Analysis of the Benefits of Cycling - Assignment Example

Learning To Ride a Bike A bicycle is the simplest, most elegant, and most efficient machine that man invented to move individuals locally over land. Most people in the world prefer to use bikes for transport with most using it in travelling, getting groceries, keeping fit, having fun, as well as cutting carbon footprint for those who are environmental conscious. In fact, one organization, 350.org has been working to get people on their bikes in order to cut down on the atmosphere’s carbon content to around 350 parts per million. This would maintain the climate at what it has been for the previous 100 centuries; 24th September is the World Bike Day people should get out of their cars and ride on two wheels. For those of us who cannot tell the handlebar from the hand brakes, this poses challenges. For this reason, it is important to learn how to ride one. To ride a bike, the first thing I need is motivation. With enough motivation, it is even possible that I could become an excellent biker. Seriously, it would be impossible to learn how to ride a bike if I did not possess the motivation to do so. I always wondered how bike riders who rode for miles on end seemed so motivated. I found my motivation in my passion to reduce my carbon footprint. Even though, I have read plenty of literature on motivation, what I have learnt is that motivation is still a construct of the individual. It is vital for an individual to identify their motivating factors and cultivate these motivating sources. For starters, one has to set goals, in my case, being able to ride a bike by 24th September for the World Bike Day. It is important to set short-term goals since one has more motivation to attain them. To achieve these goals, one could go on trial rides in the afternoon after work, do several sprints in the presence of an expert rider, and doing better lengths without falling over everyday. It is vital not to stress being too good after a few weeks as this could dampen one’s motivation. Apparently, learning how to balance on a pair of wheels is not as easy as driving on four wheels. Instead, of stressing the need to cycle for a kilometer after a week, stressing on enjoying the ride and the mishaps is better, in addition, do your best every time you get back on the bike. To learn how to ride a bike, you also have to visualize yourself riding it. If one finds that they are stressing too much after several false starts, finding a quiet and relaxing spot to sit and ponder about riding a bike is better. Visualize yourself at the Tour de France along with all these other expert bike riders, while in a poised and very relaxed state of mind. I will begin to visualize September 24th in my mind as I progress towards it, being with my fellow lovers of Mother Earth until I start to detect some tension in my thoughts. At this point, it is important to stop and not get all excited. The visualization process will have to stop, and I will attempt it the following day. This will be continued every day until I can see myself riding without crashing my elbow guards to the ground and without difficultly. Should this seem too stressful, one has to think of just how much they want to participate in the event. However, of course, this cannot replace actual bike training but it can cause training to pay off. Normal bike athletes improve best if they utilize visual training in approximately 50% of all their time spent on the training ground. Training imagery only works if it is used often. Simply, believe it and this will come to be. I also need my eyesight to see the road ahead of me. Light from the road ahead enters my eye through the pupil, in turn; it is engrossed by the retina. This visual information is relayed form the retina to the primary visual cortex via the lateral genticulate nucleus. The primary visual cortex is packed densely with cells that are multilayered, and the middle layer that receives light messages from the genticulate nucleus responds in a similar way to cells in the retina. Cells below and above respond in a different way and prefer stimuli in the form of edges or bars. Visual signals are led to three different systems of processing; one system processes information regarding shape, the second processes color, and the third processes spatial organization, location, and movement. The eye also uses the light contrast to perceive perspective, depth, and movement, gradations in texture, shading, and relative movement of objects. Various elements require to be organized to perceive objects. Related elements are grouped together, stemming from the ability of the brain to group image parts together to isolate them from each other and from the background. To provide perceptual visual images, the brain extracts information that is biologically relevant at all stages and the firing patterns are associated with experience. I need inter-limb coordination to ride a bicycle. Motor coordination of hands and feet is important when riding a bike with a bike rider requiring coordination between cycling and steering. Inter-limb coordination involves movements that need simultaneous and sequential use of both body sides with great rhythmic degree. Hands and feet coordination involve simultaneous coupling of lower and upper limbs. Such actions include ipsilateral coordination involving hands and feet from the body’s one side and contra-lateral coordination involves limbs on the two sides. Rhythmic coordination of limbs that are non-homologous is difficult to perform because the two limbs have mechanical differences. To improve hand feet coordination, such as is required in riding a bike, can be improved by synchronizing the limbs to rhythmic tunes or beats. Difficulty in coordination between hands and feet can be can lead to difficulties in safe cycling and bike balancing. This can be caused by the inability for limb coordination sans external cues or failure to assign rhythmic movement by coupling external cues to motor responses, which affects consequent coordination of limbs. Unlike bimanual coordination, i.e. coordination of hand movements or feet movements, hand and feet coordination is more difficult and requires practice. For instance, clapping one’s hands is much easier than clapping one’s hands while walking or playing football. In this case, it is difficult to coordinate cycling and steering but, as said earlier, it is always about the motivation and visualization. Read More