Cycling offers many benefits. But, it does have some drawbacks as well. If you’re considering cycling as a way to improve your fitness and cardiovascular health, you may want to know what you’re getting into ahead of time. Cycling has its disadvantages compared to other exercise methods. In this article, we discuss the three most common disadvantages of cycling, why they are a negative factor for cyclists, and potential solutions that can be implemented in your own cycling practice to mitigate the risks associated with it.
Disadvantages of Cycling
The main disadvantages of cycling are:
- Lack of resistance. You’re working against the resistance of your own body. As a result, you may experience increased risk of injury during cycling.
- Lack of variety. You get a very similar workout whether you engage in aerobic or resistance exercise.
- Lack of boredom. There’s very little to do other than ride a bike, which can get monotonous over time.
- Lack of concentration. You’re not actively managing any complex skills, like riding a bike, so you’re vulnerable to cognitive errors.
- Lack of control. While you’re in tune with your body and have good control over your workload, intensity, and speed, you have very limited control over your surroundings.
Why Are Cycling’s Advantages Neglected?
You’re probably wondering why cycling’s advantages have been neglected. It’s not that they haven’t been thought of or debated enough. The main reason is that they don’t seem to be as beneficial as people once believed. Over the years, research into the benefits of cycling has been rather linear. At first, cycling was thought to improve heart health.
Then, researchers realized it could also improve blood pressure. This has led to a paradox. Although cycling can improve blood pressure, it’s been shown that doing so may increase the risk of developing heart disease. Furthermore, research has shown that cycling can definitely improve your fitness, but only to a point. After that, the benefits start to dwindle. The main reason cycling has become unpopular is probably because it doesn’t seem to offer any advantages over other exercise methods.
Potential Solutions to Improve the Disadvantages of Cycling
There are a few potential solutions to improve the disadvantages of cycling that have been mentioned by those who’veAlternately, you could always choose not to do it. This is perfectly O.K. with fitness goals. You don’t have to join a gym, go to a cycling class, or purchase a workout gear. However, if you’re interested in improving your fitness, it’s worth embracing some of the advantages of cycling. Here are a few potential solutions to strengthen the advantages of cycling:
- Select an easier workout. Easy exercise can be just as beneficial as higher intensity exercise. So, if you don’t feel ready for the harder workouts, select an easier option.
- Do interval training. Interval training is a great way to get cardio and strength training at the same time.
- Eat a healthy diet. A balanced diet is proven to increase health and longevity.
- Drink enough water. It’s been proven that high intensity exercise, even for short durations, can cause core muscle breakdown.
- Sleep enough. A good night’s sleep is proven to help with recovery after strenuous exercise.