Perhaps no type of exercise poses quite as large of an acute injury potential as bike riding. Whereas someone who’s running can stick to sidewalks, and a swimmer has an entire pool to themselves and their fellow athletes, cyclists have to travel right alongside larger vehicles that could quite easily push them off the road.
So while cycling is a healthy option for any athlete, it’s one that has to be approached with the utmost caution. In addition to looking out for chronic damage that manifests over the course of time, as well as normal athletic injuries like sprained ankles, you have to make sure you’re not going to be hit by a motor vehicle, which can do serious damage that you might not be able to fully recuperate from. A new report from the Washington Post highlights how you can do this.
You have to be more responsible than those you share the road with. That may not be fair, but you can’t afford to take chances. Whereas runners or people lifting weights can get away with listening to music (or even watching television if they’re on a treadmill), you need to dedicate your entire focus to what’s going on around you.
Although you will necessarily pay attention to your exercise, you have to also keep a little bit of your attention on traffic flow, pedestrian traffic, and upcoming obstacles that could cause you to veer off course. That’s a tall order when you think about how important it is to maintain proper form and monitor speed and distance all at the same time. Given how much you have to keep track of, it may not be a good idea to put headphones on or engage in some other distracting activity.
Many people opt to exercise either right before they go into work or right after, times of day when traffic tends to be heaviest. If you attempt to avoid this influx of vehicles by riding at night, make sure that you’re going to be visible to all those around you. Reflectors and the installation of lights on your bike can go a long way toward illuminating your presence. These are a good idea at all times of the day, but they’re crucial at night.
The other thing you have to worry about that others don’t is adherence to traffic law. Because that means coming to a halt at stop signs and traffic lights like any other vehicle, your exercise can become jerkier, with lots of sudden stops and starts. This can prove taxing to someone trying to make their workout go smoothly, but it’s part of the turf when cycling in an urban environment. Don’t take chances just to keep your momentum going.
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