Benefits Of Exercise Bikes And Workout Cardio Hiit Routines For Beginners

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stationary exercise bike benefits workout

Because people are surrounded by the confined space and high density of buildings. For bike lovers, it is not easy to pedal your bike in a crowded city every day to exercise to release your stress and strengthen your muscles. Stationary is a great choice to solve those problems. However, does riding a stationary bike could benefit you in a way that a normal bike can offer? This ultimate stationary bike guide will clear your doubt and enjoy the ride.

Stationary Exercise Bike Benefits

Benefits for the stomach: Generally, you could not aware of how fat is in your stomach because it is hidden inside your body. This fat isn’t just an aesthetic issue as the stomach is a part of the digestive system. However, having a high rate of fat in your stomach could seriously degrade your health. A person who is diagnosed with high stomach fat could face a series of diseases such as cardiovascular, diabetes, and high level of blood cholesterol. A stationary exercise bike can significantly help you burn this fat through a movement of your belly and arm stroke.

Benefits for legs: Many people care a lot about having a real feeling as riding an actual bike. For example, they might question how the stationary bike can offer a real resistant force like road friction since it is mostly used indoors. I am worrying that my leg strength could not improve because the stationary bike has low torque. Those concerns will be erased when you have an experience with the stationary bike. The bike design can simulate any kind of riding scenario. If you are a gentle bike rider, choose a gear that has a low resistance. If you are the kind of person who wants to break your strength limit you can switch to mountain mode. Riding a stationary bike benefits your lower body the most, especially your legs. Therefore, it is no need to be concerned whether riding a stationary bike is weakening your legs.

Benefits for abs: Back and abs are the core muscles that can directly gain benefit from this workout. One thing to keep in mind is that you should remain in your position during the workout to avoid getting injuries. While riding the bike, keep your back straight and hold your abs tight. Do not slouch or let your abs sag while pedaling as it won’t let you gain benefits from doing exercise. Try forward-leaning position on upright bikes and reclined position on recumbent bikes for optimal efficiency. Keep breathing periodically and holding your abs tight can significantly help you gain a nice belly.

Benefits for muscles: The muscle group that gains support from stationary bike exercise includes the back, legs, and thigh muscles. When you are doing exercise, your legs frequently deal with two kinds of strokes which are pulling and pushing. Your hamstrings deal with high tension while pushing the pedal, and your knee will have less stress while pulling. This cycle gives your muscles time to relax and get ready for the news cycle. Having a consecutive resting and working time for your muscles keep you away from getting exhausted quickly. Therefore, you can enjoy a long riding time. Although your arms do not evolve with cycling the pedal, it plays an important role in supporting your upper body. This tones your upper arms, shoulders, and upper back. While cycling you applied a certain force to lean on the bike handlebar. If your ride is long enough, your arm strength could be significantly improved. Due to stationary bike workout is typically not highly intensive, you can aim to practice stationary bike for about 150 minutes per week. Also, it can minimize the joint impact so that people in old age can enjoy cycling.

Benefits for thighs: Some people might misunderstand that workout on a stationary bike can burn out fat in their thighs. The truth is that cycling stationary bike helps you to burn calories in every part of your body in general. There is no way to guarantee it will reduce the fat in a specific part of your body. Since cycling tends to focus on building muscles more on your lower body, your thigh will get firmer and tighter. A nice shape of thigh combined with a legging can make your appearance look healthier. It also helps you to form a nice curve of your buttock that is well met with the new trend from bodybuilders. There is a guide to focus on building your thigh muscles that you gradually increase the tension of the bike gear to raise the resistance force. Your thigh has to generate a higher push and pull force for pedaling. Maintain this pace for a certain amount of time and then slowly reduce the tension. Repeat this manner several times during the workout session. This procedure lets your thigh work more than other parts and as a result, can improve your thigh strength. The firm thighs generally look attractive since it brings a sense of a healthy body.

Benefits for weight loss: The real-life examples have proved that workout by stationary bike can reduce body fat and result in weight loss. You will begin to burn calories immediately, the faster you reduce your weight the more workload on your cycling workout. There are three recommendation levels of bicycling from the workout expert for you to follow.

  • Light stationary bike cycling: At this level, your heart rate is beating up to 50% of your maximum rate. You can calculate your suitable heart rate by the following formula:

Heart rate= 220 – your age

The number of calories burnt depends on your weight. For example, if your weight is 190 pounds the hourly calories burn is 474 units. The lower your weight, the lower calories you can burn. According to scientific research, burning 3500 calories is equivalent to a 1 pound loss. Therefore, you can plan your workout schedule by calculating the number of the hour you need to spend to achieve one pound loss. For instance, if your weight is 190 pounds then your hourly calories burn is approximately 474. So you could spend 3500/474 which is about 7 hours of working out. After that, you can plan to take a 1-hour stationary bike session every day.

  • Medium stationary bike cycling: At this level, you can achieve a bit higher rate of calories burned. Your heart rate is boosted up to 69 percent of its maximum rate. Similarly, a person with a weight of 155 pounds could lose one pound in a 7 hours training session while a 190 pound person requires only 5.8 hours to complete it.
  • Hard stationary bike cycling: This level makes your heartbeat at 89 percent of its maximum rate. Only the professional workout stationary biker is advised to take this level. At this level, a 190 pound person could only need 3.9 hours to reduce 1 pound weight.

a vigorous workout

A vigorous workout

For beginners, they are advised to slowly increase the exercise intensity to benefit stationary bike weight loss. If you start with a high-intensity workout you might face the danger of muscles strain, heart stroke, or other injuries. Consult the training expert to have your suitable training pattern. Try to keep practicing at least four days a week to help your body to lose weight.

Stationary Bike Weight Loss Success Stories

Jacqueline is a 25-year-old woman from Colorado who weighs 260 pounds. She said carrying a giant body is an everyday nightmare. After consulting with the health clinic, she made a first step that she started pedaling a stationary bike. She started spinning and followed a healthy diet plan. For over nine months of spinning, Jacqueline notices a huge improvement.

weight loss success story jackie

Source: Shapefit.com

“Practicing a stationary bike is the best choice that I have made.” That is according to Cheryl, who gained 100 pounds after her pregnancy way back in 2002. She mentioned that everyone could have the ability to make what she has done. She and her husband tried a Couple of Challenges.

weight loss success story cheryl

Source: Spinning.com

She experienced the magic of momentum the moment she sat on her stationary bike. From then on, cycling stationary bike has become her hobby. She joins three classes a day and for the first week, he lost 4 pounds. Keep practicing day by day, she got a big improvement in her health condition and she increases the resistance of the bike.

Finally, her body achieved a nice shape and her weight reached her desired dream. “I hit my goal,” she said proudly after claiming that she is now 134lbs from 212lbs. Along with a proper diet, Cheryl never felt healthier before. Amazingly, she got a stationary exercise bike trainer certificate. She wants other people can achieve the same goal as her, based on her real experience. She wants her student to achieve the same goal as she has done.

Recumbent Exercise Bike Workout At Home For Beginners

Among many kinds of cardio workouts, a recumbent bike has the most comfortable workout posture. Unlike the treadmill or upright bike, a recumbent bike lets you lean your back in a semi-reclined position. For some people, they have experienced that, pedaling a recumbent bike does not require their muscles to work intensively. However, you could achieve a highly efficient workout through a proper guide and a healthy diet.

A recumbent bike is like a regular exercise bike that is mainly used for cardio exercises. The main difference between the recumbent exercise bike from other bikes is its ergonomic design. A recumbent exercise bike has a bucket seat with a backrest broad enough to seat any user comfortably. The recumbent bike is a small compact workout device that does not occupy a large space in your house. Therefore, it is suitable for an indoor cycling workout. The recumbent stationary bike can appear in various shapes and sizes. Also, it can be equipped with a wide range of electronic devices that assist the user during the training session. The recumbent stationary bike can be equipped with a heartbeat measurement device, calories calculator, distance measurement devices, and the music player is also mounted. However, they all contain the main part such as wheels, seats, and handlebars. Most people find no difficulty for start using the recumbent bike, but instruction is needed for the proper use and making the most of your recumbent exercise bike workout to lose weight and gain muscle more efficiently.

  • Seat adjustment: Based on general user observation, most people find it is difficult in adjusting the seat position the first time of use. Generally, it takes you just a few seconds to complete this task. Having the right seat position lets you sit comfortably while working out and increase the effectiveness of a training session. To find the optimal position of your seat, you need to slide the seat forward and backward until your legs extend long enough in a pedaling cycle. To determine the suitable length, you just measure the far side of the pedal with your seat so that your legs do not need to bend too much.
  • Stretching your muscles: Like other kinds of workouts, you need to stretch your body before the workout session. Because a recumbent stationary exercise bike is a kind of indoor cycling workout, stretching on a yoga mattress can be a good idea to warm up your muscles. Stretching before the workout session is advisable to prevent sudden muscles strain and it is a common practice for beginners or professional athletes. Dynamic stretching has a big advantage as it makes your muscles more flexible to improve their range of motion. Stretching before the workout with a recumbent stationary bike does not take you long, a typical 5 minutes stretch that focuses on lunges, leg, leg swings, arm, body spinning is enough to roll.
  • Get started: Never immediately start a workout after stretching. After you’re all stretched out, spend an additional 5 minutes pedaling lightly on your recumbent exercise bike. I start slowly at a steady pace. I periodically increase my adjust my speed 5 minutes. After the 5 minutes is up, I like to stand up, stretch again briefly, and then get back in the seat for a real workout. Warming up is important because it helps your body accommodate new condition before the workout begins and also prevent strokes.
  • Keep maintaining your position: Proper position is important when riding a recumbent bike. Because, it not only helps you to prevent injury, it also helps you burn calories more efficiently. The most important thing to keep in mind is not to lean forward. Your back should be straightly aligned with the back seat and your tight should be laid in a straight line with your body when performing a full pedaling. You can hold the handlebar that is located at the sides of the seat during intense periods of cycling.
  • Choose the proper resistant force: Many beginners to recumbent bikes has no prior knowledge of which resistance to select. Many people are overestimated their strength so that they set the resistant force too high. Riding a recumbent exercise bike is similar to many other kinds of exercises. You don’t want to go all-in right away. Selecting the right resistance when using the bike is a must for the users. The higher the resistance, the more difficult it is to pedal. Naturally, this means your leg muscles are getting a better strength training workout. Everyone wants an instant efficiency that they can pedal fast enough to get their heart rate up as well. The suggestion is that adjust the resistance multiple times during your workout. Switching between the high resistance and low resistance to get the best overall workout is a common practice.
  • Multiple interval training: If you follow the prior steps, you already have a good start. Yet, interval training is important to earn the most health benefits possible. I’ve found interval training to be the right way to utilize my recumbent exercise bike – and studies, like this one from a famous US college of sports of medicine, back me up. The key to interval training is mixing the different pedaling intensities during your cardio workout session. As I mentioned above, you can dynamically make several adjustments to the resistance forces of a recumbent stationary exercise bike for getting more intensity.

exercise bike workout plan

Source: self.com

  • Proper duration: An appropriate pedaling time interval plays an important role in getting the most benefits from riding your recumbent exercise bike is. According to scientific research in a medical study, the trainee should set at least 30 minutes of cardio per day. They go on to state that 60 to 90 minutes of cardio per day (5 days per week) is best for weight loss.
  • Book a gym: There are 2 benefits of visiting a gym to ride a recumbent exercise bike. First, exercising with other people around provides huge motivation. I know I always pedal harder when people are watching me. There’s also the opportunity to join a cycling class. The bikes are expensive and you cannot afford to have one for your home unless you’re sure it’s right for you.
  • Keep busy while cycling: I recommend tip to enjoy your recumbent exercise bike workout is doing something else while you’re cycling. Unless you are a serious training workout, you can read a magazine or play around with your phone, or even share your training session with someone else through live streaming while cycling. It makes the time go by so much faster! Some people I know even answer emails on their computers during their workout.

From now you already have some useful tips to enjoy your working out time. Now it is necessary to have some spinning workout routines.

Exercise Bike Workout Routines

Workout routines are a crucial part of a recumbent stationary bike lover. However, it is needed to find a suitable working-out pattern for yourself.

What’s awesome about recumbent bikes is that you will sit through the duration of your exercise routine. You will feel comfortable enough because the bikes have relaxing bucket seats as no more butt pain. You can start the routine by simply stepping on reach the pedal. The recumbent bike will be easy for beginners. As days go by, you can develop your steps or your tricks on how you can make the workout more exciting. This way, you won’t get tired of getting to it every day and practicing your planned recumbent exercise bike routine.  Many experts recommend this kind of equipment. This can be used by people of various fitness levels. This is also applied to people of all genders.

  • Start with 10 minutes a day and work your way up until you are comfortable going 30 to 45 minutes 3 to 4 times a week or more.
  • Be sure to stay hydrated before, during, and after your recumbent bike workout
  • Change up the routine by focusing some days on a lower strength setting for a cardio workout and going for a time to create better stamina and other days with higher strength intensity, lower time to push the muscles with a modified resistance training session on the bike
  • To take out the boring factor, use a home exercise bike video (available lower right) to imagine that you are riding outdoors.

exercise bike workout routines

Sources: pinimg.com

Even if you own a recumbent bike, it doesn’t mean that you have to tire yourself out so that you will see the results of your recumbent exercise bike routine immediately. Aside from depending on a recumbent bike for your workout, you should also eat right and lead a healthy lifestyle to be sure that you will achieve your desired weight and figure in time.

HIIT Workout: 20 Minutes of Cardio Workout

What is the right intensity? This is a simple adjustment of RPM (revolutions per minute) and associated amount resistance (gear or incline) to push your heart rate up to a high-intensity zone that results in cardio response. You set your level of ‘very hard’ while having a heavy breath. Each surge should feel like the most you can give for that given duration of time.

Require elements: A Stationary bike and a watch with second hands or preset timer

exercise bike hiit workout

Source: Sparkpeople.com

Let’s get started: Double-check your bike setting to make sure it works properly. Prepare water and a towel handy. Perform a short warm-up at a moderate intensity for about 3 minutes. After you are warm, raise the resistance force to a heavy workload that slows down your pedaling cycle to about 65 RPM (revolutions per minute). A good way to think about this is when you are pushing into a surge you feel the bike pushing back with resistance. During recovery, you can maintain the resistance and slow down or take away the resistance to let your legs rest.

This HIIT workout lets you burn out approximately 200 calories in 20 minutes (for a 150-pound woman), depending on your profile such as your weight, HIIT workout time interval.

Conclusion

This ultimate guide generally aims to address every aspect of the stationary bike so that many people could find it useful to enjoy their workout time. We believe that the technical reviews and advice through certified experts in this guide are precious for achieving better efficiency in using a stationary bike. Finally, the success stories presented in this guide prove that the stationary bike can benefit in bringing healthy life.