It’s not always possible to cycle outdoors when you want to get in a good exercise. Maybe the weather isn’t favorable or you just don’t feel comfortable riding around outside. Whatever the case, indoor cycling makes for a great alternative.
I’m going to talk about some of the benefits of cycling indoor and why you should incorporate it into your fitness routine. For some people, indoor cycling is all they really do to stay fit, and it can be enough because of how beneficial it is to the entire body.
We’ll talk about that and more as we cover all the reasons indoor cycling is a great addition to any workout and fitness plan.
Cycling is a Great Full Body Workout
One of the major health benefits of indoor cycling is that it works a lot of your body at once. Even though you’re sitting down, your legs are getting a great workout.
Your core is engaged as well, helping you to keep balance, and your arms are getting a minor workout too as they help to keep balance and maintain your grip on the bike.
There are parts of your body that indoor cycling won’t work, but you could stay relatively fit by doing this exercise and this exercise alone. If you want to target other specific parts of the body, you can add that to your workout.
For many people, indoor cycling is enough as a full exercise routine. It’s a great cardio exercise that boosts your heart rate, causing you to sweat and burn fat, so whether you’re trying to lose weight, get fit, look toned, or simply stay healthy, indoor cycling helps you to do it all.
Indoor Cycling is Safer than Outdoor Cycling
One of the most important benefits of indoor cycling and one of the top reasons people choose this as an exercise is because of how safe it is, particularly compared to outdoor cycling.
You never have to worry about bad weather forcing you to change your outfit, cover up, or stay indoors. You’re already indoors, protected from the weather. It doesn’t matter whether it’s cold, rainy, snowy, or even too hot. You can keep the temperature controlled and stay sheltered while working out indoors.
Indoor cycling keeps you safe from more than just bad weather. One of the important benefits of indoor cycling that some people might overlook at first is how it keeps you protected from various outdoor hazards.
It’s a stable bike, so you won’t have to worry about it toppling and causing you injury. You won’t accidentally slip and fall because you hit a pothole or an icy patch on the road. So, there’s a lot less risk involved.
It keeps you safe from other outdoor dangers as well, like criminals, violent dogs, and more. If you love cycling, but you’re not so keen on doing it outdoors because you live in a bad neighborhood or you can’t find a cycling partner, then consider these benefits/risks of indoor cycling and how it affects your safety.
An Indoor Bike Keeps You Active All the Time
If you already have an indoor bike set up or you go to indoor cycling classes, you don’t have to worry about a lot of those problems that might keep outdoor cyclists from getting exercise. You’re more likely to be able to get your exercise in rather than come up with an excuse as to why you can’t do it.
One of the benefits of indoor cycling classes is that it eliminates a lot of the excuses people come up with and helps to keep them motivated to do their exercise.
You’ll be less likely to tell yourself, “I don’t feel like going to exercise,” or, “The weather is poor today so I can’t exercise,” if you do indoor cycling. By getting rid of many of your excuses and making it more convenient for you to exercise at any time, indoor cycling helps you to stay fit and stay on track for your fitness goals.
If you’re only able to exercise at night, you might not feel comfortable going outside to cycle, but you can use the indoor bicycle at any hour.
Is Indoor Cycling Good For Your Joints
One of the health benefits of indoor cycling bike riding is that you’re not putting a lot of pressure on your joints. If you have arthritis, weak joints, or you just have concerns about damaging your joints and connective tissue, indoor cycling is a great exercise to do.
It’s a low impact exercise when you’re talking about the pressure placed on your joints and connective tissue. That’s especially true when you compare it to something like running. One of the most damaging exercises you can do for your joints is running on a hard surface like a concrete sidewalk or asphalt road.
You’ll take a lot of pressure and impact off your joints and still get the exercise you need through indoor cycling.
What are the Mental Health Benefits of Indoor Cycling
Did you know indoor cycling is good for your brain as well? It helps to calm you and relieve stress, especially after a hard day at work. If you’re feeling emotionally exhausted and mentally tired, spending some time on the indoor bike can really boost your spirits and actually improve your energy levels.
One of the benefits of indoor cycling ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) covers is that it controls stress levels. If you feel constantly stressed and you’re not sure how to get rid of your anxiety, try spending a few sessions on the indoor bike. You may be surprised at the difference it makes.
You might not be able to get regular exercise outside as often as you like, but having an indoor bike you can use whenever you want allows you to enjoy all the benefits of frequent exercise.
This includes mental benefits like increased awareness, improved mood, emotional stability, reduced stress, and less tiredness. All of that can come from just having an indoor bike ready and available to use and then making use of it on a regular basis.
If you’re getting exercise frequently and you’re starting to get in shape and lose weight, that helps with your sense of well-being and confidence. You’ll feel better about yourself and not be worried so much about hitting your goals and the markers you set for yourself.
You’ll be able to look in the mirror and see improvements, and as you lose weight and get fit, you will be more able to stay active, wear the clothes you want, and you will probably even enjoy life more.
A lot of low-level worry and stress that you might not have even realized was there can fade away, helping you to feel much better, eliminating depression, and empowering you to have a great mood more often.
A lot of times we don’t even realize the damage we’re doing to ourselves by not meeting our own expectations or not feeling very good about ourselves. With an indoor bike, you can get exercise regularly and start achieving some of your fitness goals. This will have more than just physical benefits; and the mental benefits can even help to extend your lifespan.
