Regular workouts must be an essential part of your daily routine. Riding a bicycle has many benefits to the body and mind; it strengthens your heart and lungs while improving overall health. However, exercise bikes are often overlooked when it comes to cardio equipment. They are excellent for easy weight loss because they help you move and burn calories. Moreover, this machine is convenient because it takes minimal space, workout can be done indoors, and consumes less of your time.
This article will get all you need to know about exercise bikes.
Overall benefits of cycling:
Let's look over the benefits of paddling, either outdoor or indoor.
- Help you lose weight.
- Strengthen your legs
- Lower your cholesterol level
- Boosts your mental health and brainpower
- Prevent health conditions
- Improves balance, posture, and coordination
- Decreases the risks of cardiovascular diseases
- Environment friendly
What are exercise bikes?
Exercise bikes are also known as stationary bicycles. An exercise bike is an indoor cycling machine that provides excellent workouts for every individual.
The first stationary bike was invented by Francis Lowndas IN 1796 and was known as Gymnasticon. It was designed from wood with metal parts. The vertical bike has a seat so one can work out comfortably. The purpose of introducing the exercise bikes was to combat medical conditions such as debility, plasy or rheumatism, etc. Moreover, in the 1060s, stationary bikes became common in the U.S, and in the 1980s it found globally.
Let's look at the pros and cons of stationary bikes:
Pros of a stationary bike
- It improves flexibility, balance, and coordination
- It decreases the pressure on your lower back
- It enables you to multitask while you workout
Cons of a stationary bike
- It offers fewer bone-building benefits
- It burns limited calories
- It puts more pressure on the lower body
What should you look for when buying a stationary bike?
Choosing your exercise equipment can be difficult, so how do you decide which is the best suit? Well, there is a lot to consider. However, the following are the main factors to consider while buying one for yourself.
- Comfort
- Adjustable seat
- Handlebars and style
- Adjustable resistance and stability
- Easy to use
Features: what a stationary bike gives you?
Flywheel:
It is a big weighted disc (30-50 pounds) placed at the front of the bike, connected to the pedals by a belt. Moreover, it helps create momentum; therefore, it gives you a smooth feel while pedaling.
Saddle:
This is the place where you sit while riding your bike. A stationary bike usually has a long, narrow, and minimal padding.
Pedals:
The bike part is where you place your feet and exert force when working out. The pedals of the exercise bikes have a clip-in mechanism that needs specific shoes to ride.
Resistance:
The feeling of tension when pedaling on the bike. There are three different kinds of resistance mechanisms;
- The system of strap-based resistance in lower-end bikes.
- Mechanical or friction resistance in the next level up
- Electromagnetic resistance in most higher-end bikes.
Display:
The screen on the bike is to track your performance: pedaling speed, workout time, heart rate, and estimated calorie burn.
The main types of exercise bikes
Generally, there are a variety of exercise bikes. However, as discussed below, the three main stationary bikes have been popular in countries.
1. Upright bike:
The most famous stationary bike resembles the regular bicycle, which has pedals positioned below your body. It provides a good cardio workout and strengthens your legs and muscles in the core. Moreover, you can switch between a sitting and standing position while exercising.
Pros
- It gives you a versatile positioning
- It's a full-body workout
- Variety of options to ease of storage
Cons
- It may provide you with discomfort in specific body parts
- You may feel pain in the seat
- You may get an unstable higher position
2. Recumbent bike:
One of the best exercise bikes provides a more prominent seat giving you a comfortable reclined position. It puts less stress on joints, lower back, and upper body. The workout is less intense because your body is fully supported and balanced.
Pros
- It is comfortable and supportive
- Focused lower body workout
Cons
- Only one fixed position
- Provides less core contraction
- Sometimes may get inconvenient
3. Indoor bikes:
The indoor bike is the best stationary bike for the fast pedaling and is perfect for those who prefer speed in a workout.
Pros
- It gives you the experience of outdoor cycling
- Easy to alter resistance
- You have the choice of pedal
Cons
- You may feel the uncomfortable saddle
- May lead to injuries
- Burnout
What do you get from working out on a stationary bike?
1. It boosts cardio fitness.
Cycling is the best way to keep your heart pumping healthily by enhancing your heart rate, and it helps to meet oxygen demand by allowing your heart's muscles to work effectively. In addition, the American Heart Association research says cycling can prevent cardiovascular risks among men and women.
2. It helps weight loss.
A bike can help you burn calories fast. Moreover, it depends on the intensity of the workout. Precisely, the more you pedal, the more calories you will burn. However, you need to maintain your heart rate in the fat-burning zone.,
3. Increases breathing capacity
Your heart pumps faster to increase the capacity of muscles to get more oxygen, and it increases the lung capacity by enabling you to breathe faster.
4. It strengthens your lower body.
Exercise machines can promote the range of motion in your knees, hip, and quadriceps. Pedaling can positively impact your glutes and hamstrings. Additionally, since stationary bike exercise is a low impact and non-weight bearing, it can be effective for the rehabilitation and strengthening of the knee.
5. It is safer than road cycling.
One of the most significant benefits of a stationary bike is pedaling safely at home or the gym. Moreover, riding a stationary bike removes the dangers of being harmed on the road, highway, or street.
Are exercise bikes good for weight loss?
There are a lot of cardio machines to work out. But have you ever thought about why to choose a stationary bike?
The exercise bike is one of the famous choices and is an effective way to get healthier and increase cardiovascular capabilities. However, is an exercise bike good for weight loss?
Yes, the exercise bike is the best option when you plan to lose pounds of weight. Stationary bikes are practical and efficient in burning calories. It is an aerobic activity that strengthens your heart, lungs, and muscles. Moreover, workout through an exercise bike challenges internal organs to improve functionally. Finally, the intensity of your workout impacts how much weight you lose; training at a higher power or vigorously can burn calories fast.
Furthermore, it assists in the caloric deficit, which means burning more calories than you take, so you drop more pounds. Regular exercise can help you lose fat real quick. According to Rowe Ham, the intensity and frequency of the workout affect the burning of calories per session.
