by Rob Negrete

Created on: February 20, 2009

Cycling has countless benefits that many may not even realize they are experiencing once their legs get pedaling. There are many physical and mental benefits to consider when starting out.

Physically, the entire body gets stronger. Your arms hold your body up and keep you balanced while you are riding. Arm strength and tone will increase with every ride. Your grip on the handlebars also becomes a factor. Your grip will become stronger with each outing.

The most obvious benefits would be leg strength and endurance. If each ride is a tough ride where the body is pushed to its limits, stamina will increase.

There are other muscles that get worked when pedaling a bike. The lower back muscles get worked out, especially during an uphill climb. Your bike helmet may not weigh much, but it counts when your neck muscles have to hold up that weight. The weight of your head, helmet, and the unusual angle forces your neck muscles to strengthen.

If you intend to take up mountain biking, there are other benefits specific to this type of riding. You can use this time as a way to clear your mind of unwanted stress. When you are riding fast on a trail, you won't be thinking about those reports that are due Monday. You may find yourself thinking "I have to make it up this climb!" or "Don't crash!" Either way, you won't be thinking of the stressful things every person needs to escape from for a while. Mental peace is a very valuable benefit you will get from biking.

When you are riding downhill on a bike trail, you will learn to avoid obstacles. This will force you to physically react quicker and with more precision each time. Your will also learn to control the bike and how to shift your weight on it during maneuvers. You will learn how much pressure to apply to each brake, and how much it will slow you down.

You may also meet new people. There are many people who ride frequently. If you start out riding alone, you may make a friend while you are on that bike. Then you can have a riding partner, or even a group if you dont want to ride alone.

The most important benefit of cycling is having fun. With work and the stress of everyday life, it is important to participate in activities that are fun. Biking can be a great source of fun if you enjoy exercise and challenge. You will find that you physically feel better, stronger, and have more energy than you did before you started. The first step to enjoying these benefits is to get out there and ride. What are you waiting for?

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