The Growing Popularity of Cycling

They say once you learn how to ride a bike, you never forget. Most of us learnt when we were kids, and many still strap (系好) on our helmets, put our feet on the pedals , and shoot off for a ride around the streets. In recent times, cycling has seen a boost in popularity. 【小题1】

First, let’s look at the health benefits. Cycling can improve your cardiovascular (心血管的) health and burm excess body fat. Strengthening your leg muscles in your calves (小腿肚) and thighs (大腿). 【小题2】 A long ride in the countryside could help you to clear your mind, or de-stress. But it’s not only about your body and mind— there are also some plus sides for your wallet’s health.

Cycling can be a great way to commute (通勤) or get about town. 【小题3】 If you do drive into work, sometimes finding somewhere to park can be a nightmare, whereas finding somewhere to chain your bike up can be much simpler. Then, on the train, there are changes at stations and other commuters speaking loudly on their phones to deal with. And if you’re worried about safety, there are designated cycle lanes in many major cities. Wearing high-visibility clothing is another way to improve your safety when cycling on the roads.

【小题4】 It can help you to reduce your carbon footprint. Not pumping out fumes into the atmosphere is better for the planet and your own environment.

So, whether people want to cycle for their health, getting about town, their wallet, the environment, or a combination of all of them—【小题5】

Worrying new figures from a national survey conducted by Kingswim have revealed 51 percent of Australian adults can’t swim 50 metres or more without stopping. However, the news is better for our kids, with statistics showing that childhood swimming lessons are paying off.

“These statistics are reflected in the Royal Life Saving 2018 Drowning Report, with 32 percent of drowning deaths occurring in the 55+ age range compared to 19 percent for under 25s,” says Kingswim Marketing Manager. Rowena Thomasson.“While these are terrible statistics it’s not all sad news; the survey revealed younger demographics(群体) had a much higher swimming ability, which correlated with the swimming lessons they received as children.”

Kidsafe Victoria CEO Melanie Courtney says that swimming lessons are a critical part of comprehensive home pool safety defence. “Children can drown quickly and silently in just a few centimeters of water. Swimming lessons, together with active adult supervision—both in and around water—first aid knowledge and a well-maintained pool barrier are critical elements in keeping your family safe over the coming summer season.”

Mum of three, Jenny Ong says she knows all too well the anxiety caused by not being able to swim as an adult. “Neither my partner or I am confident in the water so teaching our girls to swim was always going to be difficult for us,” she says. “I won’t swim anywhere, I can’t touch the bottom and I don’t want my children to feel the same uneasiness in the water. My eldest two now both take regular lessons which they absolutely love and I’m relieved to know they’re mastering a lifesaving skill.”

The research proved that children with professional swimming lessons to subsidise any lessons at home were much more confident in their ability to swim as an adult. “Close to half of people aged between 18 and 24 say they had swimming lessons through three or more channels, with 84 percent believing they received adequate swimming lessons as a child — demonstrating how crucial it is for children to receive professional swimming lessons in addition to anything taught at home,” says Thomasson.

When watching sports events, we often notice athletes with their earphones on while preparing in the locker room or entering the stadium. They keep their eyes shut, and gently nod along the beats. It seems as if the music is empowering them and toughening them up for the competition. But is there any science behind such practice?

According to a recent research, it turns out there is. Music actually does make us feel powerful, but not all songs have the same effect. The research was led by Dennis Hsu of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in the US. His team had people listen to 31 songs of different types. The listeners felt powerful after listening to some songs, such as Queen’s We Will Rock You and 2 Unlimited’s Get Ready for This. Researchers also found that high-power music made people want to take control in social events and come first in competition. As for the reason for music’s magical power, Hsu’s team came up with one possible explanation: When people hear music that expresses a sense of power, they mimic these feelings in their mind.

So, when choosing music, we need to look at the type of music. In previous research by the Music in Exercise and Sport Group at Brunel University in London, they found that pop was perfect for slower, more repetitive-type tasks. Dance music was found to be best suited to strength and weight training because it’s “fast and rhythmical”. During high-intensity workouts, though, you’d better not listen to rock. Its different changes in tempo can affect your rhythm.