Pedal to a Better Health

By Léo Azambuja

Donkey Beach on the Eastside. Photo by Léo Azambuja

By the time the COVID-19 pandemic is over, there will be a lot of fit, tan people on Kaua‘i. It appears there is a substantial increase of people on the multi-use path in Kapa‘a these days, whether they are jogging, biking, walking or just taking their dogs outside.

I am happy to admit I’ve been spending a lot more time on my bike on the Ke Ala Hele Makalae, or the path that goes along the coast, an eight-mile coastal path going from the northern end of Donkey Beach to Kamalani Playground, behind Wailua Golf Course.

Biking is a low-impact activity that is fun and easy to learn. You will build your overall health while toning your leg muscles. And if you use your bike to commute to work or to get groceries, you pretty much get an exercise without setting aside time for exercising.

Some of the benefits of biking regularly include an increased cardiovascular fitness. This means strengthening your most important muscle; your heart. But you’ll also strengthen other muscles while improving your flexibility and joint health. As with most exercises done properly, biking also decreases body fat, stress, anxiety and depression, while improving posture, coordination, bone density and disease prevention.

Dr. Clare Safran-Norton at the Harvard Medical School-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Mass. says biking benefits even carry over to our overall balance, by improving walking, standing, endurance and stair climbing.

Safran-Norton also alerts us to follow safety precautions such as sticking to bike paths, riding with buddies, finding the correct seat height, avoiding riding if you have a recent fracture, wearing sunscreen, staying hydrated, and perhaps the most important of all, always wearing a helmet.

The nonprofit organization Kaua‘i Path helps people to get acquainted with proper bike riding etiquette and safety rules. They offer a lot of biking tips, safety guidelines and latest bike riding news on their website, www.bikepath.org. They also offer regular group bike rides and classes. Check them out to find their schedule, and to connect with them to become healthier and perhaps make a few new friends.

Before you run to the bike shop to buy a new bike, dust off your old one and take it to the shop for a tune up if needed. It might be just what it needs. Make sure the brakes work properly before you take the bike on the street.

If you don’t have a bike, there are a few used ones on Craigslist that might be just right for you. A bike at a bike shop won’t be cheap, but you will likely walk out with a bike that is ready to hit the road. If you opt to buy a more affordable bike at Walmart, make sure the gearing works correctly, or at least that it can be adjusted to function properly. You might have to take it to a bike shop to have it tuned up.

Most importantly, get on a bike and on the path. Have fun while improving your health. You won’t regret it.