Cycling is a great way to get some exercise. It is a good cardiovascular exercise to do, it builds up plenty of different muscles, and if you head outside and get on a mountain bike you can explore all kinds of different areas as well.
But you will only get all of these benefits if you actually get in that saddle and start biking! And the best way to do that is to make use of an indoor exercise bike beforehand.
You see if you haven’t ridden a bike in years you will find it very tricky to get out and about on a proper bike again. You might even feel a bit wobbly to begin with, and if you aren’t on completely flat ground the whole time, your legs will soon start to ache and then hurt. The more you do it the better you will get of course – but that doesn’t mean your initial few attempts won’t be painful!
So where should you start? On flat ground, indoors – on your exercise bike. Set it to the least resistance possible for starters, and simply get on and start slowly. You should find you will pick up speed and get into quite a natural rhythm, and you will slow down quickly enough if you go too fast.
Over time your leg muscles will start to strengthen and you will go further with each timed session you do. After that you can start to increase the resistance on the bike; this will make it feel as though you are going up a gradual slope and give you something to work against.
Once you feel quite comfortable on the exercise bike and your legs are feeling stronger, you can venture out on your mountain bike. The natural ups and downs of the terrain around you will test your stamina thus far, and make sure you are challenged as you get used to riding a bike outdoors. This is vastly different from using an exercise bike, but as you will see, doing one activity will help you to get used to the other as well.
The great thing about having both options is that when the weather is bad you can simply hop on your exercise bike and still get some worthwhile exercise. It will help you to keep your leg muscles supple and toned for the next time you go out on your mountain bike. And when the weather is good you know you won’t have to stay indoors – you can head out and enjoy the outdoors instead, whilst still getting some great exercise.
So if you only have one option open to you, perhaps it is time to consider having both. You can buy a good quality exercise bike or mountain bike (whichever one you are missing) for a reasonable amount of money. It doesn’t have to be the best one on the market; it simply has to be good enough to meet your needs.
And having two bikes to jump on definitely has its advantages!