The most prominent health risk found in developed countries after tobacco consumption is the lack of physical activity. This is what the World Health Organization, the primary health regulating agency of the world states. In India too, with an increasing urban population and rise in the standard of living, physical inactivity has become the order of the day. With flats and high rise buildings occupying each and every square feet of the playing grounds, the urban population (children and adults alike) is suffering majorly from the so-called physical inactivity.
This has resulted into the following consequences:
a) People have gained weight due to lack of physical activity which make them more prone to cardiovascular problems.
b) The average medical bill of the common family has increased by a substantial amount as healthcare costs have skyrocketed over the past few years.
c) This has led to other complications like mental instability and depression among the victims.
Hence, the most sought after solution is a planned weight reduction programme. Cycling in this respect has proved to be a boon in the hour of crisis. Cycling is considered the second best calorie burning activity after swimming and in terms of overall convenience, it tops the charts. The main effect of cycling is that it increases the rate of metabolism of the human body thereby causing a loss in the weight. Cycling targets the lower half of the human body (abs, thighs, backs and legs) which is the region of maximum fat accumulation in humans.
Some of the distinguished benefits of cycling on the health of the human are:
a) Cycling is an aerobic (involving oxygen circulation) exercise and hence involves exercise of the heart, lungs and blood vessels thereby lowering the chances of coronary heart diseases.
b) A major gain on cycling regularly is the increase in the stamina of an individual to new heights. This is of prominent significance as an increase in the stamina will lead to an increase in the work capacity of the individual. In a nutshell, the individual will not get tired for a longer duration even if his workload has increased.
c) It makes an individual perspire and hence regulates the body temperature and also helps in checking the blood pressure level and the problem of diabetes. With an estimated 51 million people living in India with diabetes, cycling is one of the best and cheap precautions.
d) In addition, an activity like cycling can relieve a person from all the stress and anxiety.
There are basically two forms in which cycling activity can be carried out. Outdoor cycling, which is the more conventional cycling practice. Bicycles of different varieties for different age groups and different prices are available in the market. Apart from enjoying a nice workout, it also acts as an effective mode of transport. The other form of cycling, which is gaining popularity in the urban world is indoor cycling. Here, the cycle is stationary but the effect is the same. The rate of workout can be monitored by various control systems that are attached to these exercise bikes.
In addition, there are additional devices to measure the heart beat, amount of calories burnt, weight lost and like features. Today, every gym is equipped with a mini exercise bike wherein one can enjoy the same benefits of cycling. A normal person burns about 100 calories for every 40 minutes of cycling activity. This can increase if the rate is more intense, that is, the load on the cyclist is more.
However, cycling needs some precautions also. The road accidents of cyclists are a very common issue in India. Prolonged cycling while standing can cause knee complications leading to arthritis at a later point of time in life. By and large, it has been proved that cycling benefits outweigh its minor problems by a huge factor. Hence, to lead a longer and fitter life and to save that money which goes to the medical bill, cycling should be made the part and parcel of each and every individual’s daily routine.
Author: Geetanav Ojha (Kozhikode)
