How Female Athletes Can Benefit From Biking

April 26, 2021

Biking or cycling is an activity that’s excellent for the cardiovascular system, resulting in various health benefits.

How Female Athletes Can Benefit From Biking

A moderate bike ride every day can keep you in good shape and even helps control blood sugar levels. It’s also an eco-friendly manner of transportation as it does not produce smoke from diesel fuel—unlike cars.

Cycling is a fantastic way to stay physically fit at the same time. Female athletes can add a bike routine to their daily regimen to improve endurance and physical stamina. And just like other kinds of exercises, cycling releases dopamine levels in the brain that can help reduce stress and regulate mood.

Aside from that, below are some more benefits that athletes can get from biking:

Keeps Joints And Muscles In Good Shape

When you ride a bike, you’ll be making use of your limbs to push the pedal and pick up speed. Because of that, you’ll be using your strength from various parts of the body—helping you tone and strengthen arms, hips, thighs, and calves.

It also works out your abs and activates muscles throughout the midsection of the body.

Prevents Breast Cancer

Taking part in physical activities like biking and ball sports can help lower cancer risk. You can also check sports sites like Women’s Sport Daily to know more about different types of exercises or workouts that are more advantageous to women.

It is also recommended that premenopausal and postmenopausal women engage in strengthening activities such as cycling and resistance training because these reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Aside from breast cancer, cycling lowers the risk of colon cancer and various heart conditions as well.

Complements Exercise Regimens or Strength Training Programs

Young woman cycling

Cycling is considered a low-impact physical activity and is, therefore, lighter on the joints and muscles. As an athlete, you probably need more rigid training and intense workouts to build up strength and endurance.

However, that does not mean that cycling should not be included in your daily regimen. In fact, it can work as a great addition!

You can start your day with a low-impact activity like walking and cycling that could help you warm up for more rigorous exercises later in the day. Riding a bike will work out your arms, limbs, legs, and hips—helping you get ready for more intense strength training afterward.

Increases Vitamin D

Assuming you go cycling at the start of the day, you will be placing your body in the direct path of the sun’s rays in the morning. This is a great way for you to absorb some rich Vitamin D that can help further increase the calcium absorption that your body needs.

With good levels of Vitamin D, your body can develop stronger bones, which are necessary for athletes who are exposed to constant movements and extreme workouts.

Aids Digestion

Cycling can expand your abdominal muscles and increase your heart rate, which helps keep your intestinal muscles contracted and prevents your belly from expanding.

As a result, cycling reduces the time for food to go through your digestive system. Because of this, you can maintain your weight—which is necessary if you want to keep joining athletic tournaments and competitions.

Gets You Better Sleep

Becoming a better and more competitive athlete is not just about sticking to your training program and wearing out yourself every day through rigorous training. In fact, proper sleep and a balanced diet are also necessary to improve bodily stamina, immunity, and mental awareness.

With better sleep, your body gets a chance to recharge—allowing more energy for you to use for the next training or when the day of the competition comes.

Cycling, on the other hand, is a form of exercise that is known to boost the quality of sleep. Just like other activities, cycling helps lower stress and anxiety levels—preventing the onset of insomnia and instead promotes better and healthier sleep.

Keeps Your Mind Alert And Active

Since cycling improves the quality of your sleep, it usually follows that your mind is refreshed, alert, and active for the next day.

This is necessary for athletes who need to be on top of the game. Quick reflexes and proper body coordination require the presence of the mind, which can only be achieved if you are well-rested and mentally alert.

Boosts The Immune System

Cycling is a good exercise that helps improve respiratory health. It also increases the production of proteins and activates white blood cells that are necessary for fighting various kinds of diseases.

However, cycling alone is not enough to boost the immune system. You must also see to it that you’re getting enough proper sleep and a healthy, balanced diet.

Summary

If you want to improve your health, complement your training program, and extend your athletic abilities, cycling is a great choice to achieve all these goals.

While biking is considered a low-impact activity, it has various physical and mental health benefits that will make you become a better and more competitive athlete.

For one, it improves your immune system and boosts respiratory health. Second, it is known for improving and working out various joints and muscles because you will be exerting effort in all limbs just to pick up the pace.

Most importantly, this exercise helps you absorb more Vitamin D in the morning and even lowers the risk of cancer and heart disease. It also helps in digestion, gets you better sleep, and improves mental awareness.

Of course, cycling is also a great addition to your training program or exercise regimen. It’s a good routine for warming up and getting ready for more strenuous activities. Of course, it can be used as a model for cooling down too.

If you’re still new to cycling, it’s important to choose a comfortable bike that you can use daily. Moreover, joining a local bike club can help you become more motivated to maintain a cycling routine every day.

So, aside from the numerous physical and mental benefits, you can get from biking, you also get to gain new friends too!

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