The exercise bike is a widely known piece of exercise equipment. There are a couple of basic types; the stationary bike and the recumbent bike.
It’s possible to put an ordinary bike on rollers or a trainer – sometimes done by racing cyclists for warming up or for practice when the weather is bad. For the majority of us though, one of the main two styles of exercise bike will suit best!
Bike exercise will tone your lower body muscles, particularly targeting areas like hips, buttocks, and thighs. This is in addition, of course, to giving a great cardiovascular workout to exercise your heart and lungs.
A big advantage of using an exercise bike is that it is natural weight-bearing, so there is no impact or pressure on hips, knees, and ankles. This makes this form of exercise particularly suitable for beginners or the elderly.
It also makes it suitable for anyone suffering or recovering from certain injuries. Of course, if you are in this position, check with your GP before commencing any form of exercise.
The Stationary Exercise Bike
This can resemble a standard bike in style. They are sometimes called an upright bike, as the peddles are beneath you, so cycling is done with your body in much the same position as when you are using a standard bike. They come with a range of features and many of them are fully programmable. This helps you to alter the workout according to your fitness level and your targets.
The Recumbent Exercise Bike
As the name suggests, this type of bike puts you in a semi-recumbent position, with the pedals in front of you as opposed to being beneath you. Generally, recumbent bikes are more comfortable and easier to use. They are low impact, so don’t put excess strain on your joints. You normally get a comfortable 2 part seat that helps support your lower back. This means that the recumbent bike is often a better choice for anyone that suffers from back pains.
The features can include;
- Different resistance levels, from 10 to 20 commonly.
- Heart rate monitors, either mounted in the handles or strapped to your arm or chest.
- The braking system, often electronic, this although not essential, enables you to try out
- More advanced techniques, such as simulated hill starts and cardiac control.
- Extras such as console or handlebar fans and drinking bottles!
The more you pay the fancier the gizmos – some will monitor your heart rate and adjust exercise intensity automatically! Of course, most of these advanced features come at the very expensive end of the market and more often on the commercial machines found in gyms.
However, it’s worth looking around as the later models of the home machines have started to incorporate more features. It is a very competitive market so manufacturers have to keep on adding perceived value. Good second-hand commercial equipment can sometimes be a cheaper way of attaining an exercise bike that you would not normally be able to afford.
Resistance is controlled in a variety of ways. The cheaper models have some form of tension belt controlled with a knob. The higher-priced models may use magnetic resistance which can be controlled either with a knob or by push buttons. That latter method is superior if you can afford it.
The advantage of a display on the bike is that it tends to give better motivation if you can see how far you have ‘travelled’, how many calories you have burned or even how fast your heart rate is going. Without some form of feedback, there is a tendency for boredom to set in. You need to make this fun! My personal recommendation is to go for the recumbent exercise bike as I feel they are more fun to use anyway.
On the point of boredom setting in, there are a number of innovations around to increase user feedback and thus increasing ‘stickability’ (I made that word up, but it fits!). Some gym machines offer the concept of virtual riding, where you seem to cycle through scenery, with an instructor or other bike riders. At home, there is the GameRider for the Playstation, where you control the action by riding the bike.
Overall conclusion? Get a reasonably priced recumbent machine for home use, and make sure you use it! Make it fun! You don’t need to spend a fortune on it. In my opinion, bike exercise is the ultimate aerobic exercise.
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