Are you planning to start cycling? Then you’re probably asking yourself what bike do I need? How long should I cycle? How often do I need to do it?
In this blog post, I’m going to let you know how frequently you should cycle as a beginner. You can get my guidelines, which are based on many factors, and which will help you choose the right cycling routine.
Get to Know Your Body
One of the most important things to be aware of relates to your own capabilities according to your body type and your form. Before you start cycling and determine how often you should do it, you may want to answer a couple of questions like what’s my body mass index? Am I in good shape? Have I cycled before?
First, you can easily calculate your body mass index online. Once you get to know the results, you will know whether you need to cycle every day, or you need some more lightweight routine.
The same goes for your shape. In other words, if it’s been a long time since you had any physical activity, you may want to start cycling every few days and then gradually work up from there.
Plus, if you have ever cycled before as a beginner, but took a long break, your muscles tend to remember the cycling movements. This further means that your body gets stronger by doing one and the same thing over and over again. So, repeating a well-known activity may not pose the same risk of injury as doing something for the first time would.
Never Try too Hard too Early
Even if you make a decision to cycle every day or almost every day, you should never overdo it. Being motivated is a great thing, but pushing yourself to the limits isn’t. That is why I advise you to cover daily distances and routes that are short at first.
Also, you may need to periodically take a break during your cycling. Pausing for a while helps your body and muscles rest. Doing this also helps you avoid potential injuries, cramps, or burnout.
Lastly, your cycling time should not last for too long. In case you decide to cycle a bit faster, you can cut out some time so as to maintain balance.
Set Your Cycling Routine According to Terrain
Another key thing you need to have in mind when settling upon your cycling routine is your cycling terrain. Needless to say, your cycling intensity increases as your terrain gets harder to ride on. For example, riding uphill or choosing a rough surface burns more calories than a casual ride.
So, in the event that you prefer a more intense cycling style, your cycling frequency needs to be adjusted accordingly. That is, you may not need to cycle every day, since you are a beginner. In contrast, you may want to cycle daily on the occasion that your terrain is flat, easy to ride on, and you don’t go too far.
