Fitness Friday: H3 Summer Biking Guide

Biking is awesome exercise but you should be properly prepared before you start pedaling this summer. Use these tips and benefits so you can bike like a pro!



1. Pre-ride Checklist:

• Check your tire pressure.


• Seat Height - when standing on the ground, your seat should be at your hip height. When sitting on your bike, the leg which is extended should have a soft knee (not completely straight but not too bent either).


• Grab your helmet.


• Fill your water bottle to stay hydrated.


• Make sure you have a blinker/reflector if you’re riding at night.


• Wear bright/neon clothing on dark or rainy days.


• Plan your route before you start riding.


• Wearing headphones/earbuds is highly not recommended.

2. Sitting Properly:

• Practice good posture - sit up straight and remember to not slump over the handle bars.


• Knees should bend with your knee caps facing forward, not out to the sides.


• Knees should never hyperextend, always keep a slight bend at full extension.

3. Riding Etiquette:

• Ride in the same direction of traffic.


• If there is a bike lane, USE IT.


• Use signals to indicate turns and stops.


• Follow all traffic signals.


• Always pass on the left, and verbally communicate when passing: “coming up on your left” or “passing on your left”.


• Be predictable. Make drivers, other bikers and pedestrians aware of your actions.


• Give yourself space between other bikers, pedestrians, and cars.

4. Benefits of biking:

• Reduces CO2 emissions.


• Strengthens your quads, hamstrings, calves and abdominals.


• Low impact exercise with less wear and tear on your joints.


• Get great exercise and take some time for yourself while riding to and from work!


• Increase energy AND boost endorphins!


• Biking is a cardio workout, therefore, strengthening the heart and improving oxygen exchange to the whole body.

Get out and RIDE!! Enjoy the fresh air and the beautiful environment around you!

 

Friday Fitness: Grab Your Bike & Go!

We at H3  truly enjoy the sport of biking – especially time of year.  With more than 80 miles of trails and 12 miles of flat beaches, Hilton Head Island is the perfect place to enjoy the outdoors—and go for a bike ride.

As the spring weather is finally upon us, we challenge you to pull your bike out of the garage (if you haven’t already), lace up your sneakers and go for a bike ride! If biking is already a part of your fitness routine, spice it up by trying one of these ideas:

• Create your own SPIN session by using one of our H3Daily interval workouts on your bike


• Grab some friends and go on a nature bike tour—it’s a great opportunity to learn even more about where you live


• If possible, bike to work—it’s not only a great built-in workout at the beginning and end of your day, but it’s good for the environment

Cardio Challenge: Get Moving!

In December, the employees at Hilton Head Health embarked on their own mission to living a healthier lifestyle.  Through our own wellness program, we are able to participate in monthly challenges to take the steps to improve our overall health, fitness and nutrition habits. 

 

This month’s challenge: CARDIO.  Are you ready to do it with us?  Read below on ways to incorporate cardio activity in your daily routine and why you should get your heart pumping!

 

To get you off on the right foot this New Year, you will be challenged to complete at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise five days per week. 

 

This recommendation comes from the American College of Sports Medicine, which defines the goal as:

                Moderate-intensity physical activity means working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat, yet still being able to carry on a conversation. *It should be noted that to lose weight or maintain weight loss, 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity may be necessary.

                The 30-minute recommendation is for the average healthy adult to maintain health and reduce the risk for chronic disease. 

 

Tips for meeting the guidelines

With busy work schedules, family obligations, and packed weekends, it can often be difficult to get the recommended amount of physical activity. Try these tips for incorporating exercise into your life:

 

Do it in short bouts. Research shows that moderate-intensity physical activity can be accumulated throughout the day in 10-minute bouts, which can be just as effective as exercising for 30 minutes straight. This can be useful when trying to fit physical activity into a busy schedule.

 

Mix it up. Combinations of moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity can be used to meet the guidelines. For example, you can walk briskly for 30 minutes twice per week and jog at a higher intensity on two other days.

 

Set your schedule. Maybe it’s easier for you to walk during your lunch hour, or perhaps hitting the pavement right after dinner is best for you. The key is to set aside specific days and times for exercise, making it just as much a regular part of your schedule as everything else.

 

The gym isn’t a necessity. It doesn’t take an expensive gym membership to get the daily recommended amount of physical activity. A pair of athletic shoes and a little motivation are all you need to live a more active, healthier life.

 

Make it a family affair. Take your spouse, your children, or a friend with you during exercise to add some fun to your routine. This is also a good way to encourage your kids to be physically active and get them committed early to a lifetime of health.

 

Now – time to get started!  Different forms of cardiovascular exercise include:  walking, jogging, biking, dancing, aerobics, swimming, elliptical, stair climbing, spinning, kickboxing and more!

Finding Inspiration Through Exercise

Here at H3, we are gearing up for FIT WEEK 2009!

If you are looking to add variety to your own fitness – this is the perfect week for you to find an activity you LOVE.  Because we all know, in order to sustain a healthy lifestyle it has to be enjoyable! 

Begin the week by establishing your baseline from which to tailor your own personal fitness agenda, then participate in group activities like dance, kick-boxing, kayaking, biking and many others for which you’ve been craving to explore.

 

Join H3 Fitness Director, Adam Martin in an atmosphere geared toward finding your personal motivation and inspiration through each physical achievement. 

You don’t have to take my word for it…