Benefits of Cycling

Cycling has always been a popular method for weight loss. Beyond weight loss, moderate cycling offers numerous health benefits.

1. Cycling Helps with Weight Loss

Cycling is undoubtedly an excellent way to lose weight healthily. During cycling, it aids weight loss in two ways: first, it directly burns a significant amount of calories, oxidizes fat, and reduces body weight;

second, it boosts the body's metabolic rate, increasing daily energy expenditure, which also helps in reducing weight.

Through these two mechanisms, consistent cycling can help shape a perfect physique.

Research from the American College of Sports Medicine shows that proper cycling can help you maintain healthy vitality and a slim figure by up to 70%.

2. Extends Lifespan

A healthy body can lead to a longer life.

Studies have found that mice that exercise daily live 25% longer than their sedentary counterparts. Wild rabbits live an average of 15 years, while domestic rabbits live only 4-5 years. Sheepdogs can live up to 27 years, whereas pet dogs live only about 13 years.

The primary reason wild animals live longer than domesticated ones is their frequent physical activity.

Similarly, postal workers who work outdoors tend to live longer than those who work sedentary office jobs.

3. Improves Cardiovascular Health

Cycling helps improve myocardial metabolism, enhances the heart's working capacity, and strengthens cardiac contractions. It also improves the cardiovascular system's ability to adapt to physical stress in obese individuals, reducing the heart's workload and thereby enhancing cardiovascular function.

4. Enhances Lung Function

Cycling increases the strength of respiratory muscles, expands the range of thoracic movement, and boosts lung capacity. It improves pulmonary ventilation and gas exchange, speeding up the process of oxidizing and burning excess fat.

5. Relieves Mental Fatigue

Cycling is an active form of rest. During cycling, the nerve centers related to movement are excited, while those related to academic learning enter a state of inhibition.

This inhibition deepens as the excitement of the motor centers intensifies, allowing the nerve centers associated with learning to rest thoroughly, providing a protective effect.

6. Strengthens Heart and Lung Function

In terms of the heart alone, the average person's cardiac output at rest is 60-80 milliliters per beat, while athletes can achieve over 100 milliliters.

Athletes also have a slower and stronger resting heart rate (around 50 beats per minute for athletes compared to 70-80 for the average person), reflecting a more efficient and higher level of cardiac function.

7. Promotes Brain Development

A person's IQ is determined by factors such as genetics, nutrition, and education. However, exercise is also a crucial factor in determining intelligence.

Cycling not only enhances physical fitness but also promotes brain development, improves brain function, and aids in intellectual growth.