Shifting Recreational Patterns in Australia
There have been some subtle shifts in recreational patterns of Australians over the last decade. There have been some modest increases in swimming and jogging and going to the gym.
The dramatic rise in the popularity of cycling isn’t subtle – it’s been massive. While golf was the favoured recreation for many middle-aged men, cycling has found a new popularity in this group. There is a growing trend of men replacing their colorful golf shirts and plaid pants with skin-tight lycra. The emergence of the MAMIL (middle-aged man in lycra) over the last decade often isn’t subtle either!
Cycling Statistics
Australians are cyclists. Over 50% of Australian households have at least one bike in working order. 17% of the population (a whopping 3.6 million) ride a bike in Australia each week. If you’re on the roads early in the morning no doubt you have encountered the MAMIL. The yellow jersey of cycling participation belongs to these men aged 34-49, with 26% of this age group cycling occasionally or regularly.
Reasons for Cycling’s Popularity
Reasons for the soaring popularity of cycling are due to a number of factors; petrol prices, busy roads and traffic, and let’s not forget Cadel Evan’s Tour de France victory in 2011. Norman Morris from Roy Morgan Research also points out that cycling has a low impact on joints and has a strong social aspect (cyclists often ride in bunches)making it appealing.
Health Considerations
In another article we talked about the impact of prolonged sitting. While cycling isn’t quite the same as sitting, cycling can wreak havoc with your posture and your back if you don’t do some simple exercises to maintain your body. Here are our top 3 exercises to look after your cycling body:
- Lower back
Prolonged rounding of the lower back at work and/or on the bike can cause you some problems. Lying with a foam roller or rolled-up towel in your lower back for a few minutes each day can take a lot of load off your lower back muscles and the discs that are between your vertebrae
2. Upper back
Hunching over your desk and hunching over a bike can have a compounding effect on your posture. Use a roller or a rolled up towel and place this along your spine. This exercise will help to open up your chest and lengthen your spine
3. Legs
Cycling uses the quadriceps the muscles on the front of your thigh. These can tighten up and cause knee problems, a common issue with cyclists, or disrupt your pelvis and lower back. Square your hips and tuck your hips under by squeezing your glutes on the bent leg side and hold for 20 seconds. Repeat three times.
Enjoy your cycling!
Please get in touch with us if we can help you with your cycling body.
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