Cycling may not be super popular in sports fandom, however, when it comes to participation, it is by far one of the biggest sports around the world. A poll done has determined that there are over 1 billion bicycles in households all over the world. A good chunk of the people who own bikes claim that they ride them on a daily basis, with many of them confirming that they ride it for sport and health reasons.
As a sport, cycling may not be super popular, but it still draws in a pretty big crowd, especially when it comes to the big competitions, like the Tour de France. These competitions also draw in a pretty hefty number of bettors, especially on sports betting sites. Sports betting sites have, largely, replaced land-based bookies. The reason for this is that they are much more convenient, but also offer several of the most popular casino games. On novibet.ie, for example, fans of gambling can place bets on their favorite sports, as well as spin a few rounds of roulette.
Cycling may not be huge on betting sites, but it is super popular when it comes to health and fitness, second only to jogging/running. In this article, we are going to look through some of the health benefits that cycling provides.
Improves Mental Health
It has been shown that physical activity is closely linked to mental well-being. Studies have proven that a sedentary lifestyle is very likely to bring about a dourer mood, lower mental activity, and make depressive episodes much worse. On the other hand, people who keep active are much less likely to succumb to depression, and have much better mental health.
The reason cycling is great for improving mental health is that, it not only engages the cyclist physically, but it also, by necessity, is done outside, where one can be in the fresh air. If you could cycle in nature, all the better, as it has been shown that being outdoors, in a non-urban environment will do wonders for one’s mood, mental health, as well as stress levels.
Great Exercise
Apart from running and jogging, cycling is one of the best ways to lose weight, and get a good exercise in. Weight loss is complicated, however, an often time touted rule is “calories out need to exceed calories in”. And in terms of burning calories, you can’t get much better than cycling. Depending on external factors, cycling burns from 400 to 1000 calories an hour, meaning a couple of hours on a bike will do wonders for your weight loss challenge.
It is important to note, that when losing weight there are dozens of other factors involved, and it is important to consult experts before you embark on a weight loss program.
It is Great for Muscle Building
Not only is cycling great for weight loss, it also can help with building muscle. There is an inherent resistance element to cycling, which helps activate the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves. This means that, through cycling, your leg muscles will become leaner, stronger, and tougher. Again, important to note, cycling will not help you develop impressive muscles like those of a professional weight lifter. It will, however, help you develop nicely toned legs and a backside.