We have always been told that the healthiest exercise you can do is walk every day. After all, it is a perfect activity: almost anyone can do it, you don’t have to buy equipment or pay for a gym membership, and you can do it at any time of the day. However, the goal of 10,000 steps a day has been debunked.
And let’s be honest; modern humans lead much more sedentary lives than previous generations. If a large part of society spends eight hours a day sitting at work—whether in front of a screen or at a desk—then has to drive or take public transportation, and then ends up sitting on the couch at home resting… when do they have a couple of hours free to walk as much as they should? It’s almost impossible!
Fortunately, walking every day is not the only solution to the sedentary lifestyle and inactivity that plagues the average American. There is another type of daily exercise that is much more effective… and requires no more effort at all. We’re talking about cycling.
Cycling as a substitute for the gym
Cycling is not only four times more efficient than running, but it is also gentler on the knees than walking for hours—something to keep in mind for older people, those with pre-existing injuries, or those who are overweight. However, beyond the mechanical efficiency of this mode of transport, cycling offers health benefits that very few low-impact exercises can match (especially if you make it a daily habit/mode of transport).
The latest detailed study of non-professional cyclists—i.e., those who used bicycles to commute to and from work—was conducted by the University of Glasgow. They analyzed more than 260,000 participants from the UK Biobank. Compared to similar population samples (same age group, same job in similar areas, similar diets), cyclists had a much lower risk of serious illness than those who traveled by car or public transportation. And these were not insignificant figures: cyclists were 46% less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease and had a 45% lower risk of cancer. The risk of premature death from any cause was reduced by 41%.
They were even healthier than pedestrians! While those who walked to work had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those who sat in their cars or on public transport, they still had worse rates than cyclists in terms of cancer and premature death.
This does not mean that walking to work is unhealthy and that you should drive instead. Researchers suspect that it depends more on the distances traveled: while pedestrians walked an average of 6 miles per week, cyclists covered greater distances—30 miles each week. The greater intensity and sustained duration of cycling is the key factor in protecting our heart and immune system from disease.
Calorie Burning and Muscle Development
If your goal is a little more vain—such as getting in shape and losing a few pounds—high-intensity cycling is perfect for weight management and fat burning. It is an activity that can be moderate to vigorous in intensity, maximizing calorie expenditure per minute. While a walk would burn between 150 and 190 calories, a cycling session can burn up to 240-290 calories. That’s almost double the calorie expenditure in the same amount of time, simply by changing activities.
If, on the other hand, you prefer to build muscle, cycling is a very effective low-impact resistance training. It strengthens the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and calves in particular, as well as keeping the lower back and abdomen active to maintain stability. Being so low-impact, it is ideal for people with pre-existing joint problems, or simply those who are recovering from injuries.
However, cycling does have an Achilles heel: bone health. Because it does not bear weight, cycling does not stimulate bone density in the same way as walking, which is a weight-bearing exercise. This is why experts recommend combining the cardiovascular efficiency of cycling with walking or simply lifting weights. So now you know, go to the garage and dust off that bike you have sitting there abandoned!