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

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