The Best Cardio Exercise

Cycling is argued to be the best form of cardio exercise, it’s one of the main reasons why I got my bike from folding bikes. The bike folds up and packs away into my suitcase, so from now on my Canada holidays will be spent cycling through the beautiful Rockies rather than steaming through them on the train.

I recently read how abstaining from exercise puts one at a greater risk of health problems. Since coming out of the industrial age we have found ourselves doing less and less manual work within our daily lives. The majority of our time is spent sitting in front of a computer screen, sitting at the table, sitting as we commute or sitting in front of the television. Our bodies are not designed for such a routine. Our muscles, which take up 50% of our body mass, need exercise. Trends have shown that the better paid jobs are those which require the least amount of manual effort.  This is a dangerous sign.

It is therefore increasingly important to ensure that we remedy this by taking part in regular physical exercise. The benefits of this include the following;

Healthy muscle development

The burning off of fat, reducing excess weight by replacing the fat with muscle.

Reduces the levels of bad cholesterol and increases the “good” cholesterol.

Increases cardiac output and regulates the body’s blood pressure.

This Physiotherapist Newcastle claims that regular exercise is an essential factor in good cardio and respiratory health. One of the best and easiest ways of exercising is by cycling, the sitting position relieves the pressure on the lower limbs which in turn is beneficial for the heart and lungs. Choosing the right type of bicycle is important, and there are a whole multitude of factors to consider; seat height, the handle bar position, the wheel size, weight and gear ratios to name a few.

Cycling is one of the few exercises you can practice in numerous ways; Mountain biking, road racing or simply on a commuter bike going to and from work. As always when you exercise you should exercise restraint, avoid burnout, and make sure you warm up correctly before you begin. Look after your body and it will look after you!