Doesn’t really sound like the kind of topic that would pop up here, does it? It doesn’t even really look like the kind of thought that would come to a rider’s mind. Yet, amid all the talk of healthy living, and riders’ exclusion from and seeming ignorance towards the same, bike lovers are reaping a lot of benefits from hopping onto their machines and whizzing around!
How could riding a bike be beneficial to one’s health, let alone the riders? Aren’t those things, after all, an accident in waiting? Well, here’s how…
Brain Sharpness
However outrageous a rider might be, they have to maintain a sharp focus on all the things around them. They have to look out for oncoming traffic, rough patches of road, pedestrians and more. They also have to make quick decisions at all times. This helps to keep a rider’s brain alert and teaches it to respond fast. Just look around, you will notice that most riders have excellent mental health even as they age.
Moreover, the thrill of the ride triggers the body to release the feel-good hormone endorphin. This results in a feeling general pleasantness to the rider, which is excellent for their health and the world at large. A remote general practitioner like Livi will tell you that you need to keep up anything that triggers endorphin production.
Leg Exercises
There is a lot of footwork involved during a motorcycle ride. If you pay attention to your leg muscles while riding, you will notice that they hardly ever come to rest. They are engaged from the foot up as you change gears, apply brakes and rise and fall at bumps etc.
These movements work out your feet, calf, knees and even thighs.
Motor Coordination
If you could never bring yourself to play a set of drums, then riding will give you a second chance at learning motor coordination. Bikes, especially older models (which are still widely popular, by the way) require great coordination of the hands and legs for smooth gear transition. You also have to coordinate hands and legs during acceleration and braking.
Burning Calories
You are not likely to see many six pack abs at a bikers’ stopover, but it has nothing to do with the bikes. It probably has to be blamed on the six packs you are likely to notice in their hands. Riding a motorcycle actually burns 40 more calories in unit time than driving a car, thanks to more body engagement involved.
Strengthening the Core
The streamlining posture and constant movement when riding work to strengthen the rider’s core, which is another massive benefit.
There, we actually had a discussion about bike riding and health. Surreal, right? But it really is true. And we have not even touched on the environmental benefits yet!
