Getting the Most out of Cycling

Cycling is a very popular and beneficial form of exercise for many people all over the world. One of the main attractions of this fitness activity is that it can be done both indoor or outdoors by:

• taking your regular bicycle out on the road or into the mountains
• using one of the many stationary cycle found in health clubs
• gyms participating in indoor cycling or Spinning™ classes
• using your own stationary cycle at home

Like jogging or running, cycling also results in major cardiovascular, muscular, and metabolic changes in your body, which in turn leads to an increase in your work capacity and muscle endurance, as well as a decrease in heart rate and blood pressure.

Cycling is also an effective exercise alternative for people who do not like to jog or run and can also offer relief to people who have joint tenderness, because their body weight is supported by the bicycle seat.

To get the most out of your cycling workouts, try the following training tips:

Warm-up. Your cycling sessions should always start with a proper warm-up. A warm-up not only prepares your body for exercise, but also improves performance and reduces the risk of injury. Start your warm-up with rhythmic movements that are a slower or lower intensity version of the activity to come.

The aim is to raise your heart rate and the core temperature of your muscles. Climbing a few flights of stairs at a slow pace, walking or jogging on the spot or starting out with some easy cycling are good ways of warming up for this activity. Your warm-up should end with some stretch exercises for all the major muscle groups, but especially the legs and lower back.

Seat Height. Adjust the seat height so that your knee has only a slight bend, approximately 10 to 20 degrees, when your foot is at the bottom of a pedal swing.

Shoes. Stiff-soled shoes are the best for cycling. A soft-soled shoe, such as the ones often used for aerobics or running, absorbs too much of the pedal force and makes your pedalling inefficient.A soft-soled shoe will also bend over the pedal when you cycle uphill and may make your feet feel uncomfortable or numb.

Your shoelaces should also be tucked in to prevent them from tangling with the pedals.

Cleats. If you are using clip pedals always check the cleat tension on the pedals and make sure that their cleats are aligned properly on your shoes. Improper cleat alignment may cause muscle and tendon strain and lead to injury over time.

Water Bottle. Proper hydration is essential for a pleasant and safe ride. Replenish your fluids often by drinking water before, during and after your ride. It is important to drink enough water to prevent heat exhaustion and dehydration and to recover more quickly.

Cool-down. Heart attacks and other cardiac problems most often occur at the end or after an intense exercise session. To reduce the risk of this ever happening to you, you must always warm-down at the end of your ride.

The warm-down is basically a reversed version of the warm-up in which your movements should become slower and the range of motion smaller.

After cardiorespiratory activity your blood is pooled in the arms and legs and your heart rate is very high. The purpose of the warm-down is to bring the heart rate down to almost normal and to get the blood circulating freely back to the heart and the other vital organs.

If you stop cycling suddenly you may faint, become dizzy or place undue stress on your heart.

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