is particularly heavily engaged during pedaling," says Fredericson, "and the hamstrings are also activated." He points out that hip flexors are involved to aid with balance and stabilization and glute muscles are also strengthened. "And it's fair to say that upper body muscles such as the trapezius, latissimus dorsi and anterior deltoid are also engaged," he adds.
Cycling accomplishes such growth through the force of resistance that propelling one's weight forward, but it also releases "chemicals known as metabolic stimuli in the muscle that can lead to an increase in muscle size," says Parker. What's more, the activity has the advantage of aiding in muscle growth and maintenance while still being a low-impact exercise – meaning it's unlikely to aggravate your bones and joints.
At the same time, you're only likely to keep building muscle to a certain point before most of your time on a bike will be spent maintaining the muscles you already have. Because you're not able to keep adding more and more weight to the exercise, "cycling does not progressively overload your muscles," Schoenfeld says. "For continued increases in muscle size, a person would need to perform resistance training."
How often should I bike for exercise?
Capitalizing on the cardiovascular and muscle-building benefits of cycling means participating in the sport regularly. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. Cycling is one of many exercises that qualify, but meeting this recommendation means doing it or other similar activities for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
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One great thing about biking is it can be done solo, or the whole family can go together. You'll want to keep everyone safe by wearing helmets and riding in areas with lower - and slower - traffic. Your neighborhood, a local park, or a biking trail in nature are all excellent options. So get out there and get pedaling today!