The bike is back!

“Nothing compares with the simple pleasure of a bike ride.”  ~John F. Kennedy

As far back as I can remember, I loved the feeling of flying down the road on my bike with the wind in my hair (no, we didn’t wear helmets back in the day).  It filled me with a sense of freedom, energy and life.

To this day, biking is one of my favorite summer activities.  My husband and I spend much of our spring, summer and fall on our bikes.  Our children have a growing interest in it, as well.  We are fortunate enough to live in Plymouth, Minnesota, named Money magazine’s number one Best Place to Live in 2008 (for cities with populations of 50,000 to 300,000).  In Plymouth, we have more than 120 miles of trails for walking, running and biking.  Additionally, through the park district, the paths link up to other paths throughout the Twin Cities.  In its May issue, Bicycling Magazine named Minneapolis America’s best bike city.  Minneapolis has 127 miles of bikeways, with 83 of those being off-street trails. 

So it is obvious that biking is very popular in Minnesota, but it’s also resurging in the rest of the country.  I am sure that Lance Armstrong helped considerably with that, winning seven consecutive Tours de France.

The bottom line is that it is a sport in which almost anyone can participate.  Most of us generally learn to ride a bike as a child and most of us never forget how to ride it.  Biking is not a weight-bearing exercise, allowing you to bike vigorously and then relax and coast for a period of recovery.  It increases your cardiovascular endurance and physical strength.

Biking is cheap transportation and is good for the environment (no emissions).  In Minnesota, a lot of people (even business professionals) now bike to work.

It is an incredible way to see large parts of the city or countryside.  In four hours, one can cover dozens of miles and at a speed that allows you to appreciate your surroundings in the way that traveling in a car cannot.  Mountain biking allows you to access trails otherwise not accessible.

It is also a great social activity.  Many cities have cycling clubs.  Road cyclists ride in groups to take advantage of the extra speed.

The physical benefits

While running may burn more calories than bicycling, it is very traumatic to the joints, making cycling a great cardio alternative.

The number of calories you burn depends on your weight, the activity, intensity, and will be slightly higher or lower depending upon each of those factors.  

• Vigorous cycling (“vigorous effort” – 14-15.9 mph) burns 54-62 calories/mile if you weigh 190 pounds, 44-50 calories/mile at 155 pounds, and 37-42 calories/mile at 130 pounds.
• Moderate cycling (“moderate effort” – 12-13.9 mph) burns 50-58 calories/mile at 190 pounds, 41-47 calories/mile at 155 pounds and 34-39 calories/mile at 130 pounds.
• Light cycling (“light effort” – 10-11.9 mph) burns 44-52 calories/mile at 190 pounds, 35-42 calories/mile at 155 pounds, and 30-35 calories/mile at 130 pounds.

A fascinating study

Dr. Bastiaan R. Bloem of the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center in the Netherlands studied a man who had Parkinson’s Disease (a neurological disorder in which some of the brain cells that control movement die) for ten years.  The man trembled and could only walk a few steps before falling; he froze in place as though his feet were bolted to the ground.  However, he told Dr. Bloem that he was a cyclist, which one would think impossible considering his disease.  He not only rides his bike, but does so several miles a day.  Indeed, Dr. Bloem observed him riding the bike effortlessly and in complete control of it.  As soon as the man got off the bike, however, his symptoms returned.  So Dr. Bloem studied 20 other patients and found the same result – all could do it.  (SEE the video at http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/03/31/health/1247467498167/bicycling-with-parkinson-s.html)

Those with Parkinson’s can often do other complex movements for a few minutes if given appropriate signals (emotional or visual) clues, such as dancing, running, and walking.  But it does not last long and they always return to the same state.  The effect is known as the kinesia paradox.

One explanation for the finding might be that bicycling uses a different part of the brain than walking and might not be so severely affected by Parkinson’s disease.  Or it might be that the rhythmic pressure of the pedals on patients’ feet cues the nervous system to allow a cycling movement.

Dr. Boehm has expanded his study to a clinical trial of 600 Parkinson’s patients.  He is finding that while it does not appear to cure the patients, it may slow the progression of the disease.

What do you need to bike right now?

Obviously, if you don’t already have one, you need a bike! 

Unless you plan on doing some serious street cycling (ala Lance), you do not need an expensive street bicycle or any expensive, fancy gear.  A decent multi-purpose bike (new) will cost you $300-$1000.  However, you can also find a nice bike on eBay or Craigslist for much less.  And unless you are planning to ride your bike off-road for the most part, do not buy a mountain bike.  The wheels are large and knobby and the bike is usually heavier than a street bike, both of which make it more difficult to ride on paved paths and on the city streets.

If you plan on spending more than an hour at a time cycling, it is worthwhile to dress for it.  Definitely wear comfortable, moisture-wicking fabrics (stay away from cotton, which does not wick away sweat and is slow to dry).  The idea of wearing padded shorts may sound funny at first, but after sitting on a narrow seat with little padding for more than an hour, you will quickly appreciate padded shorts!  You can expect to pay at least $30-80 for padded compression shorts.

You don’t need special footwear to ride a bike, but it helps if you have shoes that don’t have a big toe-box (which tends to make pedaling more challenging).  Also, biking shoes have a stiffness to them that makes it easier to pedal.  You can find decent biking shoes for less than $100. 

ALWAYS wear a helmet – even if you are not riding on the street.  Should you lose control or if something malfunctions on your bike, you could very easily take a tumble.  So please protect your head.  A nice helmet will cost you less than $50 and is worth buying new (as opposed to used), so you know it is clean, has not been damaged, and is the right size and fit for your head. 

A good source to locate cycling gear is REI (http://www.rei.com/).

So what are you waiting for?  Summer doesn’t last forever!

Angela, Biker Chick 🙂

References:

1. City of Plymouth (http://plymouthmn.gov)
2. Minneapolis City of Lakes (http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/bicycles)
3. “Cycling Provides a Break for Some With Parkinson’s,” by Gina Kolata, NY Times, March 31, 2010 (http://www.nytimes.com)
4.  Livestrong.com (http://www.livestrong.com)
5.  “Why cycling is such a popular sport,” by Erich Rosenberger, M.D., Helium Sports & Recreation (http://www.helium.com)

Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape

Yes, this is a contortionist doing something that few people on earth can do.  But isn’t she inspiring? 

Until about four years ago, I was unable to do a forward bend with my legs straight and still be able to touch my toes – even as a child.  As an adult, years of jogging (without proper stretching) further shortened up my hamstrings.  Inflexibility is not a permanent condition and it is never too late to increase your flexibility.  You just need a little more patience with it as you get older.  I am living proof; yoga was the key for me.  I am now more limber than my kids! 

We all know that as we age, we need to take particularly good care of ourselves.  There are changes to our body that are obvious and we take steps to alleviate or manage those symptoms and ailments as they arise.  However, some changes are more subtle.  You may not realize just how important flexibility is.  Unfortunately, less than 10 percent of Americans participate in regular exercise and those numbers decrease with age.  While helping to prevent age-associated increases in body fat, long-term exercise also slows the loss of muscle mass. 

The ugly facts

As we age, our muscles shrink and begin to lose mass.  The number and size of muscle fibers decreases and the water content of tendons (cord-like tissues that attach muscles to bones) decreases as we age. 

We lose bone tissue as we get older.  The mineral content in our bones decreases, making bones less dense and more fragile.  As we lose mass, we develop osteoporosis (responsible for almost all hip fractures in older men and women), and the chemistry of the cartilage (which provides cushioning between the bones) changes and degenerates, making it more susceptible to stress.  Ligaments (the connective tissues between bones) become less elastic, further reducing flexibility.

With the changes in the ligaments and tendons, and as the cushioning cartilage breaks down, our joints become more restricted, inflamed and arthritic.

Sad, indeed.

What can you do to counteract or slow this process?

All of these factors not only emphasize the importance of strength/resistance training, but the importance of stretching to keep our muscles flexible and pliable.

One of the best times to stretch is right after a strength training workout.  In addition to increasing flexibility, it promotes muscle growth and decreases post-exercise soreness.

Stretching:

• Increases flexibility, improving your daily performance for any task
• Improves range of motion of your joints, allowing for better balance, making you less prone to fall (especially as we age)
• Improves circulation, aiding in recovery after muscle injuries
• Relieves stress by relaxing tense muscles

Some tips:

• It is best not to stretch cold muscles – stretch after your exercise or at least warm up before doing any stretching (a brisk 5-10 minute walk or jog will warm up the muscles)
• Target major muscle groups (calves, thighs, hips, low back, neck, shoulders) and muscles and joints that you routinely use for work or play
• Pace yourself and hold your stretch (shoot to hold a stretch for at least 30 seconds)
• Do not bounce!  Bouncing can cause small tears in the muscle, leaving scar tissue as it heals, causing more tightness.
• Stretching should be pain free (you should feel tension, but not pain during the stretch; if you feel pain, back off until it dissipates, then hold)
• Breath!  Don’t hold your breath as you stretch.

If you are attempting to increase active flexibility, it is important to also strengthen the muscles responsible for holding those stretched limbs in their extended positions.  Stretching should be combined with strength training to increase overall flexibility, as each enhances the other. 

And, of course, eat a healthy diet that includes plenty of good fats to avoid inflammation and to keep your muscles and joints lubricated.  (See my blog post, Body on Fire, for more on inflammation.)

Happy stretching!

Angela, Limber Lady  🙂

References:

1. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (http://orthoinfo.aaos.org)
2. MayoClinic.com (http://www.mayoclinic.com)