PT Health Life – Cycling, walking or jogging are all popular ways to exercise because they are easy to do. So is walking or cycling better for your health?
Walking and cycling are both forms of exercise that many people love because they are convenient and bring many health benefits.
1. What effects does walking have?
Walking is one of the ways to exercise that many people choose, especially the elderly. Every day, with just 30 minutes of walking you will receive significant health benefits such as:
- About the heart : Walking helps improve cardiovascular health, especially when you get older and face many types of heart-related diseases. When walking, blood flow will be pushed throughout the body, promoting metabolism, protecting the cardiovascular system and reducing the risk of stroke .
- About bones and joints: Walking is a way to protect joints and help increase bone density. As you get older and face the risk of osteoporosis, walking is considered a way to exercise to help you have strong bones. Because as you get older, the amount of calcium in your body decreases and you will have to face injuries when exercising vigorously or with incorrect posture.
- Mentally: Walking outdoors is a way to help you feel more refreshed. In addition, you can chat while walking to reduce stress and tension. Walking also helps people with sleep disorders (difficulty falling asleep, not sleeping deeply…) fall asleep more easily and reduce the risk of insomnia.
2. How to walk effectively
Here are some notes to make walking more effective:
- Posture: When walking, many people often make some mistakes that cause incorrect posture, such as leaning too far back or leaning forward, striding too slowly… If this happens for a long time, it can cause harm. can cause damage to the spine and knee joints.
- Walking too hard: Many people think that the more you walk, the better. However, this is a misconception. The recommendations are that you should walk at least 30 minutes every day. Walking more is good, but you need to listen to your body to know how much exercise intensity is appropriate for you. Excessive walking can cause damage to the knee joints because the weight increases pressure on the knees for too long.
- Not subjective: Many people think that walking is an easy subject to do and do not pay attention to issues that can affect the effectiveness of walking such as: not warming up carefully, not stretching before and after walking. Walking, choosing inappropriate clothing (clothes, shoes), walking when too full or too hungry, slippery and dangerous walking terrain…
3. Benefits of cycling
Besides walking and jogging, cycling is also a way to exercise that many people choose. In addition to helping improve fitness and balance, cycling also brings other health benefits such as:
- Good for heart health: Cycling will help you stabilize cholesterol levels , reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and stroke. Besides, cycling is also a recommended sport for patients with metabolic diseases such as diabetes and blood fat.
- Good for bones and joints: Compared to walking, cycling puts less pressure on bones and joints. Cycling is suitable for people who have musculoskeletal problems or need to recover after an injury.
- Strengthens the immune system , maintains a reasonable weight and helps relieve the mind.
4. How to cycle effectively
If you are concerned about the risks of injury and safety when cycling outdoors, you can absolutely choose to cycle indoors. However, you need to keep in mind that cycling outdoors will help your body relieve stress and feel more comfortable. Here are some notes for effective cycling:
- Limit injuries when cycling by choosing flat cycling terrain, avoiding slippery, rough or hilly places. You should cycle when it’s bright, avoid cycling at night, and use protective gear such as a helmet.
- Choose a bike that is suitable for your training purposes and is comfortable when pedaling. Exercise clothes also need to choose suitable, airy clothes.
- Warm up before riding and check the brakes before pedaling. You should cycle at a moderate frequency according to your body condition. In addition, you should pay attention to posture and speed to limit safety risks.
So is cycling or walking better? Cycling and walking are both forms of exercise that bring many health benefits and are easy to do every day. Especially for the elderly, adults should exercise at least 150 minutes per week at moderate intensity or 75 minutes at vigorous intensity, you can also combine both.
Therefore, the choice of walking or cycling is both good, mainly depending on the conditions and physical condition of each person. You should listen to your body and choose based on your preferences and goals. The most important thing is to ensure your safety and maintain your regular exercise goals.
