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CYCLING

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Ride as much or as little, as long or as short as you feel. But ride. 

- Eddy Merckx

For me, cycling is the closest you can realistically get to flying. Especially when you ride downhill, and the wheels just roll, you feel so effortless and light, which is why I love it so much. 

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Classic Bicycle

This why I hate biking machines, as they are stationary, and don't provide the same feeling you get from riding a bike. In Tanzania, I seldom rode a bike because of how unsafe the roads were, and the lack of pavements. However, as I am back in the UK, cycling is part of my daily routine, as I cycle to my Grandma's everyday, and it is the highlight of my day! :))

COMPONENTS OF FITNESS

BENEFITS

Mental

  • Natural high (endorphins)

    • The body releases endorphins in response to the neurotransmitters whilst cycling. 

      • ​"Just 10 minutes of cycling is enough to make an individual feel a little happier." (Bowling Green State University, Ohio) 

  • Creative breakthrough

    • Helps reduce mental blocks, especially for writers, musicians and artists - relaxes the brain.​

  • Better sleep 

    • ​ Increased temperature followed by the post-ride drop promotes quicker sleep, through decreasing arousal, anxiety, and stress.

  • Relieves anxiety and stress

    • Reduces levels of cortisol, and fresh air relaxes the body and enhances memory. ​

  • Increased focus

    • Cycling increases levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, affecting focus and attention. ​

  • Improves self-confidence

    • Serotonin results in social and emotional stability, overall development of confidence over time. ​

Physical

  • Improved cardiovascular function

    • Aerobic activity - increased heart rate whilst cycling, so gradually biking will reduce your blood pressure and resting heart rate. ​

  • Tones muscles

    • Cycling is a full-body workout, ​it can tone your carves when pedalling at a higher gear, and when standing, can tone arm and shoulder muscles. 

  • Muscle strength

    • Especially targets the quadriceps, glutes and calves. However, it is a full-body workout, so builds strengths from your carves, up to your biceps. ​

  • Weight loss

    • Great form of exercise to burn calories. Especially targets the lower body, (thighs, hamstrings, abdominals, calves, and glutes) for a leaner structure.​

      • ​"Cycling with a speed of 10 mph burns 260 calories in an hour" (Nagdeve). 

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MUSCLE GROUPS & MORE

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When cycling, the primary muscles used are activated during the pedal strokes. Generally, this will target the lower body, however, as cycling is a full-body workout, other muscles are involved in the exercise. 

Main muscle groups used 

  • Calf – Soleus, and gastrocnemius.

    • Soleus aids heal lift when pedalling, and the gastrocnemius guides the direction of movement. 

  • Thigh – Hamstrings and quadriceps.

    •  ​Hamstrings enable the knee to bend, for pedal rotation, whereas the quadriceps are the most prominent muscle used for cycling, as they are essential for power and strength. 

  • Glutes – Gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus.

    • All three muscles work in unison with the hips, aiding thigh rotation whilst pedalling. ​

  • Foot – Plantar flexors, and dorsiflexors

    • Foot rests on the pedal, yet bends if the rider stands up, along with pedal rotation. ​

  • Arms – Biceps, and triceps.

    • Standing, leaning forward or ducking puts pressure on the upper body, ​and the arms are necessary to support and sustain these movements. 

  • Shoulders - deltoids

    • Same applies for above, (arms). 

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The pedalling rotation (right), is split into 4 sections:

  1. 12 o'clock

  2. Push -Power Phase

  3. 6 o'clock​

  4. Pull-Upstroke Phase

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Each colour on the diagram above relates to a specific muscle. The longer the line of colour, the more the muscle is used, and vice-versa. 

  • Most of the power when pedalling takes place between 12 o'clock - 5 o'clock. Hip flexion and hip & knee extension are the primary movements. 

  • Between 6-12 o'clock, hamstrings, calves and quadriceps are used to aid the rotation upwards and back down with the knee flexion. 

  • When the hip and knee extends, the pedal is in the Push-Power Phase. The glutes and quadriceps are the foundation of this movement, however, a quarter-way through the rotation, the hamstrings and calves add strength to the movement. Push-Power phase muscles use the largest volume of strength whilst pedalling. 

EQUIPMENT

Hover over the images to learn about cycling equipment!

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SOURCES

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