Sunday, September 28, 2008

The Benefits Of Using A Stationary Exercise Bike

Aerobic exercise increases blood circulation, which helps oxygen and nutrients to be more easily delivered to the muscles, thereby improving your health. One of the best forms of it is by working out on a stationary exercise bike. It's a great way to burn fat, stay toned and get fitter and because it's low impact it's easy on your knees, hips and back.

This is about getting your heart rate up and increasing your circulation. The best ways of achieving this are through running, swimming and cycling. In many ways swimming is the most preferable as it's a very low-impact form of exercise. However, the drawbacks include that not everyone is a confident swimmer and very few of us have our own swimming pool and trekking out to a public or gym pool can be a chore.

Running is perhaps the worst type for the majority of people. It's a high-impact form of exercise and is notorious for ankle, knee, hip and lower back damage. Running is certainly not the best form of cardiovascular exercise for those who've never exercised before, are over weight or have some mild physical problems.

Cycling can be a low-impact form of exercise, however cycling outdoors can be relatively high-impact and can also result in painful joints. Using an indoor stationary exercise bike is preferable for most people and is an ideal method of doing aerobic exercise. Further more, there's the convenience factor; a stationary bike can be used at anytime and anywhere in the house, even in front of the TV.

There are two main types of exercise bike; traditional upright and recumbent. Uprights have been around for years and seem to suit most people. However, for those that are overweight, have lower back problems or have restricted movement, using an upright isn't always comfortable and a recumbent model is preferable. Under certain circumstances an upright is preferable, for instance those with spinal stenosis, leaning forward on an upright exercise bike is the more comfortable option.

Apart from comfort, using a recumbent type of stationary exercise bike has some benefits for aerobic exercise. It has been shown that cycling in a reclined position is more ergonomic (the applied science of equipment design for better physical benefit) and causes the abdominal muscles to relax making breathing easier, which in turn leads to a better cardiovascular workout.

Cycling in a reclined position also brings feet more closely in line with the heart, keeping blood pressure low and providing for a safer overall workout.

Reclined cycling also tends to produce a more gentle and relaxed workout, which is more beneficial to those who are getting on in years or haven't done much exercise before.

One last point: using a stationary exercise bike is safer than using other types of equipment. It's possible to slip and fall on a treadmill. You can lose your balance on an elliptical trainer. If you are worried about falling off your equipment then opt for a recumbent exercise bike as this is even safer to use than an upright.

By Robin O'Brien

Check Out the Related Article : Exercise Bike - A Good Intermediate Workout

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Saturday, September 27, 2008

Exercise Bike Tips

Exercise bikes have several advantages compared to other types of fitness equipment, below is a list of reasons why exercise bikes have the advantage:

Easy to use – most bikes are relatively easy to use and do not require much coordination, also the weight that bears down on your legs is much less compared to a treadmill. This is one of the most recommended pieces of exercise equipment for newbie exercisers

Low Price – exercise bikes are quite affordable and this is due to the vast competition forcing manufactures to cut prices.

Time of year – in the U.K we have cold dark winters where you couldn’t really take your bike out for a 5 mile bike ride. For the working majority finding time in the winter months to ride your bike can be hard, most people will be restricted to the weekend. With an exercise bike you are only limited to your own dedication to exercise.

Set up time – compared to a pedal bike you do not have to pump up the tires, fill up your water bottle, put on a helmet etc. You just get on the exercise bikes and peddle; this makes it quicker for you to start your exercise.

What to look

• Power supply – is the exercise bike supplied with a power supply

• Adjustable – you want to make sure the bike seat is fully adjustable to your body

• Braking system – for more advanced (expensive) exercise bikes you can have breaking system, this allows you to use more sophisticated programs such as hill starts.


By John Cammidge


Check Out the Related Article : Exercise Bike - A Good Intermediate Workout

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Thursday, September 25, 2008

Exercise Bike Tips

Exercise bikes have several advantages compared to other types of fitness equipment, below is a list of reasons why exercise bikes have the advantage:

Easy to use – most bikes are relatively easy to use and do not require much coordination, also the weight that bears down on your legs is much less compared to a treadmill. This is one of the most recommended pieces of exercise equipment for newbie exercisers

Low Price – exercise bikes are quite affordable and this is due to the vast competition forcing manufactures to cut prices.

Time of year – in the U.K we have cold dark winters where you couldn’t really take your bike out for a 5 mile bike ride. For the working majority finding time in the winter months to ride your bike can be hard, most people will be restricted to the weekend. With an exercise bike you are only limited to your own dedication to exercise.

Set up time – compared to a pedal bike you do not have to pump up the tires, fill up your water bottle, put on a helmet etc. You just get on the exercise bikes and peddle; this makes it quicker for you to start your exercise.

What to look

• Power supply – is the exercise bike supplied with a power supply

• Adjustable – you want to make sure the bike seat is fully adjustable to your body

• Braking system – for more advanced (expensive) exercise bikes you can have breaking system, this allows you to use more sophisticated programs such as hill starts.

for cheap exercise bikes visit fitness superstores online shop - http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk/exercise-bikes


Check Out the Related Article : Choosing Between an Exercise Bike and a Treadmill

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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Exercise Bike Fitness

Exercise bike fitness is a great path to better fitness and health. The exercise bike is an old stand-by exercise tool that has stood the test of time. Fad exercise machines have come and gone but the exercise bike is still a proven machine to build fitness.

For overall fitness you need exercise for heart fitness, muscle building and flexibility. Your exercise bike can be a key part in your overall program. Especially during wet or cold weather the exercise bike is useful every day and at any time.

Heart Conditioning

For the cardio-vascular or heart conditioning part you need something that will elevate your heart rate up to 50 percent of your maximum if you're a beginner or 70 percent if you're more experienced. Then you should maintain that rate at least for 15 minutes and longer is better. Your maximum heart rate is about 220 minus your age. For this activity your exercise bike is ideal. You can alter the resistance of your bike to target just the effort level you need. Of course you can walk or ride a regular bike or jog or do any other aerobic exercise too. Mixing up the exercise over time is the key to not getting bored with stale repetitive exercise. Boredom will stop your exercise program so don't let that happen.

Rather than just pedaling away at an even pace for a half hour, try mixing up the pace of your exercise bike workout to make it more challenging and interesting. Try this pedaling tempo variation:

3 minutes easy warm-up pedaling

2 minutes moderate

1 minute fast

2 minutes moderate

1 minute fast

1 minute moderate

30 seconds fast

1 minute moderate

30 seconds fast

2 minutes moderate

1 minute fast

2 minutes moderate

3 minutes slow

Bet that's not boring!

Muscle Building

For muscle building nothing beats weight training. Simple weight lifting routines done just once a week can help you improve. My favorite weight lifting plan is in the book Slow Burn Fitness Revolution. There is a wealth of information on the Internet to help you design a simple set of exercises to tone and build muscle.

Don't think that the exercise bike has no muscle building potential. Your exercise bike is working all the major muscles of your lower body. If you have a dual action machine that works your arms too you're getting at all the major muscles of your body. But you still need a weight lifting routine for an ideal program.

Stretching

A stretching routine rounds out your overall program to improve your overall fitness.

Exercise bike fitness may be just what you need to improve your overall health and physical fitness. It's a convenient at-home activity you can do in any weather and at any time.


By Al Bullington

Check Out the Related Article : Choosing Between an Exercise Bike and a Treadmill

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Monday, September 22, 2008

Exercise Bike Features

A stationary bike is not just an upright or recumbent bicycle without movable wheels. A good exercise bike will come with certain features. Some exercise bikes will have more features than others, and generally, the more exercise bike features, the more the bike will cost. Still, the extra cost will be worth it for the convenience the features offers.

Standard exercise bike features include speedometer, odometer, and heart or pulse monitor. The speedometer is important because it is the best way to measure if you are getting a consistent work out. When you use a stationary bike, you want to try to keep your speed as consistent as possible to improve the impact of the time on the bike. The odometer is the best way to measure how long you should stay on your exercise bike, as well as mark improvement. A beginner might only go a mile in twenty minutes, but a more seasoned rider maybe be able to double or triple that. The pulse monitor is important because riding bikes is an aerobic activity. In order for the time on the exercise bike to be as worthwhile as possible, you need to keep your pulse elevated for at least twenty minutes.

Other exercise bike features include different levels of intensity, so you can simulate riding over hills, mountains, and rocky terrain, built in game consoles to create the experience of racing, and even radios. They have larger LED displays with pre-programmed workouts to keep you motivated. These bikes are more expensive, but they might be suitable for the most serious and dedicated exercise bike users.

By Alexander Sutton


Check Out the Related Article : Choosing Between an Exercise Bike and a Treadmill

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Exercise Bike Equipment Choices

Exercise bike equipment can be a great investment for improving your health and fitness. A good workout just makes you feel better and the right equipment is fun to use. Choose an exercise bike that feels right and you'll enjoy riding. Equipment that doesn't fit correctly or is in any way irritating will be a constant aggravation.

Electronics

Exercise bikes come in several types and all kinds of price ranges. The electronics which include programmable ride simulations and video displays affects the price quite a bit. You can get built in heart rate monitors and many other electronic options.

Upright or Recumbent

Another basic choice in bikes is whether you prefer an upright bike or a recumbent one. The recumbent bike puts you in a sitting position which minimizes the stress to the knees. But it's difficult to vary your position on a recumbent, so you're pretty well stuck in one spot. The upright bikes let you shift around some, but may stress the knees more. Plus the seat on an upright is very important. Especially if you do long workout, a seat can cause muscle problems in the hips since you're putting weight on the muscles that are doing a lot of the work of pedaling.

Resistance Type

The system used to provide resistance to pedaling varies in bikes. Standard in most bikes now is a magnetic resistance system. Most are electric systems, either plug-in or battery powered. Also sometimes the magnetic resistance is generated by the pedaling. Check the warranty for the resistance system since this is a major part of the bike. Years ago, resistance for exercise bikes was often just a friction band but most of these bikes are gone. Another older system is the one where you turn a fan with your pedals creating more resistance the faster you pedal. This reliable design is still found in the Schwinn Airdyne.

Special Purpose

You can also get a dual action exercise bike which works your legs and your arms at the same time. Another type of machine for people unable to use their legs lets you pedal only with your arms for a workout.

There is no reason to buy the most expensive multi-thousand dollar machine for home use. But don't pay too little and get low quality exercise equipment that you won't use. If possible try out a machine like you are considering and make sure you like the fit and function.

Exercise bike equipment is a long term investment that can help you feel better and improve your overall fitness.


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Sunday, September 21, 2008

Exercise Bike Body Sculpture Tips

Exercise bike body sculpture will happen for you as you lose weight and build muscle with regular workouts. Body sculpture is done when you lose fat and tone muscle resulting in a fit profile with muscle definition. This is valuable for both men and women. And it isn't just about looks either. Getting fit is part of building good health. Your exercise bike can play an important part in your fitness program.

Your Fitness Plan

Your plan must include both exercise and your diet. There are so many diet ideas it is almost overwhelming. There are many on-line resources you can study to make a diet plan that will work for you. To reduce your body fat, many experts suggest eliminating simple sugars and limiting carbohydrates. Low fat diets have been the rage for years as people get fatter and fatter so the low carb plan is worth studying.

What about exercise? What kind of exercise will work to lower your body weight and especially make you leaner? A combination of aerobic activity and muscle building is what you need. What works to reduce fat is to increase your basal metabolism rate. Basal metabolism refers to the level of calories your body burns with your normal activities. The best way to increase your metabolism is to build more muscle. With more muscle you can eat more and still not gain weight. Building muscle turns your body into a fat burning machine.

Building Muscle

So how do you build muscle? You build muscle with weight training. This works for men or women, of any age. And no long workouts are needed. Certainly no more than 90 minutes per week. Don't fear that you'll build big, bulky muscles. It just won't happen for women and it's difficult for men.

Aerobics

Combine aerobic exercise with a weight workout and you have the perfect combination. The aerobic part can be walking, jogging, biking including exercise biking. Any amount of activity is a plus, but research says the more the better.

Combine regular exercise bike workouts with weight lifting sessions and you've got an ideal program. Have you thought of doing circuit training with your exercise bike? Ride the bike for a few minutes then get off and do a set of weight exercises then back on the bike. Your heart rate will stay elevated while you're doing the weight movements so you get a longer aerobic workout.

Fight Boredom

One of the main reasons people stop exercising is boredom. Change out your exercise program regularly to prevent boredom and keep yourself moving toward your fitness goals. Include an exercise bike in your normal routine and you have a great tool to make your workouts interesting. The biggest danger to your exercise plan is stopping. Don't quit and you will surely make improvements.


By Al Bullington

Check Out the Related Article : Buying Exercise Bikes

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Thursday, September 18, 2008

Exercise Bike Benefits - 5 Advantages For You

Exercise bike benefits are clear once you use a bike for just a short time. Most of us need a serious fitness program. Many health problems result from simple lack of physical activity. It is a great tool to use in your fitness program.
Your choices of an activity to improve your fitness is very important. Sadly, buying a piece of equipment or even a membership in a gym or fitness club won't get the job done! We actually have to get up and do something! Choose a machine or an activity that you will actually use is the key to success for getting in shape.
Following are five benefits to getting and using an exercise bicycle in your fitness routine.
1. Convenience
You can use a bike at a gym and enjoy the motivation of contact with others. That contact with others may motivate you to stay at a program over a long time. But an exercise bike at home is a great plus too. Exercise at any time right at home. Save travel time and expense. Even if you like to work out at a gym, an exercise bike at home is there for days you just can't make it to the gym.
2. Economical
You can get your own for an affordable price. Especially good values can be found in the $200-$500 range. A good machine will last for many years with little upkeep. My Schwinn Airdyne has 7000 miles on it with virtually no maintenance. There are no fees to pay and no additional costs.
3. Good for any fitness level
Even if you have joint problems, you can use your exercise bike since your weight isn't on your joints. If you're really out of shape, you can still use your bike at a pace that's right for you. Or if you're in good shape, you can really hammer the bike and push yourself as hard as you choose to. Your bike can provide you with a great workout no matter what your fitness level.
4. Lose weight and fat
Use your bike to improve your heart and lung fitness. Burn calories and lose weight as you tone muscles and increase strength. If you have a dual-action machine that works your legs and arms, you can almost get a total body workout. It's great. Only about 12-15 minutes of vigorous pedaling are required to start burning fat.
5. Combine with other exercises
Boredom is one of the main reasons we stop exercising. If you can combine several different kinds of exercises and change routines regularly, you can beat boredom. For example try riding your bike three days a week and walk the other days. Or work out with weights on days you don't bike. Or ride your bike a few minutes, then do weight machine exercises a few minutes then back to the bike. Go back and forth from bike to weight machine for 20 to 30 minutes to complete a workout. Use your imagination to mix it up and fight boredom. Keep it interesting!
Those are five benefits to consider. Whether you use an exercise bike at a gym or at home, it's a great tool for getting fit and staying fit.



By Al Bullington

Check Out the Related Article : Buying Exercise Bikes

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Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Exercise Bike Benefits

So you know you want to buy some type of home exercise equipment - but why buy an exercise bike?

One of the top benefits of exercise bikes is that they are probably the most affordable piece of exercise equipment on the market right now. Starting around $200 and ranging up to $2500, exercise bikes offer a huge variety of models for every price range and every exercise level.

It is however advisable to keep in mind that you will get what you pay for with an exercise bike. Don't expect a $200 exercise bike to come with all of the bells and whistles and last you over 3 years. However if you are on a budget, an exercise bike is a great way to get in shape for less.

Another great benefit of exercise bikes is that they provide a much lower impact on your joints and ligaments than other piece of exercise equipment like a treadmill or stair climber. This can result in less chance of sustained injury over time and can also be great for people with joint problems, arthritis, etc.

Another recent factor that has made the exercise bikes much more comfortable to use is the introduction of the recumbent exercise bike - where you sit in a semi-reclined bucket seat with your legs angled out in front of you instead of hanging down.

Until the recumbent bike came along, many people just weren't comfortable on the standard upright bike seat. The recumbent exercise bike allows people to get a much more comfortable workout - which means that they can exercise for longer periods of time.

Exercise bikes can also be much safer than other forms of exercise equipment. You can slip and fall on a treadmill. You can lose your balance on an elliptical trainer. It's much more difficult to fall off or injury yourself on an exercise bike. This makes the exercise bike a great alternative for the elderly exerciser or someone who is new to exercise equipment in general.

Another factor that makes the exercise bike so popular in home gyms is the fact that (with a recumbent bike) you can read while you're exercising. Boredom is one of the main reasons people don't exercise. So instead of forcing yourself to trudge through your workout, why not choose a piece of exercise equipment that's going to allow you to multitask and do what you want while working out?

Read your favorite magazine or the latest murder mystery novel. Set the exercise bike up in front of the television and watch your favorite show while pedalling. Time will fly by and you won't even know you've been blasting those calories!

This leads into what is perhaps the best benefit of an exercise bike. Because exercise bikes are so affordable, comfortable, low impact and safe - and because they allow you to fight boredom while exercising - the chances that you'll use it are extremely high.

No one wants to spend a lot of hard earned cash a piece of fancy exercise equipment and then use it for a clothes rack. You want to be able to stay fit, burn calories and keep healthy by working out. But if you buy a machine that you never use, all of your best intentions have gone to waste.

Because of the great benefits of exercise bikes, many people find that they not only use them for years to come but they also end up exercising much more than they thought they wou


By Charles O'Neill


Check Out the Related Article : Arm Yourself With Info About Used Recumbent Exercise Bikes

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Monday, September 15, 2008

Exercise Bike And Weight Loss

Exercise bikes, also known as stationary bikes, are one of the best ways to workout to burn calories. Indoor training on an exercise bike is a great aerobic exercise that can easily increase your heart rate to the range that will effectively burn your fat cells, and tone your muscles.

Start off with a steady 15 minutes, and gradually increase the time at the 60% threshold, until you can train for 30 minutes. Regular training on an exercise bike has the potential to burn a lot of calories up too 600 an hour. What ever type of exercise program you choose, it is advisable to do a warm up and cool down routine to prevent injury and increase your heart rate ready for exercise.

Weight training.

The advantages to using an exercise bike is that the bike supports your body weight, a big advantage to people with bad knees say or a bad back. There is no impact on your joints when using a bike.

The primary role of an exercise bike is to provide a good cardiovascular workout. Regular use ensures the best health insurance policy anyone could ask for. To really rev up your weight loss try adding some weight training whilst cycling, something as simple as doing bicep curls with two tins of bins whilst pedalling away.

Weight training increases muscle mass. An increase in muscle mass increases your base metabolism. This in turn increases the number of calories you burn just sitting around or sleeping, very handy if you are looking to lose weight.

Of course it is a combination of efforts on all fronts that will ultimately achieve your desired weight loss, a good diet is essential, regular exercise is a must, both resistance training and aerobic, on top of this is fun. Enjoying yourself whilst exercising is the only way in which you will continue into the future. Forcing yourself to do something you hate won't last forever, and is a miss guided use of will power.

By Dave R Jones


Check Out the Related Article : Arm Yourself With Info About Used Recumbent Exercise Bikes

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Sunday, September 14, 2008

Exercise Bike - Ditch The Fat

The key to losing weight is burning more energy than you take in as food, its not quite this simply but its a start. Now you can either eat less, or move more. If you lead a very sedentary life then eating less will help, but without additional exercise you will see limited results. Consistency is important to losing weight, regular exercise will work wonders on your health.

So what's the best way to get this regular exercise?

Well if you are not used to going to the gym, it may seem pretty daunting. The alternative is home based exercise equipment and the exercise bike is one of the more popular types. Prices range of exercise bike is from $100 to slightly over $2000. It really depends on what you are looking for. A magnetic exercise bike with a heart rate monitor is an excellent place to start. The magnets provide a smooth resistance, which is a big step up in ease of use and comfort than the older style of bike. The heart rate monitor is an excellent addition and allows you too judge how much effort you are actually putting in.

Most exercise bikes allow you to change the resistance, which allows to do spinning or slow with a lot of resistance. A good program is to start with 20 mins three times a week. Aim to raise your heart rate to 60-70% of your max heart rate. This is found by 220 - your age, then multiple by 0.6 and 0.7 respectively.

The exercise bike is really convenient, they don't take up a lot of space. It is even easy to fit a workout into your busy life, you can wheel the bike in front of the TV and get your workout in whilst watching your favourite TV program. You can get your regular exercise in the time it would take to drive to the gym and back. If you are looking at a recumbent exercise bike you can even read a book whilst exercising, talk about multi tasking. Suddenly getting 5 pieces of exercise a week doesn't seem so tough, your metabolism will rev up and you'll be burning a lot more energy.

By Dave R Jones


Check Out the Related Article : Arm Yourself With Info About Used Recumbent Exercise Bikes

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Saturday, September 13, 2008

Exercise Bike - A Route To Weight Loss

Exercise at home is a very good motivational element, being able to wheel out an exercise bike whilst sitting and watching your favourite TV, seems a lot less daunting than driving to the gym and waiting on machines. There is also a big time saving factor, in that you can get a full workout in the time it takes to drive to the gym and back.

An exercise bike can give you a good workout raising your heart beat nicely into your fat burning zone. Weight loss is a simple energy balance, take in more energy than you use up and you gain weight, eat less energy than you burn off and you lose weight. This is purely a simplistic view but in essence is correct.

A good way to increase the energy you use up in a 24 hour period is to, over time, increase you muscle mass. Add to this aerobic exercise and you have a winning combination. An exercise bike can provide you both these elements in one workout.

The way to increase muscle mass is resistance training. A simple way to do this on a bike is this.

Start off by warming up thoroughly, then for 20 mins follow this simple pattern.

1 min 30sec cycle steadily at a light to medium resistance.

30 secs with the resistance turn to the max.

Repeat this 10 times.

When you turn up the resistance, the rate at which you pedal will probably drop, but you will feel it really working your thighs. Repeat this workout a couple of times a week and you will steadily build muscle on you legs. Don't worry you won't look like a body builder.

The combination of increased muscle mass and the aerobic benefit you will gain from this exercise plan will not only burn energy whilst exercising, but will increase the energy you burn just sitting around. That sounds to me like the best weight loss plan. Regular exercise on your exercise bike coupled with a good diet will tip the balance toward weight loss, do this consistently and you will achieve your weight loss goal.

By Dave R Jones

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Thursday, September 11, 2008

Exercise Bike - A Good Intermediate Workout

Also known as stationary bikes, exercise bikes are one of the best ways to exercise too lose weight. Exercise bike workouts are a great way to lose fat and get in condition. There are tricks you can use to make your exercise session more enjoyable. Multi-tasking during your workout keeps it from becoming boring and allows you to more easily fit exercise into a busy schedule. An exercise bike workout should be more that just hopping on a bike and pedalling away.

How to get started.

To gain aerobic benefit you need to exercise above 60% of your maximum heart rate, this is calculated by taking 220 and subtracting your age then multiplying by 0.6. Whilst exercising you should raise your heart rate to this figure and above.

Exercise for 10 to 15 minutes initially, and gradually increase the time at the 60% threshold, until you can train for 30 minutes. The biggest obstacle to a home exercise routine is sticking with it, so good advice is to mix things up to keep it interesting.

Research has proven that Interval training will accelerate weight loss. Interval training involves a series of intense efforts with recovery periods in between.

Try this for a workout.

It is important you thoroughly warm up first. Then follow this plan for 20 minutes. Set the resistance to a manageable level, and workout to the following pattern.

Intense effort 8 seconds

Recovery 12 seconds

Intense effort 8 seconds

Recovery 12 seconds

Intense effort 8 seconds

Recovery 12 seconds

Intense effort 8 seconds

Recovery 12 seconds

Intense effort 8 seconds

Recovery 12 seconds

Intense effort 8 seconds

Recovery 12 seconds

Now intense effort means pedal like mad, count slowly in your head or out loud if you like to 8, roughly 8 seconds. Recovery does not mean stop pedalling and go for a beer, it means pedal at a nice leisurely pace; this allows your heart rate to recover, again count slowly to 12. Now when you first start after 10 minutes or so the 8 second count will probably be counted as fast as possible, and the 12 second count be the longest seconds ever. Don't worry about this so long as you listen to your body over time you will learn to pace yourself.

Try this routine every other day, and don't forget to thoroughly cool down afterwards. Perhaps 5 minutes of gentle exercise with some gentle stretching.

A big plus of an exercise bike workout is that it not only works your heart and lungs but also the muscles in your lower body. Put some variety into your exercise bike workout and you stand more chance of not getting bored. An exercise bike workout can improve your fitness, help you lose fat and just generally make you feel better.


By Dave R Jones


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Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Choosing Between an Exercise Bike and a Treadmill

You may be considering purchasing some home fitness equipment to save you from having to drive to the gym and have it in the convenience of your own home; however human beings have a tendency to get bored very easily. So now you may be faced with the choice of whether or not to buy a treadmill or an exercise bike and this could be a very tough decision to make so you just might need a little bit of help when making your decision.

When exercising on a treadmill you walk, run and jog which is not much fun, if you get a treadmill that offers an incline that can keep the work out a little bit more interesting but walking up hill is not exactly fun, however it is a challenge and it’s different. What can probably keep your treadmill workout from being too boring is putting the treadmill somewhere, where you can watch television or a movie while you are working out. The only thing with that is, the noise from the machine, and the constant bouncing up and down can be a distraction from the television.

On an exercise bike you are faced with a few of the same problems as with a treadmill but the difference with the exercise bike is, you would have your hands free but with out all of the bouncing of a treadmill, so you would be able to hold a book, magazine, video game controller or a phone so you can easily multi-task while working out on an exercise bike. If you try to read on a treadmill you would probably end up with a headache.

However, it is said that most people on average burn about 750 calories per hour on the treadmill and the same people may burn about 550 calories per hour on the exercise bike. So the choice seems like an easy one right? Buy the treadmill because it burns more calories. Actually, it’s not exactly like that. You should take into consideration which piece of equipment would be less boring to you because even though treadmills burn more calories exercise bikes are usually more fun. All you have to do now is think about which routine would you rather stick to, one on a treadmill or one on an exercise bike and go out and buy the one that’s just right for you.

By Sarah H


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Thursday, September 4, 2008

Buying Exercise Bikes

Nowadays all are interested to keep fit and remain in shape. This not only gives good health but also generates confidence in a person. An exercise bike is an excellent way to keep fit. It burns the body calories similar to that of cycling.

There are many different types of exercise bikes in the market nowadays. Many famous and not so famous companies have it. There are certain things to be checked while buying an exercise bike.

The first and foremost thing to be checked is the Comfort that the bike gives. This is an essential part while exercising, that one must feel comfortable doing a particular work out. The make should fit the body shape, the handle bars and seat should be adjustable, so that it can be adjusted according to the height and weight of the user.

Resistivity is the second thing to be noted. Exercise bike uses either magnetic resistance or tension belts. Tension belts are used in cheaper models and are prone to wear and tear. The magnetic resistance is a long lasting feature and may be expensive to buy, but in the long run it proves more effective than tension belts.

There would be a monitor that checks the heart beats and pulse rate and shows the same on a screen. This is very useful as it gives an idea as to what is the heart beat and if the resistance produced is high or low. Also this avoids over - exertion and helps in motivating the user. Apart from this, there are many other features in Exercise Bikes like the calories burnt, the speed, the distance ridden etc.

Usually exercise bikes are self driven but they have a life of 6 hours, when used continuously. Then they need rest. In a case where the bike is to be shared by many, then a power helped bike is to be bought. This, however, is limited to places where electric sockets are available. In the former model, it is portable and can be placed anywhere as it does not need electricity.

The main things to be checked is, therefore, a sturdy make, comfortable dimensions, quiet, smoothly run with a life long guarantee and programmes that are informative and motivating as well.

By Victor Thomas


Check Out the Related Article : A Review of the Top Exercise Bike Ratings

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Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Arm Yourself With Info About Used Recumbent Exercise Bikes

For those who want to start an exercise program that includes a stationary cycle, a used recumbent exercise bike my be just the item. Many people who are knowledgeable in the field of exercise equipment report that the best way to get a good used recumbent exercise bike is to take plenty of time shopping around for the right second hand model.

There are two general classes of exercise bikes: recumbent bikes and upright bikes. Recumbent bikes have chair-like or bucket seats. As you exercise, your body is in a semi-reclining position. Your legs angle out in front of you to reach the pedals instead of extending down as they do on an upright bike. Many users report that this design is much more comfortable and puts less stress on the back and knees. Upright bikes are sometimes referred to as "stationary bikes" although this term is now becoming a catchall term for both upright and recumbent bikes. These are the traditional exercise bikes that have been around for years and are similar in form to traditional outdoor bicycles.

Buyers can certainly find excellent used equipment, primarily because dozens of people purchase top-of-the-line exercise bikes, try them for a while, lose interest and then push the bike into the corner. Remember that you may be buying a bike that may no longer be manufactured. This shouldn't be a problem if the model is relatively new and is made by a top company. But buying second hand equipment can always be risky, even when the company was very popular during its heyday.

Instead of buying a second hand exercise bike, users may also want to search for one of the few new bikes left from original inventory. A second hand model of a recumbent exercise bike might not give satisfactory results and could be unsafe if not properly maintained. Users may also be able to find a used recumbent exercise bike at a garage sale, second hand sports store or through an online auction. It may also be possible to find a remanufactured exercise bike. The used recumbent exercise bike should be matched to your size, though most exercise bikes are easily adjusted for almost any body type. Prices range from $200 to more than $1,000, depending on original cost.

Buying a used bike (or even a new bike) online creates the risk of not getting exactly what you thought you were going to get. The bike you purchased may not have the exact specs or may be bigger or smaller than you thought it would be. It is very likely that the delivery company will not bring it into your house, so you will have to set it up. If you are buying a used recumbent exercise bike in one of the growing number of second-hand stores, make sure you know how to transport and assemble the bike, unless you contract with someone set the bike up. You can sometimes purchase service contracts from a store (like Sears or others), in case of a problem. But this is something you should be sure of before you hand over the check.


By Garen Garson


Check Out the Related Article : A Review of the Top Exercise Bike Rating

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Tuesday, September 2, 2008

An Exercise Bike Workout

The exercise bike workout has long been a staple of cardio routines everywhere! Some people find them boring to ride but others find that they enjoy that time on the bike. It can be a "me" time where you watch your favorite TV show or listen to your favorite music. Among the reasons that the exercise bike (or "stationary bike") is so popular is that it is easy to do other things while you ride it. It's easy to watch television for example. This makes the time go by much faster for most. Some people even read while riding an exercise bike.

Among the big positives of an exercise bike workout is that it's easy to change the resistance on the bike. You can make the workout not particularly challenging or you can make it very challenging (if you turn the resistance up very high.) This is great because you can keep challenging yourself as your fitness level increases.

Another big positive of having an exercise bike workout as part of your fitness routine is that there is very "low impact" type of exercise. This makes it ideal for those with bad joints or for those who are very overweight. It's also an ideal exercise for those who are recovering from some sort of injury.

An exercise bike may be a great choice for a bicyclist who wants to be able to "ride" even when the weather is poor. Otherwise a bicyclist may spend very little time exercising during the winter months.

Exercise bikes, of course, can be found at any gym. But they are also a great exercise machine to have at home. You can easily buy one online and have it shipped to your home. A great thing about ordering a bike online is that you don't have to deal with transporting it from the store to your home.


By Lucinda H. Becks


Check Out the Related Article : A Review of the Top Exercise Bike Ratings

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