If you have been cycling on roads for a while, you should try mixing up your workout by adding some mountain biking to it. Taking a break from the road and riding bikes amidst the beauty of nature is a blissful experience for many. Riding bicycles in city gives you a decent workout, but it also gives your lungs polluted air to breathe. On mountains, you breathe fresh air and after only a couple of workout, you will a major improvement in your overall performance. In fact, mountain biking is one of the favorite workouts of professional and competitive cyclists.
Here are some of the reasons why you should switch to mountain biking:-
- You will get away from noisy cities: Cities are full of people going about their workout. It’s a really a hassle to cycle in such a noisy place. You will hear cars honking, people shouting and constructions that don’t end.
- You want to avoid cars: For people who like cycling on road, handling cars is a big challenge. Even though some cities have biking lanes, driving with cars can be one of the worst experiences for a rider. Because of this reasons, many riders choose to go someplace less crowded and practice their art.
- You want to try to out different cycling surfaces: Just like tennis, in cycling as well, the surface on which you play matters. So if you have been riding on asphalt your entire life, you should try riding on different terrains. It will not only give you a change of scenery, it will also make you a better rider. You will learn a lot from your surroundings. To be honest, cycling on different terrains puts different demands on your body and at the end of the day, you will come out stronger and sharper.
- Climbing up mountain can increase the raw power of your legs: Working against gravity can get your heart beating in seconds. Whether you want to improve your lung capacity or increase your muscle performance, you should climb up mountains. It is a much better workout than slogging hours at the gym. After you are done with about 3 months of mountain biking, you will find that you comfortably beat your previous personal records.
- You want to reduce stress in your life: Stress has entered our lives and it is eating us slowly. A lot of doctors suggest that stress is one of the biggest reasons why people are not happy and are not able to enjoy life. If you are feeling the same, you should take a look at adopting mountain biking as a hobby. I am not saying you do mountain biking competitively, just do it casually. All you need is a bike, and some safety equipment. Spending time in nature lets you become one with yourself, your stress levels will go down and you will feel much better.
If you are convinced by the reasons above, what are you waiting for, go to your nearest cycle store and get yourself the Best MTB for trails and a bike lock to ensure no one other than you can get their hands on it. For locks check out BodyGearguide’s top recommendation.