Cycling as a regular activity helps in building up the cardiovascular muscles while increasing the lung capacity. It is often inferred by the people that a cyclist is more prone to bad polluting fumes in the air than a person driving a car or travelling on a bus.

But in fact, it is entirely opposite to what was found in recent research held by the Healthy Air Campaign, Kings College in London. It had an air pollution detector fitted to a driver,  bus user, pedestrian and cyclist using a busy route through Central London. The results were quite shocking as they were the exact opposite of what people had expected. The driver experienced five times higher pollution levels than a cyclist, as well as three and a half times greater than the walker and, two and a half times more than a bus user/traveller. In short, the cyclist was the winner!

Cycling raises your heart rate and helps touch your Functional Threshold Power (FTP), which is basically the average of the maximum and the minimum power that your body can produce. There are certain FTP tests of 20, 25, 40 minutes and even one hour that helps one tell how much you can push and what are the average watts that you can maintain.

A raised heartbeat results in increased pumping of the blood in the body and it burns calories, limiting the chances of being overweight. As a result, regular cycling can sometimes be used to an extent that your breathing turns anaerobic reducing the risk of developing major illnesses like heart diseases or cancer.

Cycling is associated with a lower risk of CVD, cancer and all-cause mortality. Commuting via walking is associated with a lower risk of CVD independent of major measured confounding factors. Initiatives to encourage and support active commuting could reduce the risk of death and the burden of important chronic conditions.

Cycling on a regular basis helps in increasing your body stamina, your lungs get used to the intake of more air and also realising it on a prompt basis, this helps in building up both the lung and heart muscles reducing the risk of any kind of severe heart or lung related diseases. It not only relates to the strengthening of these two organs but also helps in the overall wellbeing of the body.

Riders in and around Noida can join the Noida Cycling Club (NCC) to start indulging into a physical fitness activity. NCC is the oldest cycling club of Delhi NCR and is absolutely free for all the riders. The club organises weekend rides every Saturday and Sunday, the riders join in a good number to enjoy their weekends in a much refreshing and healthy way.

Log on to www.noidacyclingclub.in for more knowledge and information about the sport.