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Biking: A Great Alternative to Wearing Out Your Shoes

By Brad Scott

One of the best and most exciting forms of cardiovascular training is biking. Biking can be done for exercise, sport or simply fun. Biking will strengthen the muscles in the thighs and calves as well as provide cardiovascular and respiratory conditioning.

When I lived in California, one of the activities I looked most forward to was biking on the weekends. I would throw my bicycle in the back of the truck and drive up to Malibu and then ride the Strand down to Venice Beach and back. It was absolutely exhilarating. That was about 23 miles each way. And the great part was I never felt like giving up.

Let's examine some of the great benefits of biking.

First of all, it is probably safe to say you can bike much further than you can run or jog. With any type of cardiovascular training the amount of time you spend "in the zone" is vey important. Biking will definitely allow you to spend more time in the zone at one instance. I am not big on long distance running and never have been. The furthest I ever feel the need to run is 100 yards (touchdown). But while you are biking, you can go for miles and miles and keep you heart rate up.

Secondly, when you jog or run it can be hard to enjoy your surroundings. On a bike you typically get to enjoy more of the views around you. And if you happen to be biking along a beach where sand volleyball is going on, well I'm sure you get the picture. Other views that are great while biking include the desert sands, mountains and hills and even beautiful cityscapes. If you do not currently have a bike I recommend you buy a mountain bike as it is more versatile than a typical street bike. If you already have a mountain bike, you can buy a set of slick tires for the pavement and switch them as needed.

The last point I would like to discuss is the resistance training you can perform on a bike. Running uses just your body weight, but you can increase the resistance by wearing a weighted vest. But you must also keep the vest with you the entire run. Most bicycles these days have gears. You can constantly vary your resistance throughout the ride for a great interval training experience.

One of the big similarities between running and biking is the way home. No matter how far you run or bike away, you have to come back. So, on my 23 mile rides from Malibu down to Venice Beach, even if I was tired, I had a 23 mile ride back up to Malibu. But I was able to shift gears to keep a comfortable pace.

Before I close this article out I want to leave you with a few tips on selecting and riding a bike.
  1. Pick a bike that you like and feel comfortable with. Bikes today have multiple gears, are customized for speed or down hill, have shock absorbers and so much more. Go to a bike shop and test ride different bikes to see what is best for you.
  2. Get a new seat. Most of the seats that come with standard with bikes are very uncomfortable. Plan on changing it out the same day you buy your bike.
  3. Adjust your seat and handlebars for your comfort level. Some people prefer the lean over speed ride and some prefer the upright ride.
  4. Get a water bottle holder and always take water. If you plan on extremely long rides I recommend you take additional water in something like a camel pack.
  5. Add a light for night riding. You may not plan on night riding, but better safe than sorry.
  6. Add a small pouch with a tire repair kit. If you think riding back may be tiresome, try walking your bike back and see how you feel. Not fun.
  7. Keep reflectors on your bike (wheels, back and front). These are important even in the day time.
  8. Ride where it is safe. Designated bike paths are always your best bet, but sometimes the only options may be street of sidewalk. Regardless, just BE SAFE.
For more information on biking, stop by your local bike specialty shop.

About the Author:

Brad Scott is Owner and President of Sport and Life Fitness in Melbourne Florida. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and is a Certified Fitness Trainer and Specialist in Sports Conditioning with the International Sports Sciences Association. With over 20 years of experience, Brad offers a wide variety of fitness solutions for most anyone. Visit him online at www.SportAndLifeFitness.com today and start your fitness journey.