A recumbent bike, just like a stationary bike, is used as a part of exercising equipment. Some people prefer a recumbent bicycle over an upright bike due to the large and comfortable seat. It also has more benefits which we are going to look at soon. We are also going to look at the different models of recumbent exercise bikes and how to use a recumbent bike.
Follow the instructions below to adjust different parts of the recumbent bike:
- Sit on the seat and adjust the seat accordingly. Your leg needs to bend to some extent when you place it on the bike’s crank. You can get off the seat and then adjust the seat if you want.
- Adjust the resistance with your pedaling speed. Increasing resistance makes controlling the pedals harder, which results in more leg muscle work that makes the muscles stronger.
Most of the parts are already adjusted; therefore, it is easier to use. Adjusting the seat may take time but be patient because this is an important step.
Easy steps on how to use a recumbent bike:
- Secure your foot using the foot strap.
- Like the stationary bike, start pedaling at a slow speed and gradually increase your speed and resistance level or follow steady-state cardio instead.
- You can place your hand on the handlebars but make sure that you do not lean forward. It would be best if you sat straight so that your back is up straight.
- For weight loss, the duration of your workout should be from 60 minutes up to 90 minutes.
- To increase your heart rate and burn calories quickly, follow an interval training plan.
- Remember to decrease the resistance level with your pedaling speed when reaching the end of the workout.
- To keep yourself entertained, listen to music or podcasts.
It is not difficult to use a recumbent exercise bike. You can change the resistance level using the plus or minus resistance button. Also, some bikes may have a knob; turn this knob to change the resistance level.
An upright bike is similar to a regular bike. It may not be as comfortable as a recumbent bicycle, but it provides a full-body workout. The upright exercise bike is more useful to your upper body compared to a recumbent bicycle.
Few advantages of using a recumbent bike include:
- Large seat making the sitting comfortable.
- Adjustable resistance.
- Less joint stress.
- Pedals are positioned in front of the seat.
- You can choose between a high or low impact workout.
- You can do a cardiovascular workout.
- You can rest your back on the backrest if you have back problems.
From this we can already predict what the disadvantages of upright bicycle could be so let us look at few advantages of using an upright bicycle:
- Provides a full-body workout
- You can sit and pedal or stand and petal, which varies the workout on the legs and muscles.
- These are less expensive.
- Comparatively, more calories are burned due to the entire body workout.
Few benefits of using a Recumbent bike include:
- Strengthening of the muscles of your lower body
- It helps to burn calories.
- Strengthens the heart
- Reduces the chances of cardiovascular disease
- Reduces stress and improves your brain function.
A recumbent exercise bike is used in physical therapy for regaining muscle strength and muscle tone. Physicians prefer this over an upright bicycle due to the less strain on the upper body and less joint stress. A critical difference between a recumbent and an upright bike is that an upright bicycle provides a workout for the entire body. Therefore, it is not suggested for patients with a muscle injury.
Different kinds of exercise bikes are:
- Recumbent bike
- Spin exercise bike
- Stationary bike
- Dual-action bike
The recumbent bike is unquestionably valuable exercising equipment. If you are looking for machines that will help you lose belly fat, this might not be your best choice. On the other hand, recumbent bicycles have health benefits and help tone the legs. Yes, it might not be the fastest process for weight loss, but the benefits of using a recumbent bike certainly top this argument.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a recumbent bike?
A recumbent bike is a piece of exercising equipment used to burn calories and sometimes used in physical therapy to improve muscle strength. That also helps in building muscles up mostly on your leg muscles and helps with lower back pains. Recumbent bicycles concentrate mostly on the lower part of your body and are more effective on your lower body.
What is a recumbent exercise bike suitable for?
It helps with weight loss, improves muscle strength, prevents cardiovascular disease, improves the health of your heart, and reduces stress. It also provides back support, puts less stress on your joints, and you can work out at different intensity levels.
What bike workout can I do to lose weight?
Here are two different types of exercise:
- You can use a steady speed throughout the workout that is known as Steady State Cardio. Beginners usually prefer this type of exercise.
- Changing the intensity level and the resistance level just like interval training. That increases your heart rate, which helps to burn calories faster.
Now follow the steps below for steady speed cardio:
- Start with a comfortable pace and pedal at this pace for 5 minutes.
- Slowly increase your pace to moderate and continue pedaling for 20 minutes. Increase the resistance accordingly.
- Now slow down back to a comfortable pace and pedal for 5 minutes.
- Or you can start with 10 minutes of pedaling at a moderate-high pace for two weeks. Then increase your duration, pace, and resistance level gradually.
Here is a workout plan for HIIT Cardio:
- For 5 minutes, pedal at a moderate intensity and medium resistance level.
- For the next 20 minutes, the interchange between 20 seconds of pedaling at the highest pace and highest resistance level and 10 seconds of stop in-between the pedaling.
- For the last 5 minutes, slow down to a moderate pace.
- Or pedal at the highest pace for 2 minutes and pedal for 1 minute at a moderate intensity. Do this for 15 minutes.
- Another plan would be pedaling for 30 seconds at high speed and pedaling for 30 seconds at a moderate-high pace. Do this for 20 minutes.
You can make your own workout routine using interval training. It would be best if you change your intensity level and the resistance level. Remember, if you want health benefits, then working out for 30 minutes is enough, but you need to work out for about 60 to 90 minutes to lose weight. You can burn up to 500 calories depending on body weight.
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