Bicycles are traditionally thought of as the transport of choice for students and people who cannot afford a car. However, bicycles are fast becoming “the new golf” for the wealthy. Instead of playing a round of golf at an exclusive country club, many executives are choosing to do a few laps of Centennial Park or are commuting to work on their expensive road bikes. As society evolves we as humans are beginning to understand the effects of cars to the environment. As well as the price society is paying to use vehicle transport, society has evolved into a lackadaisical community. Cycling should be in day to day life because it is inexpensive, because it will make day-to-day life happier, and because it is a proven fact that people who cycle are typically healthier than people who do not partake in cycling.
There is no doubt that there are skeptics against the proposal of cycling for a general well-being of society, but there are many opinions benefiting the proposal. Jim Severt, an expert in the field of cycling from his vast career in marketing bike brands, building bikes, or pursuing cycling as a career. His experience of years of progression through the sport has benefited him to be a healthier and a happier member of society. Because he has experienced this, he feels as though society should partake in cycling in day-to-day life as a release from stress and to produce a healthier community. “Cycling really will affect your emotions do to the endorphins that are released while partaking in that event. Another form of an emotional response is the camaraderie a person develops through the friendships and bonds that are formed” (Severt). As society nears the future of automated machines and electronics that make life easier, cycling...
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...good job to bring us as close as we can to the same experience that they had without us physically being there. I especially like how in almost every community that they visited find the usefulness of the bicycle, rather if it’s the cycle yatra in India or bicibomba (bicycle-powered water pump). This is significant to me because something as simple as a bicycle can help improve a community. The book also provides realistic solutions to the challenges that the global community as a whole is facing. So we can literally apply what we learn and use it in our own community. Our individualism has taken over much of our lives, and our sense of community just isn’t there anymore; but the book suggest that if you don’t want to be oppress by your community due to the lack of it, there is always better alternative. I am glad that the types of community still exist today.
The great changes in American society that came with the introduction bicycle in the late 19th century are often overshadowed by the influence of the automobile in the following decades. Today, bicycles are often seen as an alternative mode of transportation - a cleaner and more environmentally conscious form of travel. Because of this, it may be difficult to realize the incredible modernizing effects that bicycles had on American society when they were first introduced. Manufacturing and marketing techniques introduced by the bicycle industry were massive steps towards modern industrial practices. In addition, by making individual travel available to many people for the first time, bicycles changed the speed at which life flowed in much of America. Bicycles granted a degree of personal freedom of mobility to many for the first time, and their effect on the women's rights movement of the time was notable. Bicycles were used in war, by police, and by the postal service, among others. In countless walks of life, the availability of personal travel offered by bicycles had an incredible impact on American society.
The level of the population’s level of physical activity is becoming a major public health concern in the United States (Wahlgren, 2011). As a result of urban sprawl, Americans rely heavily on personal vehicles to travel to work or other destinations. This is leading to a sedentary life style for the public as they take to their cars to travel to their destination. The public’s perception of the environments in which they live in are likely influencing their behaviors resulting in their dependance on personal vehicles. (Wahlgren, 2011). The physical environment and peoples’ levels of physical activity are directly connected. Low density zoning and auto-dependent development is resulting in the promotion of sedentary life styles. Most activities, like commuting to work or shopping, requires the use of a personal vehicle because of the area’s isolation in residential zones and commercial zones (Ewing, 2010). Alternative modes like walking or bicycling are rather impractical, as the areas often have little to no sidewalks or other pedestrian friendly amenities (Marshall, 2009). The Low density design is developed because residential homes have fewer units per acre and commercial buildings tend to only be a couple of stories and spaced further apart. The sizes of lots tend to be bigger to accommodate large parking lots that are often oversized and unsafe for pedestrians.
This literature review will look into cycling as a means of transportation, for both commuter and recreational purposes, as well as look in depth, the question of just how much can cycling improve both our mental and physical health? The review will examine/critique the statistics that try to prove the affects of physical activity for public health, as well as outline the strengths of each claim and expose the weaknesses. The great philosopher Plato said that the "lack of activity [in society] destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it". This review will outline the dilemma we face in todays society; it ultimately can be referred to, as David Bannister suggests, the fascination with 'distance, speed and time'. For these three qualities are so domineering in our lives today and the effects (both positive and negative) play a substantial part in our lives. The review will critique the writings of scholars such as Tranter, Bannister, Racioppi, Tight and Lindsay as they attempt to define the importance of physical activity for public health.
“What are the Health Benefits of Gymnastics?” Livestrong.com. December 18,2013. Livestrong Foudation. 12 March 2014. http://www.livestrong.com/article/414383-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-gymnastics/
The Department of Health (2004) state in a recent report that Sport and physical activity can help decrease the likelihood of developing diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke and type II diabetes by up to 50%, furthermore the report states that physical activity can reduce the risk of suffering a premature death by approximately 20-30%. These staggering statistics demonstrate the powerful impact physical activity can have in regards to combating health risks in the UK. The benefits to health that derive from adherence in physical activity and sport are overwhelming, however, health is not the only benefit to be obtained from an active society. Sullivan, C. (1998. cited in Collins and Kay, 2003) found that sport can help to encourage the growth of community, family and personal cohesion as well as help reduce intensity of youth delinquency. From the observations made in this paragraph it is feasible to suggest that having an active nation will result in a wide spectrum of benefits.
Today, people use their own personal vehicles to travel more than ever before. Personal transportation is no longer considered a luxury; it is now considered a necessity. The number of cars in the United States has been growing steadily since the 1970s. The number of miles traveled by cars has risen nearly 150 percent, yet the United States population has only grown roughly 40 percent during that time (hybridcars.com, Driving Trends). Although it may seem like we are advancing into the future, in reality, we are moving backwards from the effects these vehicles have on our bodies and the environment. The pollution produced by these vehicles has brought us to the day where we must find other modes of transportation that cause less harm to the world in which we live. Advances in technology have developed hybrid vehicles to try and slow down the amount of pollution. Driving a hybrid vehicle, instead of a conventional gas powered vehicle, can reduce the amount of pollution that affects our lives and the environment around us.
Lack of exercise is the cause of most health-related issues today. Americans are becoming ill every second from lack of exercise, yet nothing is being done to prevent these diseases. Diet plans and exercise programs are advertised in every corner, yet they are ignored. Many disorders and diseases are preventable, and even curable without the aid of modern technology. Regardless, the illnesses are at an all time high and show no sign of declining. What many individuals fail to realize is how essential fitness is to life. It is imperative in order to sustain a healthy lifestyle for many reasons.
Exercise benefits people in all the dimensions of heath one of those dimensions being social. When people partake in
People are too overwhelmed to think that it would benefit them. Even taking a jog would require too much of an effort. Because of society’s obligations, the worries of an average everyday routine bring them devastation. It becomes difficult to try to find time within their schedules to squeeze in a time to run. Adding exercise on their to-do list would result in more pressure while trying to reduce stress is the last priority on their mind. However, if they were able to manage their time and duties, making time to get involved in a cardio workout would not be a problem. They would be able to experience the true benefits of exercise and see how it could translate into reducing stress in their lives.
Countless studies have shown that people who exercise live longer, have healthier bodies, and are in a more positive psychological state than those who don’t. The most beneficial of daily exercise has been the main focus for many individuals who take on/up a daily physical exercise program. Exercise may offer considerable potential alone or as an adjunct in improving the mental well-being of many people. As we all know that physical exercise has proven beneficial to cardiovascular health, improving cholesterol levels, decreasing the chances of contracting colds and flu, as well as lowering high blood pressure. Also, regular exercise carries insignificant harmful side effects. Although these factors alone are enough reasons for a lifelong
It even helps you test better according to a the Mayo Health Clinic’s statement: “Those who had exercised during the preceding month but not on the day of testing generally did better than those who had been sedentary, but did not perform nearly as well as those who had worked out that morning.” Another internal effect of working out is muscles receiving more blood, higher VO2 level, and helping maintain bone mass. The fitter a person is, the more efficiently their heart works therefore, blood pressure decreases and new healthy blood vessels form. Exercising expands a person’s life cycle because the more someone workouts, the healthier they are. Furthermore, the brain is one part that no one would think exercising has anything to do with, but it’s the main one that is affected. Exercising results in increased brain flow which helps the brain function more efficiently. Also, new brain cells are formed that help boost memory and learning. A number of neurotransmitters are triggered, these are what controls a person’s mood; this is how exercise prevents depression. Working out improves development of neurons, production of nerve protecting compounds, and can reverse brain and muscle decay. There are various positive internal effects that exercise has on people’s
Just like the phrase ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ physical exercise can do the same. By exercising, your body becomes stronger and healthier. An active lifestyle provides a number of benefits. Evidence is growing that for most Americans, becoming physically active may be the single most important lifestyle change for promoting health and wellbeing. Exercise benefits a person’s overall wellness because it can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve mental health and mood.