Lying down, walking or cycling?

If you work in an office and sit for most of your workday, that adds up to 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week. As many working hours as there are in a work schedule, there are about the same amount of sitting hours as well. Although no one pays for them. 🙂 It’s terrible to think that in a month, you sit at work for at least 160 hours and about 2000 hours a year.

What to do if sports don’t appeal?

Occasionally, you probably think about needing to move more in the fresh air. You may have even purchased the season’s trendiest running shoes and stylish leggings, but still, it doesn’t work out. You’ve worn them a time or two and participated in some events, but that’s about it. There’s always a good excuse to skip training: sometimes you’re an athlete, other times you’re not motivated enough, or maybe the weather is bad, or there’s a good movie on TV.

An alternative?

Walking? Why not, since it’s undoubtedly the cheapest sport. You just have to reach the door, step outside, and … return after an hour or so.

Cycling? If you’re not a serious athlete, you should at least have one comfortable city bike.

How does cycling affect your health?

Comfortable city bikes and comfort bikes or cruisers are excellent for aerobic exercise.

When riding a good bike, you don’t even feel like you’re exercising.

A publication in the USA called The Circulation Journal* reported study results showing that people who regularly ride bicycles experience 15% fewer heart attacks than those who do not ride bikes.

In another study, it was found that just 32 km of cycling per week reduces the risk of heart disease by a remarkable 50%! So, it’s very beneficial for your health to cycle just 4-5 km a day. And let’s be honest, you wouldn’t mind riding that little, especially when you have an awesome city bike.

Tips and recommendations for cycling

Accelerista highlights a study by the UKK Institute* in an article that examines the impact of short bike rides on health, confirming once again that even half an hour of pedaling can significantly improve your well-being.

I picked some great recommendations from the same article by the UKK Institute so that cycling is not only beneficial but also enjoyable:

• It’s important to feel comfortable in the saddle – your body position should be relaxed, and there should be no extra tension in your muscles.
• Discover new routes! Riding the same path every day can get boring; your body gets used to it, and the desired benefits won’t arise.
• If you can, do a little warm-up before hopping in the saddle – even a couple of minutes of brisk walking or stretching, and after cycling, stretch and bend to give your muscles a break and release tension.
• Pay more attention to how you feel and less to your heart rate monitor. The monitor can show numbers, but your feelings never lie. It should be a pleasant ride, not a death ride with gritted teeth!

Physical activity has proven to be an effective “medicine” in today’s fast-paced lifestyle. Cycling on a comfortable city bike is as enjoyable as sitting on your couch at home.

On the other hand, cycling gives you a great deal of fresh air, you might even see a familiar face, and you experience positive emotions. Afterwards, you realize how good it was to get outside and move.

When you go for a ride, put on a nice and practical helmet and attach reflectors. Safety first!

*The Circulation Journal is a US publication that publishes research directions, reviews, articles, and other information related to cardiovascular health and diseases, including observational studies, clinical trials, healthcare services, and other relevant research findings.

*The main goal of the UKK Institute is to promote a healthy lifestyle, especially health-enhancing physical activity, and to reduce the number of injuries related to home or leisure activities through research, training, and public awareness.