The Power of Cycling: Low-Impact Cardio for Longevity | Shebah Carfagna & Nate Wilkins

Cycling plays multiple roles in our quest to live longer, healthier lives. Both indoor and outdoor riding builds cardiovascular health, strengthens the lower body, and protects joints. 

In our latest Move for Life episode, Peter Bowes is joined by Ageless Workout fitness experts Nate Wilkins and Shebah Carfagna to explore the pros and some of the cons of getting on your bike.  

They examine the trade-offs between low-impact spinning and higher-intensity classes and why controlling resistance and cadence matters; the benefits of being outdoors - exposure to the elements, vitamin D, varied terrain - while stressing safety and proper bike fit. 

Prostate-related pressure from prolonged seated riding is also examined, along with the importance of saddle design, and when to stand to reduce risk. 

You should consult your healthcare providers before starting or modifying cycling routines.

-----

This podcast is supported by affiliate arrangements with a select number of companies. We have arranged discounts on certain products and receive a small commission on sales. The income helps to cover production costs and ensures that our interviews remain free for all to listen. 

Visit our SHOP for more details: 
https://healthspan-media.com/live-long-podcast/shop/

EnergyBits algae snacks
A microscopic form of life that could help us age better. Use code LLAMA for a 20 percent discount

PartiQlar supplements
Enhance your wellness journey with pure single ingredients. 15% DISCOUNT - use code: MASTERAGING15

SiPhox Health home blood testing
Measure 17 critical blood biomarkers from home. Get a 20% discount with code LLAMA

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Transcript

Peter Bowes: 0:27

On your bike, whether it's on the road, in a spin class or in your living room. Cycling is one of the most joint friendly ways to build cardiovascular fitness, burn calories, and strengthen your legs. Hello again! Welcome to the Live Long podcast and our Move for Life series short episodes with Nate Wilkins and Sheeba Carfagna, where we focus on the basics. In this episode, we'll break down why cycling is such a powerful longevity tool and how to get started safely, no matter what your fitness level.

Shebah Carfagna: 1:17

Whether you're talking about on a bicycle or in a spinning class on a stationary bike if you will, continual progression of the legs and the lower body is excellent. It's that movement for the lower body and moving the larger muscles in your body. Also the heart benefits the vascular benefits. If you use rate of perceived exertion on a scale of 1 to 10 and you get up when you get on a bike, you're at zero and you get around 5 or 6, or you go up to ten, that is there. That stability and that frontal motion is so good. The strength training.

Nate Wilkins: 1:52

When you talk about cycling outside as an example, you get the elements. It is totally different. That's like if you work out outside with weights or what have you, or bodyweight. Whatever the case may be, the elements are different. You also get the benefit of vitamin D. While I'm not a real outside person per se in terms of riding, I do a lot of spinning or cycling indoors. I still see the benefit of doing it outside, particularly in an environment that's safe.

Shebah Carfagna: 2:24

And the synovial fluid in your lower body, that flexibility in your hips, because as you get older, the joints and everything wears. So you want to keep that synovial fluid going and thinking about your cartilage improvement of your cartilage that keeps the joints moving as well.

Peter Bowes: 2:41

One of the great benefits of cycling is that it is low impact in terms of your body.

Shebah Carfagna: 2:46

It can be it can be low impact. If you get in one of those spinning classes that Nate used to teach. It's very high impact. Now you see a lot on Instagram. Everybody's up down over here. You know, there was a time when they did weights on, on spinning bikes that we really did not we really did not support that. There are some things that we don't support that are trends, but I think it can be low impact. But on a spin bike, if you raise the gear, it becomes harder. It you know, your cardiovascular goes to work. But as of now I teach low impact spinning, low impact spinning, low impact boot camp where you just want to feel that motion and feel that you can move your body, which is critical.

Nate Wilkins: 3:30

And it goes back to the same conversation we talked about with walking. You could do that individually, or you could do it in a group, you know, like the peloton.

Shebah Carfagna: 3:40

Yes yes, yes.

Nate Wilkins: 3:41

Yeah. People riding together. But you knew that both indoor and outdoor. The thing that I like about cycling is that you could actually sort of control whether you want to go full speed and work on sprinting, getting your heart rate up and running really fast, and then you slow it down. So you work on endurance. I mean, there's multiple variables that you allow you to do things for your your cardiovascular system as well as your lower body.

Shebah Carfagna: 4:12

And you have that range of motion maintenance. You want to keep that range of motion maintenance and cardio for sure, and just keep the body moving. So we love to spin. You can see we've got spinning bikes in the back.

Peter Bowes: 4:25

I know some people who have switched from pure running marathon running to being triathletes because it incorporates cycling, incorporates swimming as well, which is something we can talk about at another time. But the fact that it incorporates different body movements for the traditional runner sees long term benefits in terms of their overall health and mobility.

Shebah Carfagna: 4:48

Funny you mentioned that it's been our experience. And so we have professional hockey players who work with Nate specifically on spinning because that motion is this; skating. Okay. So they're used to that. They've been doing that forever since they were little. Most of them are children. But when they get on that spin bike, it is a whole different movement in the biomechanical chain of movement, which is different than what they're used to, which probably strengthens their legs differently. Think of your legs moving like this. You're using the muscles differently, and here you're using more of the more of the quads, more of the hamstrings. You're using them as well here, but you're also using body weight to shift. You know, on a spin bike your body stabilized, and the whole goal is to get you to isolate your lower body and get different muscle development to hit the muscles differently. And we've talked about that in previous episodes, is what are the differences in the exercises? Even just using the legs to give the muscle a better kind of situation to perform. Whether you're a pro athlete or you're someone who's just starting out.

Nate Wilkins: 5:56

One of the things that you have to pay attention to when you talk about aging and longevity is the the impact of sitting down on the bike, particularly if you have some prostate issues. So again, have to pay attention to those pieces. So sometimes you need to stand up a lot longer than you sit down if you have those issues. I just want to make sure we address that.

Shebah Carfagna: 6:22

And that's another conversation prostate and cycling that you know because that can be an issue for sure that we've dealt with firsthand.

Peter Bowes: 6:31

This just goes to what we've said several times. You need to check these things out with your doctor, with your health professional first, to see that you will know that if you have issues. But maybe you need a a general physical as well, just to determine whether cycling is going to be appropriate for you.

Shebah Carfagna: 6:47

That's a good point.

Nate Wilkins: 6:49

People need to be aware that perhaps too much sitting down on a bicycle can probably put too much pressure on the prostate and cause it to continue to enlarge.

Shebah Carfagna: 6:59

But isn't that why they have the hole in the seat?

Nate Wilkins: 7:01

Yeah. That's why. But again, if you already have enlarged prostate, you need to get up off of the prostate.

Shebah Carfagna: 7:07

Which makes it high impact because you're standing.

Nate Wilkins: 7:10

Yeah. And so when you talk about high impact of cycling, that's where some of that comes in. And some people like to do jumps. And those are not good for you either.

Shebah Carfagna: 7:20

All the things that we've done.

Peter Bowes: 7:22

And this of course draws attention to the mechanical side of cycling. Then if you're going to choose outdoor cycling, you need to think carefully about the kind of bike bicycle that is suitable for you. You could have a mountain bike, you could have a racing bike. And you need to think carefully about what the kind of cycling you're going to be doing that's the most appropriate, the kind of terrain that you're going to be cycling on. All of these issues are important, aren't they?

Shebah Carfagna: 7:47

I think so. I think it's important to get fitted for a bike correctly if that's something you choose, whether you have cycling shoes. Certainly you need a helmet if you're outside. But the benefits of being outside is the fresh air, the echo therapy. If you have a park that you can do, you've got the terrain aspect of it, as well as the cardio benefit and the and the change of pace. I think that is absolutely fabulous for people to think about that whole outside. And you can do it with others. You can set an appointment, but it's also good for the respiratory system. I'm a firm believer in working out outside.

Peter Bowes: 8:26

So cycling improves heart health, builds lower body strength, supports joint health and lifts your mood. And you can make it as easy or as challenging as you like. Just start pedaling. The Live Long podcast is a Healthspan Media production. I'm Peter Bowes, you can contact me through our website livelongpodcast.com where you'll also find show notes for this episode.

DISCLAIMER: 8:49

This podcast is for informational, educational and entertainment purposes only. We do not offer medical advice. If you have health concerns of any kind or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should first consult your doctor.