When Fitness is a Lifestyle
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When Fitness is a Lifestyle |
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My youngest daughter is nine years old. She has two best friends on our street. After school, she races through her homework so she can go out and play. Last week I asked if I could check her homework before she went outside to play. She told me that her homework was done, but not done right. All she cared about was taking advantage of the nice weather, and her two friends yelling for her to play through the front window. When they play, they ride their bikes or scooters up and down the street without a care in the world. When I was Audra’s age I too loved to play with my friends. I grew up as an only child, and luckily the house I grew up in was across the street from a park that had baseball diamonds, swimming pools, play ground, tennis courts, basketball courts and a one mile bike path. The best part of growing up on my street was the number of boys around my same age (Ronnie, Steve, Todd, Clint, Chris Jackson, Mark, Chris Stein, and another Mark.) We always hung out together. My wife asked whose house was the Kool-Aid house (our house seems to be). I told her we were never inside long enough at anyone's house to have a Kool-Aid house. We were always outside playing, regardless of the weather conditions. Which brings me to my main point...When was the last time you rode your bicycle? In the initial assessment I always ask the types of activities you like to do, and most people really enjoy riding their bikes. So, if you have not been on your bike in a while, why not get back in the saddle (pun intended). If you have a old crappy bike, then I will give you suggestions on what to look for and where would be a good place to find one. Or, if you have a nice bike, but like the exercise equipment in the basement it too is collecting dust, let’s clean it up to get out and ride. Not only ride for exercise, but why not ride to work? Let’s look at some of the things you'll need before riding. 1. Bicycle helmet - If you ride without one that is a VERY bad idea. A couple years ago I went mountain biking with a buddy who did not want to wear a helmet. He stated that he had never crashed, and a helmet would be too hot. I would not let him ride with me if he did not wear a helmet. He reluctantly agreed and guess what? Bob went over the handle bars, and head first into a rock cracking the helmet. I worked in a bicycle shop, and saw how many helmets saved people from eating out of a straw the rest of their lives. 2. Gloves - The padding inside the gloves will help keep your hands from getting fatigued, and again if you take a spill the gloves will save the skin on your hand. 3. Eye protection - Get pelted in the eye with a small rock or bug and you can easily understand eye protection. 4. Bicycle shorts - I know some of you are thinking, "I don't want to wear bicycle shorts. They are made of spandex, and who wants to show off the goods?" You can buy shorts that look like regular shorts but they have a pad to help keep your butt comfortable and it also helps prevent chaffing. 5. Proper bicycle seat - This is a must! I recommend a saddle that has a grove down the center so your butt bones are on the seat, not the soft tissue under your pelvis. They make men’s and women’s bicycle seats that are more comfortable than the original seat the bike usually comes with. 6. Extra inner tube and a small pump - Try to have “Slime” put into your tires. This will help seal some of the small punctures. Nothing kills a good bike ride faster than a flat tire. I would also keep a small patch kit. 7. A bicycle map - You can pick one up at most bike shops. Sometimes trails seem to go every which way. I never ask for directions (ask my wife), but I do have a map in my saddle bag.
So if you have an old crappy bike, what should you look for in a new one? The best staring point is to figure out where are you going to ride. If you are mostly going to ride with the kids or around town, then a comfort bike may be the best choice. Comfort bikes sit up a little more, and have a comfortable riding position. Most all comfort bikes have a front shock. Mountain bikes will be more rugged, and have more aggressive tires to go off the beaten path. This is good even if you are not into going on single track trails, or jumping over rocks and tree stumps. Mountain bikes tend to be the choice of most people, even if you are only going to ride on bike paths. You could even put smooth tires on a mountain bike to make it more road friendly. Last, but not least, is a road bike. The advantage to a road bike is you can ride really fast. It’s not the kind of bike to go on nice slow rides with the family. Personally, I don't like the way your body is positioned on a road bike. The rider is in more of a forward position to make the rider more aerodynamic. If you are into doing triathalons or duathalons, then a road bike would be a great choice. The best advice I can give you to buy a new bike is to go to your neighborhood bicycle shop. In my opinion, big box retailers carry inferior quality bikes that are not backed by a good service plan. I don't like buying anything twice. Spend a little extra money, and get something that will last. I have two bicycles. One I bought about 10 years ago from a bike shop, and it is still going strong. Last year I bought a nice GT mountain bike with disc brakes and a good front shock for a huge bike trip I went on. The bike was about $600. If I ride it for 10 years, that is only going to cost me $5.00 a month. Better than any deal on a car! Plus, when I ride my bike to work (my Chevy Tahoe gets 11 miles to the gallon), the bike looks inexpensive compared to filling the gas hog up. Go to different places and ride different bikes. When you find the right one, you will know. Most bike shops don't have pushy salespeople. They are people like myself that have a passion for riding. Once you have your bike up and running, think about the places you can ride your bike instead of driving in your car. Here are some links to bike websites; http://bicyclecolo.org/index.cfm http://jeffco.us/openspace/index.htm Take advantage of living in Colorado...we have so many places to go! Take your family or friends, and instead of sitting on the couch or doing things you don't like doing. Grab your bike and relive some of the old childhood memories. When I am riding my bike, it’s great to smell the fresh cut grass, trees and see the wonderful things nature has to offer. It is hard to notice those things sitting in the car. Client of the Month
Dr. Abby has done an amazing job! She has embraced her exercises. Not only does she look great, but she is feeling better than she has in years. She is starting to get back into clothes that she wore in college. Abby’s starting body-fat percentage - 30.7% All I can say is keep up the good work!!!! |
