NBA star Kevin Love rode a bike up a 8,250-foot mountain, and says it's the hardest workout he's ever done

• Kevin Love is one of the NBA's longest-tenured veterans at the age of 33.
• Love told Insider he used to stay fit by biking up Sundance Mountain in Utah, which is 8,250 feet high.

Exercise has been an essential part of Kevin Love's 13-year NBA career, but he says the most physically intense activity he's ever done didn't go down on a basketball court or in a gym, but in the wilderness.

The 33-year-old All-Star said the hardest workout he's done was biking up Sundance Mountain Resort — a slope located at Mount Timpanogos in Utah with an altitude of over 8,250 feet.

"I summited Sundance in Utah on a bike, which a lot of the US National Ski Team does for cross-training," Love told Insider. "I did it for several off seasons, and it's a way to really challenge yourself. At the same time, it's low-impact cardio, where I'm not expending any sort of impact on my joints or knees."

The mountain's bike path extends for 25 miles, and the trail's altitude is so high that the air contains just 15% effective oxygen, compared to the 20% at sea level, which makes breathing harder and leads to fatigue faster.

Mountain Biking is an effective low-impact workout that builds endurance and lower-body strength

Mountain biking offers the cardiovascular benefits of running, while also building up strength in the lower body, as it targets the thighs, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves. The balance required to stay upright while riding can also strengthen your abdominal and core muscles, making cycling a full-body workout, according to WebMD.

It also offers a lower-risk of injury than running and weightlifting as long as you are biking safely and wearing a helmet, Curtis Cramblett, a licensed physical therapist and certified cycling coach, strength and conditioning coach, and bike fitting educator, previously told Insider.

As Love mentioned, mountain biking is also a low-impact workout, meaning it puts less stress on your joints than other aerobic activities, such as running. Sitting on a bicycle seat also takes pressure off of your joints and reduces the risk of injuring them, according to Cramblett.