Does cycling help you lose weight and how to ride to really lose weight

Hello again! Very often it is difficult for a person to lose extra pounds due to physiological characteristics. The attempts made to start a "new life" bring temporary relief with a return to the past. After all, you want everything at once, and if it doesn’t work out, then the enthusiasm quickly fades away.

But solving the problem is actually not difficult - to find a different approach by choosing the right type of physical activity for yourself. I'm talking about cycling now. And about whether the bike helps to lose weight and how, I want to tell you more.

Muscles involved in cycling

Due to the fact that during the ride the pulse increases, forcing all organs and systems to work actively, excess fat deposits are burned throughout the body. This includes:

1. Arms and shoulders. They are minimally involved, so the figures of cyclists in these places do not differ in great relief.
2. Abdominal muscles. The press during training helps to keep the body in space.
3. The hip flexors, located in the groin area, bend and unbend it. They are very vulnerable, so the pain that appears is a signal to stop training.
4. The gluteal muscles are the largest. They expend a large amount of energy and keep a person in the saddle.
5. The biceps and quadriceps of the thigh are the muscles involved more than others.
6. The calf muscles are the most enduring with the ability to consume minimal oxygen.

Depending on the intensity, the leg muscles begin to work under the following load modes:

• First, the gastrocnemius, anterior femoral and gluteal muscles are included in the work;
• Then the biceps femoris (located behind) joins;
• And the flexor-extensor of the hip (iliopsoas muscle) completes the cycle.

But for proper load distribution, contact pedals with special shoes are needed. Otherwise, the work will consist only in pressure, depriving the load of the main muscle groups.

The downside of cycling

A fairly common problem for cyclists is the appearance of acne, abrasions and nodules in the inner thigh due to constant contact with the saddle.

Before you get on the bike, you can rub petroleum jelly or any antibacterial agent into the problem area.

About the exercise bike

An exercise bike is a great alternative to cycling. The difference is that with such training you do not need to maintain balance, go around bumps in the road, and so on. And this deprives some muscle groups of work.

When choosing a simulator for your workouts, you need to meet some requirements:

1. Follow your breath through your nose.
2. Classes should begin with warm-up exercises - squats, swings with arms and legs, rotations.
3. Cool down at the end of your workout.

To achieve good results with an exercise bike, you need to know the following information:

• To maintain tone, it is enough to train daily for 20 minutes with low intensity;
• Serious figure correction will require training three times a week for 40 minutes or more with greater intensity. Such training will also help strengthen the heart, blood vessels and increase the vital volume of the lungs.

There is one significant disadvantage when exercising on an exercise bike - this is the lack of fresh air and the opportunity to admire the surrounding beauties. But if you have a country house, you can solve this problem by installing it in the garden, which will allow you to train in the bosom of nature at least in the warm season.

Cycling for weight loss

First you need to buy a bike, which is easy to do due to the huge selection. In this case, it is recommended to proceed from the chosen route:

1. To ride on the tracks you will need a mountain bike with large wheels.
2. If you plan to ride through the park or forest paths, then the best option would be a bike with a small wheel diameter.

It is advisable to purchase a vehicle equipped with a gear system. This will help regulate the number of rotations, which guarantees high-quality fat burning, confirmed by experts and people's reviews.

About equipment

It is advisable to purchase a helmet to protect your head in case of a fall, which may well happen - no one is immune from this. The same applies to knee and elbow pads with gloves. Sportswear should be comfortable and well ventilated, and shoes should be comfortable and non-slip. To protect yourself from chafing the crotch, you should get special shorts.

About the right fit

Losing weight just by pedaling without knowing the right fit will be difficult. The body should be strongly inclined forward - almost parallel to the ground. To achieve this, you need to lower the steering wheel low, put the seat at a height that, when landing, could straighten your foot on the pedals.

Route selection

The process of losing weight will require driving at high speeds, so the route must be chosen with flat terrain without sharp descents and ascents. At the same time, riding with small rises - smooth, accelerates the burning of fats.

Keep in mind that after a couple of months you will need to change the route - when driving on the plain, switch to a less flat one, and vice versa. And it is better that training takes place away from the freeway - the quality of oxygen is also important.

About regularity

A very important point, which is the key to achieving results, is systematic.

At first, 3 workouts per week with a gradual increase in load will be enough.

About intensity

For people who are far from physical education and sports, it will be enough to start classes from 15 minutes a day. It is recommended to increase by 5-10 minutes, reaching up to 1 hour or more. It is important to adhere to a certain speed - up to 90 rotations per minute.

To overcome a steep climb, you can get off the bike and walk the distance, which will increase the fat burning process.

Important: alternating fast driving with a step has a positive effect on the results.

About nutrition

Nutrition also plays an important role for weight loss, so this item should not be ignored. Recommendations are as follows:

• Limit the consumption of fatty, fried, flour and sweet foods. This also applies to conservation, smoked meats and semi-finished products;
• You need to eat often, but little by little, without overeating.

The last meal before training should be at least 2 hours before. After class, it is not recommended to eat for an hour.

Who should not ride a bike

Health problems that are forbidden for cycling include severe systemic and organic:

1. Heart failure in a chronic form.
2. Cardiac ischemia.
3. Violation of the heart rhythm.
4. Hypertension in stages 3 and 4.
5. Osteoporosis.
6. Some types of herniated discs.
7. Malignant brain tumors.
8. Epilepsy.
9. Vestibular disorders.

In order for cycling to become, in addition to a good body workout and weight loss, also a pleasure, you need to consult a doctor if there are any health problems.

Having received the go-ahead for such an exciting form of physical activity, I can wish you to achieve your intended goal and just enjoy life while pedaling.

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