Is Mountain Biking a Good Workout?
Biking is awesome, and it surely gives you all the thrills. After waking up early in the morning, a nice ride isn’t too bad, is it?
If you’re a pro when it comes to biking, I don’t have to tell you how the cooling breeze freshens up your mind as you ride seamlessly through the terrains.
Most people ride mountain bikes for all the adventure, the jumps, and the tough challenges. However, it’s not only a catalyst for entertainment.
Little do they know, mountain biking can keep you in shape, maintain good health, and above all, it is an excellent alternative to a lot of exercises.
If you don’t have mtb, I suggest you to get a budget mountain bike for regular ride to maintain your health.
Is mountain bike a good workout, you may ask. Well, that’s what we’re about to find out. So, without further ado, let’s throttle up.
12 Reasons Why Mountain Biking is a Good Exercise
You Burn a Ton of Calories
Mountain biking burns almost as many calories as running does. It is estimated that only 60 minutes of biking burns 572 to 954 calories.
Time will fly like an eagle. You won’t even notice it. And you can take a break to enjoy the view whenever you feel like to. Before you know it, you will have burned a lot of calories.
| Time | 150lb/68.1kg | 175lb/79.4kg | 200lb/90.7kg | 225lb/102.1 | 250lb/113.3kg |
| 10 mins | 95 | 111 | 127 | 143 | 159 |
| 15 mins | 143 | 167 | 191 | 214 | 238 |
| 30 mins | 286 | 333 | 381 | 429 | 476 |
| 45 mins | 429 | 500 | 572 | 643 | 714 |
| 60 mins | 572 | 667 | 762 | 857 | 953 |
| 1.5 hours | 857 | 1,000 | 1,143 | 1,286 | 1,429 |
| 2 hours | 1,143 | 1,334 | 1,524 | 1,715 | 1,905 |
To make the workout efficient, change the speed continuously, just like interval training.
Because if you do the same exercise every day, it becomes inefficient.
It is better if you bike on nearby trails. It will force you to slow down and speed up continuously.
More Energy, Less Stress
Mountain Biking will make you feel more energetic and reduce your stress. It will keep your mood enlightened throughout the day too.
Your body won’t require as much sleep as it used to since it will make your sleep deeper and more efficient.
But do make sure you take rest and recover from the ride afterward because your body will need it.
I’m Not Working Out, You Are
Mountain biking is fun. It will make you get in ‘the zone,’ and you will be focusing on the turns and jumps. As a result, you will be flying away from your worries and be at ease.
Embrace Wildlife
The perks of being out and about don’t just surround you only; it’s also about whom you encounter.
Mountain biking does let out the opportunity before you to spot fox, deer, and rare species of birds.
Nothing can be more enthralling than swirling through nature and encounter the different diversity of wildlife.
I once read a story about a boy who came across two owls while riding a trail at night. Quite a magical experience, isn’t it?
You can Team up with Friends
You can go biking with your friends. It may get a little competitive, though. But it’s all for a good cause; the competitiveness will make you work harder, which you won’t regret.
Mountain Biking is a cool way to bond with your friends and to enjoy some beer or refreshments after you’re done for the day because you’ve earned it.
Great Cardio without Overindulging
One of the best things about biking is that it forces a cardio workout even when you’re not attempting to create one.
As an upshot, it will make your stair climbs easier than ever before.
Lower Blood Pressure, Healthy Heart
There are so many different causes of hypertension or blood pressure. Some of them may be dealt with Cardiorespiratory exercises.
A regular cardiorespiratory exercise can decrease blood pressure by 6-7 mmHg in inpatient with hypertension. This is almost as much as medications prescribed by your doctor.
Mountain biking is a lot more fun than taking those medications. Even if you aren’t a patient of hypertension, this workout will help you stay away from it.
Boosts Mental Health
You will enjoy better sleep, stress cannot come on your way, and you will feel cheerful. Your confidence will go up at your workplace and also around your friends.
The feeling you will get as you finish the ride will be ever so rewarding.
Little achievements during your journey like ascending on top of a hill or rushing downhill or overcoming a challenge will give you a feeling of accomplishment.
Post-ride you will feel great, and you’ll thank yourself that you made your mind to go for a ride.
Builds Strength
From improving your technical skills that include balance, steady focus, and body positioning to taking up intense cardio sprints biking makes for a dynamic workout that builds more strength in you than ever.
Whether testing your balancing capacity as you cross through a narrow path or challenging your cardio limits on an arduous climb, mountain biking requires strength, undivided focus, and healthy lungs.
Hence, the more you invest your stamina in this; the strength in you gets reinforced.
Uplifts Mood
Mountain biking lifts your mood. Post-ride your happy hormones releases, which causes you to feel a surge of positive energy.
Not only does your mood improve, but your libido also gets an extra boost as well.
Dealing with stress will feel like a breeze now that you have successfully triumphed over the rocky roads.
Speeds up Fat Burning
Are you looking for a fun way to burn fat? Mountain biking will come to your rescue.
Hitting the gym can be a mental battle, but going out on a bike relieves you from the hassle of going to the gym, yet burn those stubborn fats from your waistline shred off in no time.
After all, what can be more exciting than paddling through the wild, indulging in nature, breaking a good sweat yet enjoying it the most?
Better Breathing
Like any other cardio workout, your lungs derive huge benefits from mountain biking.
Scientific studies put forward that lung capacity can be increased by up to 25% by engaging in cardio-respiratory exercises.
Once you adopt the habit of riding more frequently, you will notice that you cope better with climbing heights, and your breathing capacity improves significantly.
The Ride Ends!
Is mountain biking a good workout? I think you have the answer to your question.
There are so many ways you can work out, but Mountain biking is one of the few where you can have the time of your life! Fitness comes second in this particular sport.
The magic about this exercise is, you can’t stop doing it.
The woods, the trails, will call you back almost every day. It will help you release the adrenaline and endorphins, which will satisfy your hunger for the thrill.
Mountain biking will keep you away from stress and negativity and keep your mind fresh all the time.
To be honest, the perks of this particular exercise are uncountable.
The fact that you get to have fun doing it alone is all the more reason for you to pick your bike up and go out there every day and stay fit as a bonus.
It won’t even feel like an exercise. Don’t take my word for it, just get out there in the trails and you will know.
NB. Please be sure that you’ve a comfortable saddle with proper size bike, Otherwise you’ll not enjoy the ride.
References:
https://caloriesburnedhq.com/calories-burned-biking/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5583829/
http://www.cyclodelic.co.uk/how-many-calories-does-mountain-biking-burn/
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/dec/18/anxiety-depression-cycling-cbt
About the Author Zachary Anderson
Hi, I am Zach who is behind Bikefeatures.com I am a fitness geek. I love to ride bicycle regularly to be fit everyday. In winter when riding is impossible in cold then I love to workout at home using indoor exercise equipment. I also love to write in blog to share my knowledge in cycling & workout segment. I hope my articles will help you to be fit in any weather. Thanks!
