Fit through cycling

Fit through cycling

Cycling not only gets you to your destination quickly, but pedaling also promotes health: half an hour of exercise a day prevents diseases such as obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and calorie consumption increases. By cycling, you can easily implement this guideline and the fun of moving does not fall by the wayside.

Don't let your bikes and knees rust. Movement is good for both. When cycling, the pedals determine the sequence of movements for the legs. Up and down, no back and forth. The knees have little opportunity to swerve and to be loaded incorrectly or too heavily. The articular cartilage is well supplied with oxygen through the circular movement. Cycling thus protects the knees from cartilage abrasion (knee arthrosis) and lubricates the joints at the same time.

If a few more pounds have already crept onto your hips, the bike will relieve you of part of the load. That is why cycling with overweight ( body mass index over 25) is particularly recommended. The joint-friendly training burns calories and fat - this keeps the body in shape. Cycling has a positive effect on cholesterol levels - one less risk factor that is responsible for arteriosclerosis (vascular calcification).

Cycling gets the cardiovascular system going. The blood pressure rises during exercise, but in the long term, it drops to a lower level. This protects the heart because it has to pump against less resistance. The training trains the heart muscle and improves blood circulation. The increase in performance prevents cardiovascular diseases.

Cycling is also a suitable sport to strengthen the back muscles. Through physical exercise, it supplies the intervertebral disc and strengthens the small muscles that support the individual vertebral bodies. This gives the spine stability and tension is released. The correct posture is important when cycling: The upper body should be slightly inclined forward (15 to 20 degrees) so that the back is slightly tense and the center of gravity is above the pedal position. The lower back muscles and those under the spine in particular are strengthened by the pedaling movement. The more the back is inclined, the harder the driver can pedal. A prerequisite for this is a well-developed back muscle. The slanted upper body protects the intervertebral discs from overload. The legs can cushion any impacts in this position.

Finally, cycling costs energy. This naturally lowers blood sugar levels, while keeping body weight within limits and thus preventing type 2 diabetes mellitus (diabetes).

High-tech bike with 24-speed gear shift? Road cycling? Or old carrot with only three courses? The main thing is that the bike is tailored to your individual needs and you like to ride it well.

Tips for cycling

• The correct seating position is important: adjust the saddle so that the legs do not have to be pushed all the way through when riding. Even if the pedals are at a low point, the leg should still be slightly bent. The best way to check from the side is whether the saddle is properly adjusted: a vertical line from the knee should run just in front of the pedal axis.
• Optimal is a slightly forward inclined sitting position with an upper-body incline of 15 to 20 degrees. The more you tilt forward, the more powerfully you can pedal. A strongly inclined posture, however, requires well-trained back muscles that can hold the upper body without problems.
• Adjust the handlebars so that the wrists do not bend too much and the arms are bent slightly so that the bumps do not pass into the wrists and shoulders.
• Choose less-traveled roads or bike paths.
• The head should be protected with a helmet.
• Wear comfortable, breathable clothing. Light-colored clothing is more noticeable in traffic and prevents cyclists from being overlooked.
• Cycling glasses protect against insects and watery eyes.
• Choose lightweight shoes with a profile so you don't slip off the pedals.
• Gloves protect hands from cold and injuries from falls
• Make sure that your bike is roadworthy and the gearshift is easy to use so that you don't have to handle it unnecessarily.

The prerequisite for the correct seating position is of course that your bike has the correct frame size:

With the right frame size, the most important thing is the frame length, which determines the distance between the saddle and the handlebar grips. If the frame is too short, the back is automatically rounded, the arms stretched, and the head back. The frame length is optimal if the back can be stretched in its natural S-shape while sitting in an inclined position. In this position, the back muscles can support the upper body and relieve the hands and arms. Well-sprung bicycles and saddles reduce the impact on the spine.

The basic prerequisite for a good cycling technique is, of course, that you master your bike safely. That means being able to drive with one hand and standing, as well as shifting while driving and looking backward.

Always pedal in the same rhythm and put your foot on the pedals. Accompany the circular motion of the pedal crank by not only pulling down the pedals forcefully but also actively pulling them up on the other side with your feet and legs.

The ideal cadence when cycling should be 80 to 100 pedal revolutions per minute. A slower cadence demands heavy footwork, which puts extreme strain on the muscles and joints. A higher cadence protects joints, tendons, and muscles from overloading and promotes physical condition. Electronic step counters can help determine the correct frequency.

In order for cycling to bring health benefits, a training mode of at least three half-hour training units per week is necessary.

If you are completely untrained, you can allow yourself more time to get started: You don't always have to increase the workload from training to training exactly as planned. The last unit on the plan can also be repeated once and only switched to the next level during the subsequent training. The entry-level program may take twice as long (eight weeks), but it will only be half as difficult for you.

Between the individual training units, daybreak for regeneration is recommended.

Start of the training session

At the beginning of the training session, you should first run in loosely at around 50 to 60 percent of the maximum pulse rate. As a beginner, you should take the time to gradually approach your personal target speed. Start cycling lightly until you get used to the strain. How fast you can drive depends on your pulse rate. You will find that you do not have to set any speed records to exercise at a healthy pulse level.

Center of the training session

The focus of the training session is always an increase in endurance performance. The load intervals are getting longer. With each training session, you get a little bit closer to your final goal (half an hour of cycling without a break).

End of the training session

At the end of the training session, the cooldown effort should be slowly reduced. Slow down the pace. Continue driving loosely until the pulse rate has dropped back to around 60 percent of the maximum pulse rate.

It makes sense to stretch the legs after each workout to avoid shortening the muscles and tendons in the long run. The strain on the neck and back is also unusual at first. In order to prevent tension and shortening of the trunk muscles, a final stretching is also suitable here. Take a moment to stretch your leg muscles.

Don't start sprinting too quickly. The heartbeat sets the pace. Measure your pulse to find the right training intensity and your personal target speed.

At least 60 to 70 percent of the maximum pulse rate must be reached for fat burning - but this really only revs up after 20 to 30 minutes of training. Our training program takes you to this magical limit.

Endurance performance improves after about 40 minutes of cycling.

It is important to always stay below the exposure limit. 60 to 70 percent of the maximum heart rate is optimal for improving active fat metabolism. Anyone who significantly exceeds this limit puts the body in a supply shortage: instead of fat, it burns carbohydrates that are important for muscle work and goes to the oxygen reserves.

When you have reached your optimal heart rate, keep up the pace.

Take the entire first training session to find out your individual training speed while cycling. In the following training units, use the break times to check your pulse. Adjust the pedaling speed and gait you use.

The one-minute recovery phases in our training plan prevent overexertion while cycling. Taking a break doesn't mean that you stand still or dismount and push - that would get you completely out of step. A pause means that you step on very slowly as you roll out, so that your breath becomes calmer and the tension eases.

Find a level route for training so that the load is as constant as possible.

Training plan

1 week

Training session	To go biking	Total duration
1	Drive for 12 minutes, take smaller breaks and find out your individual target speed by measuring your pulse and possibly a tachometer.	at least 12 min
REGENERATION DAY	-	-
2nd	Drive 1 x 12 min at your personal target speed	12 min
REGENERATION DAY	-	-
3rd	2 x 8 min, in between 1 min break	17 min
REGENERATION DAY	-	-

2 weeks

Training session	To go biking	Total duration
4th	1 x 10 min, then 1 min break 1 x 5 min	16 min
REGENERATION DAY	-	-
5	1 x 15 min	15 minutes
REGENERATION DAY	-	-
6	2 x 10 min, in between 1 min break	21 min
REGENERATION DAY	-	-

3 week

Training session	To go biking	Total duration
7	2 x 12 min, in between 1 min break	25 min
REGENERATION DAY	-	-
8th	1 x 15 min, then 1 min break 1 x 10 min	26 min
REGENERATION DAY	-	-
9	1 x 15 min, then 1 min break 1 x 12 min	28 min
REGENERATION DAY	-	-

4th week

Training session	To go biking	Total duration
10th	2 x 15 min, in between 1 min break	31 min
REGENERATION DAY	-	-
11	1 x 20 min, then 1 min break 1 x 10 min	31 min
REGENERATION DAY	-	-
12	1 x 30 min without a break!	34 min

Sources:

Cycling and Health. Healthy cycling compendium. Online publication of the Center for Health of the German Sport University Cologne (accessed on March 23, 2011)

Online information from the German Sports Association: Correctly fit from 50. correctfit-ab50.de (status: 2009)