Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
We all know that exercise is beneficial for a healthy body, but it’s also proving to be just as essential for a healthy brain. During (and after) cardiovascular cycling training, there is an increase in energy levels due to mitochondrial structures feeding ATP (energy). Mitochondria are multiplied with high-intensity training, which has a very positive effect on the brain and our spirit. There have been several studies indicating that the quality of exercise over quantity is what matters most for sustained energy. When an individual can raise their sustained energy throughout the day, their systemic cellular function is better throughout the entire body. Indoor cycling allows the body to recover faster because the VO2 or oxygen uptake is also improved.
Selene Yeager, Fitness Coach and Professional Athlete recently wrote about several studies that support how indoor cycling can boost your attitude and health. “Of course, there’s a lot more to mental fitness than just improving your smarts. Plenty of science backs the idea that a good ride can also have emotional benefits. Cycling can elevate your mood, relieve anxiety, increase stress resistance, and even banish the blues.
“Exercise works as well as psychotherapy and antidepressants in the treatment of depression, maybe better,” says James Blumenthal, Ph.D., professor of behavioral medicine in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. A recent study analyzing 26 years of research finds that even just some exercise—as little as 20 to 30 minutes a day—can prevent depression over the long term.
“At the moment, scientists don’t completely understand the exact mechanisms, but they do know that one of the benefits of cycling is that it boosts the production of feel-good chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine. “As soon as our lab rats start running on their wheels, they get a 100 to 200 percent increase in serotonin levels,” says J. David Glass, Ph.D., a brain-chemistry researcher at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio.
“As you pedal past the 20-to 30-minute mark, other mood-lifting chemicals like endorphins and cannabinoids (which, as the name suggests, are in the same family of chemicals that give pot smokers their high) kick in. When researchers asked 24 men to either run or pedal at a moderate intensity or sit for about 50 minutes, they found high blood levels of anandamide, a natural cannabinoid, in the exercisers, but not in sedentary volunteers.
Even better, regularly riding your bike helps keep hormones like adrenaline and cortisol in check, which means you’ll feel less stressed and you’ll bounce back from anxiety-filled situations more easily.”1
CycleStation
There’s no better way to get your adrenaline pumping than to amp the atmosphere up with LED lighting, energizing music and being surrounded by excited, stimulating people. Where can you get all of this while you’re working out? —Cycle-Station in Ft Myers.
CycleStation is an indoor cycling studio that not only offers the latest and greatest in bikes, music, fitness experts, and commitment, but also in the investment, they make in you. Because of their dedication to helping you see results; they offer different stages of workout levels from 45-minutes and 90-minutes each session. Depending on your intensity level, you can burn anywhere from 300 to 900 calories during your session.
CycleStation tells their clients to expect the following. “You will pedal, sweat, and forget about the outside world. Get into amazing health and look FABULOUS. The instructor will take you through different types of movements and paces, from sprints (essentially, pedaling super-fast) to jumps (standing up out of your seat) to everything in between, all without getting off the bike. It’s your ride at your level.”
You can schedule your class online or just pop into the studio for a schedule. Bring your workout gear, sneaker or bike shoes, and you’ll be ready to speed up your metabolism, burn calories, increase muscle and endurance and have fun!
Boost your Mood and Your Health! Contact CycleStation today!
CYCLESTATION INDOOR CYCLING STUDIO
Myerlee Plaza
7050 Winkler Road, Suite 119, Fort Myers, FL 33919
SpinCrazy.com | (239) 989-9994
Reference:
1. Bikes & Gear Training News, How Cycling Makes You Smarter and Happier: How You Can Maximize The Mental Benefits Of A Good Ride, bicycling.com, Hearst Media, 2014
