Guest Post - Health Benefits of Cycling and How to Keep Safe

Healthy Living Natural Beauty

    Today we are featuring a guest article about the "Health Benefits of Cycling and How to Keep Safe" by Sarah Oxley.  If you enjoy riding a bicycle this is great article to read with some excellent pointers.  You can read the author's biography following the article.  Please feel free to leave any questions or comments.  

Health Benefits of Cycling and How to Keep Safe         Cycling is a great way of becoming fit, as well as staying fit. It is said that people who cycle regularly have better health in general and more longevity than those who don’t. Cycling is not only good for losing weight, but it helps you gain more muscle, improves your immune system, strengthens your bones and protects your joints as the circular movement of cycling assists the transport of energy and other metabolic products to the cartilages, thereby reducing the likelihood of arthritis. The improved flow of oxygen through your body gained through regular cycling also improves your heart rate, and helps to fight mental stress. Cycling to work will prepare you mentally and physically for the day ahead, and you can also save money on transport while reducing your carbon footprint.     When cycling, especially in a city, you need to be aware of several of the safety procedures. The right protection is very important, and wearing a helmet should be mandatory in your mind as these can prevent serious headinjuries. When purchasing a helmet, always try it on and make sure it fits properly. A helmet should sit just above your eyebrows, and not move. Strap the helmet on, making sure that you can fit two fingers between the bottom strap and your chin, and shake your head from side to side, and up and down. If the helmet wobbles about or moves during this, then it isn’t a good fit or the straps need tightening. Make sure you can be seen when cycling especially in city traffic, by wearing light coloured clothing or a fluorescent jacket. For additional visibility consider reflective wrist and ankle bracelets. Your bike also needs to be visible, and the following features are mandatory: white front light, red rear light, red rear reflector, and amber/yellow pedal reflectors on the front and back on each pedal.      When cycling in traffic, be sure to ride in a decisive and confident manner. Hesitation will confuse others, and they may misinterpret your actions. For instance if you give unclear signals about turning left or going straight on, a car may interpret your lack of communication as going straight when actually you are turning left leading to the car turning into you by mistake.      Clear signals are vital when cycling, as well as making eye contact with drivers to make sure you are seen and understood. Also remember to be polite when on the road or a cycle path by letting others through and thanking people who have let you through. Always be aware of your surroundings and cycle in a forward thinking manner. If you see a parked car with someone in it, anticipate that they may open the door without looking and knock you off your bike. If you fear this, then slow down before getting too close and check behind you to see if it is clear to do an evasive manoeuvre. If it is not clear, then signal that you are stopping and wait for the person to leave their car. People should look out for bikes when leaving their car, but this isn’t always the case, so it is better for you to be safe rather than sorry.  Cycling is a fun and great way to stay in shape, just remember to be careful out there and to have the right equipment.  

Author Bio: This article is written by Sarah Oxley on behalf of Pannone LLP. Sarah Oxley is a sport enthusiast with experience in sports such as fencing, cycling, Ju-Jitsu bow staff and archery.

< Previous Post Next Post >