As for me, mountain biking is part of our lives, and I’m not sure if there will ever be any reason to avoid it. For others, mountain biking might be new and exciting, but you’re not quite sure if it’s for you?
Well, I just love it! With that said, I don’t mean any specific type of biking because I love everything from dirt jump bikes to XC, and even road biking. But, I bloom and love mountain biking the most.
Why?
Let me explain the reasons and benefits of mountain biking for anyone to get into it?
Benefits of Mountain Biking At a Glance
There are a few benefits of mountain biking that will make you eager to try it.
- Fun & Adventure
- Full Body Workout
- Shapes Up Muscles
- Improves Mental Health
- Lesser Injuries
- Prevents Diseases
- Improves Posture
- Weight Loss
- Improved Concentration
- Improves Cardiovascular Health
- Quality Sleep
- Source of Networking
- Get Closer to Nature
- Better Metabolism & Appetite
- Economical
- Wear your Passion
1. Fun & Adventure
Have you ever been on a trail with friends (or on a solo ride) without smiling?
It’s fun, adventurous, challenging, and puts a smile on your face to go mountain biking even in snow.
While I’ve been mountain biking for ten years and still enjoy going out with my friends on weekends, there are many more people who have been doing it for quite a long time than me.
What other sport offers more flexibility?
2. Full Body Workout
Enough of a boring gym membership?
Getting a full-body workout and having fun is one of the biggest benefits of mountain biking.
Unlike gym exercises that only work out specific muscles in your upper and lower body, this sport works out your entire body simultaneously.
- Staying upright, your core muscles and abdomen are strengthened.
- Builds strong calves, buttocks, thighs, and legs.
- Muscles in the upper body are strengthened through climbing and maneuvering.
Lastly, when you face challenges, you have strong arms and core muscles.
Isn’t it a great alternative to a boring gym session?
3. Shapes Up Muscles
In contrast to other sports, mountain biking shapes your muscles without making you look flabby or lumpy.
Every form of exercise requires different movements, so it cannot guarantee you shape muscles.
You may lose some weight, but you will look out of shape.
Regardless of any type of mtb, it tightens your skin with improved reflexes.
4. Improves Mental Health
Since mental health is the key to conquering the world with innovative ideas, here comes another mountain biking benefit that has a lot to offer in this regard.
Research found an improvement in cardio-respiratory fitness from cycling leading to a 50% success on mental tests.
“It boosts blood flow and oxygen to the brain, which fires and regenerates receptors, explaining how exercise helps ward off Alzheimer’s,”.
Professor Arthur Kramer said.
Those little goals may not be life-changing, but they are a kind of happiness that relaxes you greatly.
In this way, you will have a better understanding of critical thinking, decision making, handling difficult situations, and avoiding depression.
5. Lesser Injuries
The low-impact stress you will experience while mountain biking is another reason to opt for it.
The non-load position of cycling eases the pressure on your joints compared to other high-intensity sports.
It helps protect and repair the joints by improving their function.
Says Arthritis Foundation.
Riding is physically demanding because your muscles and joints are constantly moving. The body’s flexibility is improved as well as the health of the joints.
Mountain biking is also known as less muscular injury (only if you do it the right way).
6. Prevents Diseases
Bike riding is a great way to meet your daily moderate exercise requirements.
On the other hand, any regular exercise is prone to:
- Better immune system
- Maintain Blood Pressure
- Prevents Diabetes
- Prevents Cancer
- Improved work efficiency
- Prevents Breast Cancer in Women
- Heart Diseases
- Anxiety & Depression
- Eases Workload Pressure
- Increased stamina
Cyclers with 30 minutes 5 days a week take less sick leaves in their professional lives (via Research at the University of North Carolina).
Make mountain biking a regular routine since you don’t even need a mountain to do it. Find easy trails near you and get started today.
7. Improves Posture
One of the key health benefits of mountain biking is the power it gives to your lower back muscles.
Today, sciatica is one of the most common muscle disorders, with an increasing number of patients.
Biking impacts your legs, waist, arms, and back which directly improves your posture in daily life.
However, if you suffer from lower back pain, you should avoid certain exercises that pinch sciatica muscles.
8. Weight Loss
Weight loss is a campaign based on diet, daily routine, and exercise. If, however, you want to lose a great deal of weight more quickly, mountain biking is the way to go.
Cycling three to four times a week boosts your metabolism and fat-burning process in the long run.
While riding for an hour, I burn an average of 600-800 calories. That’s a lot.
9. Improved Concentration
Sudden curves and obstacles help to improve concentration and focus, especially in teens.
As opposed to road biking, it requires extreme coordination between body parts in order to anticipate the next move on tricky trails.
You will improve greatly in your daily routine work and study as your coordination between mind and body increases.
10. Improves Cardiovascular Health
Maintaining your overall health depends on cardiovascular fitness.
A British medical association study found that riding a bicycle 20 miles a week can reduce heart disease risk by 50%.
Your body consumes oxygen faster when you ride a mountain bike because the larger muscle groups hit hard. It dramatically improves your cardiovascular health by 5-10% (compared to the average person).
As a result, you avoid blood pressure, hypertension, and anxiety issues.
11. Quality Sleep
Assurance of better sleep quality is another mountain biking benefit.
As you ride, your mind is focused on what you are doing, resulting in a lower level of stress and a diversion of your attention.
At the end of the day, you feel relaxed with decreased daily life burden.
Therefore, you make your sleep worth it.
After continuous mountain biking, I was able to get over my breakup stress. 😉
12. Source of Networking
Networking is one of the worthy benefits of mountain biking that costs you nothing.
For your personal and professional well-being, socializing is crucial. From my experience, there are a lot of communities, clubs, and friends groups that organize mountain bike events on a regular basis, which results in better bonding among residents.
On the other hand, it offers security when you go out with friends, family, and colleagues.
Making your family bond stronger by taking a family ride on weekends is a great idea.
13. Get Closer to Nature
I know this is a bit philosophical, but I must say,
“We all belong to nature, or we are nature.”
Nothing is more relaxing than getting close to nature after a busy day.
One of the things that set road biking apart from mountain biking is its ability to offer solitude and the majesty of nature.
Wouldn’t it be better to just say goodbye to a city that has busy roads?
When mountain biking, you are exposed to maximum greenery without having to worry about traffic.
It is even possible to ride in snow conditions with Mongoose Malus or Dolomite which have wide knobby tires.
14. Better Metabolism & Appetite
In order to maintain your muscle and protein-energy, you need to eat a proper and nutritious meal that helps you recover the energy you have used.
To refuel adequately and effectively with the right food, you must know the foods that provide energy both during and after cycling.
Cycling on mountains automatically boosts your metabolism, which will allow you to gain energy more quickly.
15. Economical
It does not matter how much the bike costs to have fun on a mountain bike. It’s a sport that is inclusive no matter what your budget is. You can choose any bike ranging from five hundred to a thousand dollars (depending upon many factors).
Mountain bikes cost 10x less than any other sports vehicle; you don’t have to worry about insurance, fuel, license, or parking.
If any part of the bicycle breaks, you can easily find its replacement at a low price.
16. Wear your Passion
Here comes my favorite reason for mountain biking i.e. clothing.
From safety-related clothing and gear to enhancing your appearance, you have plenty of options.
It feels really refreshing when you go out with a proper mountain bike kit. Isn’t it?
Benefits of Mountain Biking in a Nutshell
FAQs
What muscles does mountain biking work?
Although the entire body is in constant contraction while mountain biking, the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, calves, hands, lower back, and abdominals are the main muscles that are continuously working.
When to Avoid Mountain Biking?
In some medical conditions, such as sciatica, arthritis, and muscular disorders, mountain biking is prohibited. It could also cause you to harm your body, such as single muscle stress, which means overusing one muscle at the expense of another, resulting in permanent injuries.
Wrap Up
Over the years, the essence of mountain biking is still the same and that is to provide freedom. Some of us may choose this sport to escape from everyday life as a way of unwinding and de-stressing after a tough day in the office or a difficult time in life.
All these daily life problems can quickly disappear as you feel more present at the moment. Mountain biking can literally give us some more adventure taking us to the places we might not ever have been or been able to get to before.
A great example of this is in the recent lockdown time.
All in all, the benefits of mountain biking are endless from any perspective, all you need to do is know how to maximize your enjoyment.
