Why Cycling is a Good Exercise for Basketball Players

Contrary to popular belief, training for basketball does not only include on-court practices and exercises.  Rather, to be truly basketball ready, players should incorporate a wide range of exercises, trainings, and activities into their off-season and on-season regimen.

And, perhaps, there is no better exercise for basketball players than cycling.  Whether done on a stationary bike or outside on the open road, biking and cycling is one of the best workouts for nearly any athlete.  Below, we are going to discuss why cycling is a good exercise for basketball players and how cycling can get basketball players ready for the upcoming season.

What is Cycling?

Before we discuss why cycling is a good exercise for basketball players, it is important to discuss just what cycling is.  Cycling, bicycling, biking, is the use of a bicycle for either recreation, transport, or exercise.  While the term cycling generally refers to the use of two-wheeled bicycles, it can also be used to describe stationary bikes, spinning, and even unicycles.

Introduced in the early 19^th century, bicycling has become one of the most popular forms of exercise and transportation around the world.  With nearly a billion bicycles worldwide, biking is seen as an effective workout and an even more effective form of transportation, particularly for short distances.

And although many people initially pickup biking for the health benefits, cycling can help to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, lessen noise and air pollution, and reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses.  In addition, frequent cycling can help to reduce the risks of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

Best Bikes for Basketball

Admittedly, we were infrequent users of bicycling and really began to add biking to our exercise regimen during the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020.  And after countless hours of research, testing, and trialing, we opted for the two bicycles below.  One bicycle is for rides outside and to make quick, short trips, whereas the other is a stationary bike to get in a quick sweat while at home.

For our outdoor needs, we opted for the Schwinn Adult Hybrid Bike.  A hybrid bike, as compared to a normal one, incorporates a mix of road and hiking capabilities within the bike.  While, perhaps, not excellent on either, it provides a perfect middle ground to explore hiking trails and the open roads and sidewalks near your home.

While there were definitely a plethora of options to choose from, we opted for the Schwinn Bike due to its sleek design, lightweight body, and 21-speed shifters, allowing for quick and precise gear changes on the go.

For the in-home stationary bike, we opted for the Nordic Track Commercial Studio Cycle.  Admittedly a bit pricey, we were unsure if we would fully utilize all the features the bike has to offer.  However, after having this stationary bike for just over a year now, we can confidently say that the bike is by far one of the best in-home exercise purchases we made.

The Nordic Track Commercial Studio Cycle features a 22-inch interactive HDD touchscreen, which allows you to stream and play live and on-demand workouts from iFit.  In addition, you are able to see your lifetime stats and completed workouts, allowing you to track your progression and abilities.

Similarly, the Nordic Track Commercial Studio Cycle comes with two 3-pound dumbbells for a full-body training experience.  We were hesitant on this bike but found it to be extremely engaging, useful for our needs, and a perfect exercise equipment to get in a quick sweat and follow along with trained professionals.  

Benefits of Cycling

While nearly any type of exercise is beneficial to the body, cycling stands out as one of the best due to its low impact on the joints.  Similar to working out in a pool, biking is a great option as it is easy on the joints.  As most of the weight is centered on the seat, you won’t be putting pressure on your joints and can enjoy its benefits quickly and easily.

Similarly, biking is one of the best high intensity interval trainings, or HIIT workouts, you can complete.  HIIT is a form of interval training which utilizes cardiovascular exercise and alternates between short periods of intense anaerobic exercise with less intense recovery periods. 

Utilizing either a free-standing bicycle or stationary bike, you are able to receive the full benefits of a HIIT workout in under 25-minutes.  HIIT is one of the best exercises for weight loss and raises your heart rate for maximum fat loss.

A simple, 25-minute, HIIT workout you can complete on either a free-standing or stationary bike is below and is provided by our friends at Anytime Fitness:

• 0-4 Minutes: Warm-up with a light pedal at medium resistance
• 4-10 Minutes: When you reach 4 minutes, pedal at high resistance for :15 seconds at full effort, then pedal at low resistance for 1:15 seconds. The low resistance is not meant to be a workout. It is meant for recovery; so, take it easy. This will total up to 4 complete rounds of :15 sec of work with a 1:15 break.
• 10-20 Minutes: When you reach 10 minutes, increase your work time by pedaling at high resistance for :20 seconds at full speed, then pedal at low resistance for 1:40 seconds. Your last :20 sec sprint will be on minute 20. This will total up to 6 complete rounds of :20 sec of work with a 1:40 break.
• 20-25 Minutes: Cool down! Pedal at low resistance and take your time.

Similarly, and importantly for basketball training, biking is a great way to build muscular strength.  While biking is typically seen as an aerobic exercise, the effort required to put your bike into motion will improve your muscular strength, particularly that of your lower body.

To make your exercise even more beneficial, particularly for your upper body, consider purchasing and utilizing free weights and dumbbells while on a stationary bike to get in a full body exercise.  This can be done by performing simple dumbbell exercises, such-as curls for arm strength or seated dumbbell shoulder presses for shoulder strength.

And lastly, biking is one of the best forms of weight loss and can help you maintain a healthy weight, which is especially important for basketball.  Biking can help you to burn calories, allowing you to stay both lean and fit.  And with obesity being one of the risk factors for several cancers and long-term diseases, biking can help you to minimize those risks.