This Is What Happens to Your Body When You Cycle Just 5 Minutes a Day

Most people begin their weight loss journey with cardiovascular exercise. However, no two aerobic exercises are the same. Some exercises, like running, can strain your joints significantly, whereas others, such as cycling and swimming, minimize joint, tendon, and ligament stress.

The exercise you pick and the barriers to entry associated with them can be the difference between you reaching your fitness goals and succumbing to procrastinating.

As a personal trainer who has trained hundreds of people, I have found that cycling is one of the most effective exercises for achieving your transformation objectives. It is not as intimidating or high-impact as running and doesn’t require a club membership.

Contrary to what most people think, you don’t have to spend hours each day to get in the best shape of your life. Regular, short bursts of activity are all you need. (1)

In this article, I take you over the benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, leg strength, and overall metabolism, that you can expect if you cycle just five minutes daily.

So, without further ado, here are the advantages of cycling daily for five minutes:

Cardiovascular Boost

Cardiovascular Boost

Biking is a low-impact exercise that doesn’t strain the lower body joints, making it suitable even for bigger individuals. Cardiovascular exercises like biking can help strengthen the heart, improve blood circulation, and reduce the risk of heart disease.

A 2023 study concluded that people who engaged in daily exercise, even for shorter durations, had 30 percent fewer chances of experiencing high blood pressure. (2)

It doesn’t end here. A scientific review suggests an inverse relationship between cycling and all-cause mortality, cancer mortality, and morbidity. (3)

I usually recommend a five-minute cycle ride to my new clients, as longer workouts can feel intimidating. Start with a five-minute bike ride two to three times a week. You can increase the exercise time, frequency, and intensity as you gain more experience and confidence.

Research shows a dose-response relationship between the amount of cycling and the health benefits like lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure, meaning the more you cycle, the better your results will be. (4)

Most of my clients report improved stamina and endurance after cycling daily for five minutes.

Muscle Power and Strength

If you’ve ever seen the legs of sprint cyclists, you would never doubt the effectiveness of cycling for building bigger and stronger legs.

Cycling engages all your lower body muscles, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, contributing to improved leg strength and power. Since we’re talking about a five-minute cycling session, you must go all-out in each session to build leg power and strength.

Remember, cycling isn’t just a lower-body exercise; all your core muscles, including the rectus abdominis, erector spinae, and lats, play a vital role in your performance.

You must keep your core braced throughout the five-minute training session to generate maximum power and ensure stability and balance.

Since cycling is an aerobic exercise, it will also help you lose body fat if combined with a calorie deficit, leading to improved muscle definition and separation. Determine your ideal daily calorie intake using this calculator and follow a balanced macronutrient split to achieve your dream physique.

Metabolic Magic

Let’s be honest: most of us start exercising to lose weight.

Use this calculator to determine how many calories you can burn in a five-minute cycling session, depending on your body weight and training intensity.

Each pedal stroke helps you convert stored energy into movement, and a five-minute ride can help you burn around 30 to 70 calories. The best thing about five-minute biking sessions is that you don’t have to take time out from your schedule to do them.

Think about ways you can include them in your existing routine. How far is your office, favorite coffee shop, or grocery store from your home? Can you take your bike instead of your car?

Regular cycling can help rev up your metabolism for hours after your exercise session. This phenomenon is known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) or the afterburn effect.

Regular exercise like cycling is an incredibly effective way to reduce visceral fat, which is the fat stored deep within your abdomen and around your organs. (5)

Cycling can also help improve insulin sensitivity, which makes energy production via glucose metabolism more efficient. This helps keep your blood sugar levels stable and reduces the risk of developing chronic health conditions like type 2 diabetes.

Mental and Emotional Well-being

Cycling outdoors, especially in parks or open spaces, can boost mental health. Research shows that exercising outdoors can reduce negative emotions and fatigue and increase energy levels. (6)

Physical exercise can give you an endorphin boost, which is one of the best stress relievers.

Honestly, I have had some of my best ideas when I am exercising outdoors. It’s almost like fresh air breathes new life into your brain. I also go for a run or biking session when I’m having trouble focusing, and I do some of my best work sessions after that.

That said, you shouldn’t rule out indoor cycling just yet. If you’re too afraid of biking around speeding cars, you can exercise indoors without worrying about losing out on any health benefits. (7)

A study also suggests that the estimated health benefits of cycling are substantially larger than the risks of driving a car. The findings encourage the readers to shift their mode of transport. (8)

Psychologists also recommend physical exercise for combating hypertension, anger, anxiety, and depression. However, you should always consult a medical professional if you are dealing with any health issues instead of self-diagnosing or treatment.

Additional Benefits of Cycling for 5-Minutes Daily

Here are a few other pros of adding cycling to your daily routine:

Faster Recovery

Laying on the couch isn’t always the best way to recover from a demanding training session. Low-volume and intensity exercise that revs up your heart rate can boost your recovery, as it increases the blood and oxygen supply to the muscles. Blood carries the nutrients required for optimal recovery to the target muscles.

Relaxed pedaling can also help flush metabolites from your muscles, promoting recovery. This is why most CrossFit athletes spend two to five minutes on an Echo bike after a high-intensity training session.

Better Sleep

Increased physical activity and lower stress levels are the recipe for a good night’s sleep. This is also exactly what a five-minute training session delivers. However, you must not exercise too close to bedtime, as it increases your heart rate, which can make falling asleep more challenging.

I recommend exercising at least two hours before hitting the sack.

Joint Health

Joint issues can keep people from starting their fitness journey. Individuals dealing with conditions like arthritis can experiment with low-impact exercises like biking or swimming after getting their doctor’s approval.

Higher Self-Esteem

Exercise releases several feel-good hormones in the body, which can help improve your self-image and confidence. It just doesn’t make you feel good in that moment but can help keep your mood lifted throughout the day.

Immune System

Regular physical activity like cycling can strengthen the immune system and boost your overall health and well-being.

The best part is that you can now dip your toes into cycling by getting an electrically-assisted bike. It allows you to pedal for the desired time and then use the built-in motor as fatigue sets in. I highly recommend an electric bike for sedentary folks who find starting a new biking routine intimidating.

I’m just scratching the surface here. The benefits of starting an exercise regime are too many to list in a single article.

Remember, you don’t have to commit to cycling if you don’t enjoy it. Pick something that jells well with your lifestyle, and that you can stick to for the long term. Consistency and dedication are unnegotiable when it comes to transforming your physique.

Conclusion

Cycling for five minutes is one of the best and most accessible exercises and can help improve your cardiovascular health, leg strength, and overall metabolism, among other benefits. However, ensure that you follow all safety guidelines during your bike rides to prevent untoward incidents.

Also, you don’t have to stick to five-minute bike sessions for eternity. Feel free to alternate between different exercises to keep things exciting and avoid monotony and plateaus.

If you have any questions about this routine or need help implementing it into your routine, please post your questions in the comments below, and I’ll be happy to help!

References:

1. Jakicic JM, Kraus WE, Powell KE, et al. Association between Bout Duration of Physical Activity and Health: Systematic Review. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019;51(6):1213-1219. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000001933
2. Zhang D, Sun B, Yi X, et al. Prevalence of high blood pressure and its associated factors among students in Shenyang, China: A cross-sectional study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2023;102(42):e35536. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000035536
3. Oja, P., Titze, S., Bauman, A., de Geus, B., Krenn, P., Reger-Nash, B., & Kohlberger, T. (2011). Health benefits of cycling: a systematic review. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 21(4), 496–509. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2011.01299.x
4. Hollingworth M, Harper A, Hamer M. Dose-response associations between cycling activity and risk of hypertension in regular cyclists: The UK Cycling for Health Study. J Hum Hypertens. 2015;29(4):219-223. doi:10.1038/jhh.2014.89
5. Kolnes KJ, Petersen MH, Lien-Iversen T, Højlund K, Jensen J. Effect of Exercise Training on Fat Loss-Energetic Perspectives and the Role of Improved Adipose Tissue Function and Body Fat Distribution. Front Physiol. 2021;12:737709. Published 2021 Sep 24. doi:10.3389/fphys.2021.737709
6. Twohig-Bennett C, Jones A. The health benefits of the great outdoors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of greenspace exposure and health outcomes. Environ Res. 2018;166:628-637. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2018.06.030
7. Chavarrias, M., Carlos-Vivas, J., Collado-Mateo, D., & Pérez-Gómez, J. (2019). Health Benefits of Indoor Cycling: A Systematic Review. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 55(8), 452. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina55080452
8. Johan de Hartog, J., Boogaard, H., Nijland, H., & Hoek, G. (2010). Do the health benefits of cycling outweigh the risks? Environmental health perspectives, 118(8), 1109–1116. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.0901747

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