C for Cycling
Want to stay fit but hate going to the gym or
dislike doing those heavy aerobics? Just pick up the cycle, stay fit and do
your bit for the planet.
Kakoli
Thakur
When you choose cycling as your fitness mantra, you
not only become fit but you also have a satisfaction that you are doing your
bit to protect the environment and save fuel. Cycling has multiple health
benefits and keeps your doctor away. It’s not that it’s too hard to learn
cycling. There are many who know cycling but with time, they get out of touch. Taking the first step is very
important.
Manas Arvind, a nutritionist from Gurgaon, has been
cycling for the last five years. As a kid, he used to cycle regularly with
friends but with age, he lost touch. When he crossed 30, health issues started
cropping up due to weight and his sedentary lifestyle. That’s when he noticed
his cycle lying idle in a corner. He never enjoyed the gym but cycling was
always his passion and he loved going outdoors.
Initially he started for half an hour and then he
met some like-minded people. And then there was no stopping. He now
participates in long-distance trips regularly, he became fit and life became
more interesting.
Manas says cycling gives new freedom, new
dimensions. When you go on a long-distance trip, you push yourselves to finish
the challenge and once you have started you cannot look back, you have to
finish, he says. “Once we were on a trip from Corbett to Kumaon, it was very
challenging, the route had lot of ups and downs. After every step we felt we
would give up but ultimately when we succeeded it gave us a new high to accept
more challenging trips. There were also two women riders with us.”
Cycling, besides keeping you fit, is also a
recreational activity. Unlike the gym, running or rigorous aerobic activities,
it’s a low-impact type of exercise and easier on your joints but it still helps
you get into shape. That is why it appeals across ages.
The best way to build your cardiovascular fitness on
the bike is to ride for at least 150 minutes every week. For example, you could
cycle to work a few days a week or do a couple of shorter rides during the week
with a longer ride at the weekend or simply ride to work. You'll soon feel the
benefits.
In Delhi, cycling is anyway a major mode of
transport for lakhs of people from the economically weaker sections as it
requires zero fuel cost and almost no maintenance. A Delhi government survey
says there are around 30 lakh bicycles in the capital. “Not just low income
group, well-off people also use cycles. I know a scientist who travels 25 km
one way to his workplace daily.”
Manas shared an experience: “We went on a 1,200-km
ride and as it was time-bound (in 90 hours), we could not relax. There was one
55-year-old lady and we were very doubtful whether she would be able to
complete it. But finally only two people succeeded and she was one of them.”
It’s not too difficult to find time for cycling.
Just give 2 per cent time from your 24 hours. Give priority to cycling over
dinner with friends and social networking. Don’t go for fancy bikes, go for a
normal bike with which you are comfortable with and right size is very
important. Ride in groups and look forward to encouraging new people every day.
This is his advice for amateurs.
Besides health benefits, cycling also helps in
reducing pollution and saving fuel and ultimately saving our planet.
Nalin Sinha, traffic and transport expert, has been
cycling since 2006. He has been into transport policy planning and was working
on a sustainable mode of transport but somehow he could not tell people to
cycle because he himself was not cycling. Once he was invited at the launch of
a new bicycle at a hotel. It was there he bought a new bicycle and rode 10 km
and realised the charm and got familiar with the hassles of cyclists on Delhi
roads. Once when he was even hit by a dumper, he realised how safety is very
important.
Nalin is associated with Delhi Cycling Club that has
members varying from 9 years to 80 years. “Once we were cycling in
Chanakyapuri, and we saw Rahul Gandhi and Robert Vadra cycling. Our group got
excited and started cycling with them and their security had a hard time and
went on alert mode,” he recalls.
Starters, he says, if out of touch should take basic
training, or attend some workshop and then start regular cycling. Knowing
traffic rules and how to be safe is very important.
Nalin Sinha feels that to encourage cycling there
should be a connected network, proper infrastructure like a separate lane for
bicycles.
Why cycling?
·
Sleep more deeply
·
Look younger
·
Boost your bowels
·
Increase your brain power
·
Beat illness
·
Live longer
·
Save the planet
·
Improve your sex life
·
Heal your heart
·
Avoid pollution
·
It means guilt-free snacks
·
You’re developing a positive addiction
·
Get (a legal) high
·
Make friends and stay healthy
·
Feeling tired? Go for a ride
·
Spend quality time with your partner
·
Be happy
·
You can get fit without trying too hard
·
Boost your bellows
·
Burn more fat
Benefits
·
One of the easiest ways to exercise
·
Builds strength and muscle tone
·
Increases muscle tone
·
Builds stamina
·
Improves cardio-vascular fitness
·
Eats up calories
·
Improves heart health
·
Improves coordination
·
Reduces stress
What to keep in mind
·
Start slowly and then increase your
cycling
·
Increase speed gradually
·
Right equipment is very important. Head
gear, kneepads, elbow pads should all be in place when cycling
