Why You Should Be Cycling to the Gym

Why You Should Be Cycling to the Gym

The current health culture in the UK means that more people are looking to get fit and healthy, which has meant more people are going to the gym. While the current health trend is great, we believe that most gym users use their car too much to travel to the gym when they could instead cycle. Outside of the environmental benefits (and they are important!), cycling to the gym can have a positive impact on your workout. Men’s Journal put forward the benefits of cycling to the gym, detailing how it can serve as good preparation for your workout.

Cycling to the gym is highly recommended because it counts as an excellent warm up to any workout, whether it’s an intense lifting session, CrossFit, or HITT training. It warms the muscles, particularly your lower limbs, gets your heartbeat racing (depending on the time, distance, and intensity of your cycling), and your circulation flowing. So, when you enter the gym, you’re pretty much set to do some serious exercise. The best bit is there is no need to hit either the stationary bike or treadmill to warm up. Just get in a few dynamic stretches and you’re ready to go!

You are also getting some extra cardio when you cycle to the gym, which will help you burn more fat and reach your fitness goals faster. Consider that in the Evening Standard’s list of best ways to burn calories, a leisurely ride — under 10 miles per hour — burns 364 calories per hour. Given that benchmark, you will burn 91 calories during a 15-minute ride. A 30-minute ride, on the other hand, will burn 182 calories. This is the reason why we included “get a bike” in our ‘The Best Simple Exercise for Healthier Living’ feature.

If you do decide to cycle there are some security issues that you need to be aware of, especially with unscrupulous individuals seemingly having an overzealous fondness for stealing bikes all across the UK. Over 250,000 bikes have been stolen in the UK in the past three years, a figure which translates to one bike being stolen every six minutes. Check if your gym has a bike shed or storage that you can put your bike in while you workout.

If not, investing in a good lock (and we mean not buying the cheapest) is essential. If you have just bought a bike, after reading our article on why you need one, investing in a good bike shed at home is the best way to protect your bike from the elements and thieves. Bike sheds come in different materials and sizes, depending on how much space you have. For instance, Screwfix features a variety of all-metal bike sheds that come with secure locks. Additionally, metal sheds are usually smaller than wooden sheds and harder to break into. If instead you have enough room for a large bike shed, then these can be converted into your own mini home gym. This would be ideal for when the weather is too poor to travel to your local gym by bike. If you decide to go this route, The Telegraph has tips on how to go about building a home gym.

Trust us on this. Cycling to the gym is worth it!