Not only on Yom Kippur: riding a bicycle is excellent exercise for body and mind

Many remember to take the bike out of storage only on Yom Kippur, which is a shame.

This is an excellent sport that strengthens the body and bones and also contributes to mental health.

So what are you waiting for?

Voila system!

health

02/10/2022

Sunday, October 02, 2022, 11:02 a.m. Updated: 11:24 a.m.

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Not only on Yom Kippur.

Father and son riding bicycles (Photo: Yotam Ronan)

Cycling is part of the daily routine of children and adults all over the world.

In Israel, on the other hand, cycling is not the popular popular sport, perhaps due to a lack of awareness and perhaps also due to a lack of appropriate infrastructure.

Despite this, cycling has advantages in a wide variety of areas - health, mental and environmental that should be taken into account and implemented.

The sport of cycling is suitable for all members of the family.

Small children, teenagers and of course adults can engage and enjoy it together.

You can ride a bike alone and you can also join a cycling group and enjoy the group benefits.

Of course, you can also ride a bike in changing weather conditions and in all seasons according to the rider's preference.

In addition, there is the possibility to choose the type of riding, whether urban riding, off-road riding, challenging riding, etc.

Accordingly, bicycles can be purchased in bicycle shops throughout the country according to a wide variety of parameters, such as age, height and weight of the rider, terrain conditions, and more.

Tamir Sadeh, director of the physical therapy department in the Jerusalem and Shefala district at Maccabi Health Services, explains what the benefits of cycling are and why it is recommended to choose this sport all year round:

"The physiological benefits of engaging in the sport of cycling are many," explains Sadeh.

"First of all, when we get on the bikes we have to maintain our balance and posture, which requires a combination of physical ability and cognitive abilities, awareness, vigilance and concentration in order to be able to operate the bike in changing road and terrain conditions."

"Secondly, during riding we make use of different and important muscle groups - the muscles of the twins, the quadriceps muscle, the muscles of the arms, the back and more. Working on these muscles contributes to improving posture, coordination, increasing the range of motion and strengthening the skeleton and bones."

Strengthening the skeleton, bones and coordination.

A couple riding a bicycle (Photo: ShutterStock, Shutterstock)

Lower blood pressure

In addition, riding is an active aerobic activity, which improves cardiopulmonary endurance, increases physical fitness over time and lowers morbidity from various heart diseases.

Various studies that have examined the issue indicate that regular and balanced riding contributes to lowering blood pressure, lowers the level of bad cholesterol and accordingly improves the level of good cholesterol in the body.

These data also have a preventive effect on the appearance of cardiac problems and strokes, unlike other sports that create loads on the knees, for example, cycling actually improves the flexibility and strength of many organs in the body.

In addition, riding increases the rate of metabolism in the body as happens in other physical activities, which contributes to an accelerated burning of calories and at the end of the process also leads to weight loss and slimming.

And as with other physical activities, riding a bicycle also improves the energy level in the body, reduces pressure and stress, which are an integral part of our daily life, improves the feeling and affects our mood.

It is important to emphasize that precisely in the era of electric bicycles, the recommendation is to focus on a regular vehicle due to its benefits for the health of the body and mind and the safety of the rider.

Beyond the health benefits, cycling also has environmental benefits, among them - saving fuel, saving the annoying time of standing in endless traffic jams and having to compete for available parking spaces, and of course also reducing air pollution.

Just before you set off - don't forget to equip yourself with appropriate protective measures such as a helmet, reflectors, clothing adapted to riding in the dark, sweat-wicking clothing, and of course water and sunscreen.

May you all have a pleasant and safe ride throughout the year.

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