Electric Scooter Riding and Fitness: Benefits and Tips For A Workout On Wheels
Since they first hit the roads, e-scooters have made traveling and getting to work so much easier. With more and more US states accepting privately owned e-scooters on the roads, people now have the opportunity to enjoy their rides and save money.
But, as well as offering commute convenience, electric scooters provide endless mental health and physical fitness benefits too. Using an e-scooter can help you lose weight and get in a daily workout, without having to set foot in a gym.
So, if you're after a way to stay fit and healthy while commuting to work, or nipping around town, we'll reveal how to get a great workout on two wheels.
Health And Fitness In An Always-On Society
We all know how important regular exercise is, but busy lifestyles and hectic jobs leave little room for leisure and fitness activities. According to research by Statista, just over 23% of men and 19.6% participate in sports, exercise, or recreational activity each day.
An article by Harvard University also shows that two out of three US adults are classed as overweight, and one in three are obese.
Hitting the gym isn't the most enjoyable way to exercise, but incorporating fitness into a daily routine can yield long-term, sustainable results. So, why not kill two birds with one stone and workout while you're riding?
The Many Health Benefits Of E-Scooters
Let's get the obvious out of the way first; yes, e-scooters are powered by electricity, so they don't require manual operation. However, that doesn't mean you can't switch between the motor and using the scooter as a traditional kick model to work up a sweat.
There are plenty of health benefits associated with regularly using an e-scooter. Let's look at them now.
Cardiovascular health
One of the most obvious benefits of riding an electric scooter is improved cardiovascular health. Riding an electric scooter increases your heart rate, which helps strengthen your heart muscles and improve overall circulation.
Weight loss
Obesity is a massive problem (pun not intended) in the USA, but riding an electric scooter can help you lose weight.
While there's conflicting information about how many calories you can burn on an electric scooter, research from the University of Brighton suggests that scooting can burn around 350 calories an hour.
So, even if you incorporate manual riding into your week, without doing anything else extra, you'll start to see a difference.
Muscle toning & coordination
Using an electric scooter requires a lot of balance, and it promotes core strength, along with better body coordination. Nobody rides the scooter slouching, and if you do incorporate some manual riding, it can also tone your legs.
Carrying the scooter around will also tone the arms, so when used correctly, scooters can work major muscle groups and save you some extra time with strength conditioning.
Emotional well-being and mental health benefits
Mental health and emotional well-being are central to a physically active lifestyle. If you don't feel good about yourself, you're less likely to have the motivation to exercise. So, jump onto your scooter and enjoy the great outdoors, instead of being stuck in a car, and you'll quickly discover a joie de vivre again.
A more active lifestyle can also prevent stress, and freeing yourself from the hassle of traffic jams and public transportation will also boost your mood.
Promote better sleep
Spending time outdoors is one of the best ways to get a better night's sleep. Being outdoors improves your oxygen levels and encourages your body to produce Vitamin D, so many people find going out on their scooter is a fun way to reduce insomnia.
Even a ten-minute ride can significantly affect your health and well-being, so get out and enjoy feeling the wind on your face.
Financial health
We focus so much on the immediate health and fitness factors, but what about the indirect ones? Financial stress is rarely mentioned as having a negative impact on health, but worrying about money is a key factor in anxiety and depression.
Electric scooters can save you a lot of money, especially when compared to owning a car or paying for a public transport season ticket.
Top Tips For Turning Your Commute Into a Workout
So, now you know how e-scooter riding can work your core muscles, promote better posture, and burn calories, it's time to look at the various way to turn a general riding session into a fun coordination training session.
Incorporating the following tips will help you enjoy the workout experience while staying safe on your trusty e-scooter.
Use the right safety gear
There's no possible way to emphasize just how essential safety gear is. Some states might not have helmet laws in place, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't take every potential precaution.
Make sure you have a helmet, elbow, knee pads, and gloves to protect yourself while riding because it will keep your body safe and ensure nothing gets in the way of your workout.
Most safety gear is relatively lightweight, but it still adds extra weight to your ride, resulting in more calories burned.
Prepare your scooter
Your scooter should also fit your weight and height to maintain balance and posture while you're riding. Adjusting the height will also prevent serious accidents and ensure you can react to any potential hazards.
Also, remember to check the wheels and brakes before each scooter ride and ensure the battery has a full charge.
These checks only take a few minutes and they can help you burn more calories and tone the right muscles, instead of injuring yourself.
Warm up before each ride
Just as you'd warm up before exercise, you should do the same before using an e-scooter. Stretching and warming up your whole body prepares you for physical activity while preventing injury.
Take a few minutes to prepare your body, and you'll reap the rewards of riding an electric scooter.
Stretching
Begin with some dynamic stretches to warm up your muscles and increase their flexibility. You should focus on stretching your lower body, including the calves, hamstrings, hip flexors, and quadriceps.
Leg swings, lunges, and gentle knee raises are great forms of exercise, and they'll warm you up without being too intense.
Cardio warm-up
Cardio is the best way to get your heart pumping and warm your body, but it also prepares you for scooter riding. Doing some jumping jacks, jogging in place, and anything else that will increase blood flow prepares the muscles for activity.
Joint mobility exercises
Your joints are central to an excellent scooter riding experience and will also prevent accidents while you're riding. Rotate your wrists, ankles, neck, and shoulders gently to increase their motion and reduce the risks of strains.
Bodyweight exercises
Incorporating bodyweight exercises activates the major muscle groups and warms up your body. Squats, lunges, push-ups, and planks are effective options. Perform a few sets of each exercise to engage your muscles and increase your core stability.
If you don't feel able to do bodyweight exercises, focus on some extra stretches.
Balance exercises
Since e-scooters require balance, refining yours can be beneficial. Practicing single-leg balances, heel-to-toe walks, and using a balance board will improve your stability and ensure you feel safe on your scooter.
Warm-up ride
Just as you'd warm up before a run, you should do the same on an e-scooter. Spend a few minutes riding the scooter slowly to warm your body and prepare your muscles.
It's also best to start each ride slow instead of using the maximum speed because going too fast will cause fatigue and could hurt your joints.
Switch between riding modes
Riding electric scooters is a great low-impact exercise as it doesn't require much energy but still works your upper and lower body.
If you want to lose weight and tone your muscles, choosing the correct times to switch to manual riding is best. For example, going up a hill will require a lot of effort, but if you use your legs and maintain good posture, you'll notice the benefits.
Make each ride count
One of the easiest ways to turn your electric scooter ride into a workout is by choosing longer routes. Not only do you get to burn more calories, but you'll also spend more time in the great outdoors - and who wouldn't want that?
Seeking out routes that involve inclines or hills will add resistance to the ride and engage your leg muscles. Climbing uphill requires more effort and can effectively strengthen your lower body and burn more calories.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to electric scooter riding and fitness, there are many benefits to incorporating wheels into your workout. Safety considerations must be a priority, but the bottom line is that electric scooters can be an effective and enjoyable way to stay fit.
If you're not a fan of stereotypical workouts or are naturally clumsy, scooters are great for both day-to-day life and burning calories.
With so many scooters available, finding the right one for your needs is crucial. Unagi e-scooters are lightweight, portable, and ultra-stylish, making them the perfect choice for commuting and exercising.
Better still, you can access an all-access subscription, which lets you pay monthly for your scream scooter without worrying about any outright costs.
Electric scooters make traveling a lot easier, but they also ensure you get some much-needed fresh air and can offer a fun ride.
Once you conquer your first journey, nothing will hold you back. Get scooting today and join the masses leaving behind public transport for a more convenient lifestyle.
