Historical Article
Cycling's Value As An Exercise (1879)
PRACTICAL BICYCLING ADVICE
Excerpted from "The Bicyclist's Pocket Book and Diary" which was published in London in 1879 and re-printed as Appendix to A Bicycle Tour in England and Wales, by Alfred Dupont Chandler, 1881.
Excerpted from "The Bicyclist's Pocket Book and Diary" which was published in London in 1879 and re-printed as Appendix to A Bicycle Tour in England and Wales, by Alfred Dupont Chandler, 1881.
"No. I. Its VALUE AS AN EXERCISE.
Bicycling has now lived down the prejudice which, from a medical point of view, existed against it. It is admitted that the idea of rupture being produced by it is simply nonsense. Taken, as all exercise should be, judiciously and in moderation, it is one of, if not the best, exercise of the day. Its special benefits are, that it increases the circulation; works more muscles than are worked in any other exercise; amuses the mind by the places which can be visited by its means; gives the lungs a greater change of air than could ordinarily be obtained; induces strength of nerve and powers of self-possession; stimulates the appetite, and last, but not least, is an almost infallible remedy for a sluggish liver. The art of riding can be easily acquired by any person sufficiently active for the ordinary duties of life. There is no limit to the age at which bicycling can be learnt; the only drawback to an elderly man acquiring the knowledge is the fact that he cannot, as a rule, stand, with impunity, the preliminary falls which every adult learner must experience more or less. A boy of eight or nine can be taught without falls, because he can literally be caught when falling, if proper attention is given to the task; but it is different with adults. There is, perhaps, no person who derives so much pleasure from bicycling as the man who has been accustomed to active exercise on the river, or in the cricket or football field, and who has abandoned these pastimes on reaching "the thirties." The only persons for whom it is undesirable to learn are persons suffering from heart disease or consumption; all others may ride not only with impunity, but with great physical advantage."
Bicycling has now lived down the prejudice which, from a medical point of view, existed against it. It is admitted that the idea of rupture being produced by it is simply nonsense. Taken, as all exercise should be, judiciously and in moderation, it is one of, if not the best, exercise of the day. Its special benefits are, that it increases the circulation; works more muscles than are worked in any other exercise; amuses the mind by the places which can be visited by its means; gives the lungs a greater change of air than could ordinarily be obtained; induces strength of nerve and powers of self-possession; stimulates the appetite, and last, but not least, is an almost infallible remedy for a sluggish liver. The art of riding can be easily acquired by any person sufficiently active for the ordinary duties of life. There is no limit to the age at which bicycling can be learnt; the only drawback to an elderly man acquiring the knowledge is the fact that he cannot, as a rule, stand, with impunity, the preliminary falls which every adult learner must experience more or less. A boy of eight or nine can be taught without falls, because he can literally be caught when falling, if proper attention is given to the task; but it is different with adults. There is, perhaps, no person who derives so much pleasure from bicycling as the man who has been accustomed to active exercise on the river, or in the cricket or football field, and who has abandoned these pastimes on reaching "the thirties." The only persons for whom it is undesirable to learn are persons suffering from heart disease or consumption; all others may ride not only with impunity, but with great physical advantage."
If you liked this article, you might also enjoy these:
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A Header (?) (Poem—1883)
A Modern Love Sung in Ancient Fashion (Poem—1884)
Bicycle Riding In The United States (1881)
Bicycling and Tricycling (1884)
Cycling's Value As An Exercise (1879)
Cycling for Women (1888)
Is Bicycling Harmful? (1896)
The Evolution of a Sport (1897)
Foreign [Bicycling News] (1884)
On Wings of Love (Poem—1884)
Rosalind A Wheel (Fiction—1896)
Snakes in his Wheel (1895)
Wheelman's Song (Poem—1883)
The Work of Wheelmen for Better Roads (1896)
Woman's Cycle (1896)
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The flower fields of the Skagit Valley:
http://www.thisvictorianlife.com/blog/my-recent-trip-to-the-skagit-valley
A Trip to A Lavender Festival:
http://www.thisvictorianlife.com/blog/sneak-peek-into-a-future-book
The Tricycle's Maiden Voyage:
http://www.thisvictorianlife.com/blog/the-tricycles-maiden-voyage
The Chilly Hilly ride:
http://www.thisvictorianlife.com/blog/chilly-hilly
Port Townsend to Port Gamble:
http://www.thisvictorianlife.com/blog/port-gamble-wa
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