If you love working out, then there’s a good chance you’ve wondered how to use an exercise bike effectively. Sure, you can just start pedaling without considering how to have the best performance.
It will still give you a workout and is better than nothing at all. However, if you want to burn calories effectively, make proper use of the machine, and use your time wisely, there are some answers that can help you out!
We’ve collected all the best tips and tricks to learn how to use an exercise bike effectively.
How to Use an Exercise Bike Effectively
Contents
Why should you be using an exercise bike?
Before understanding how to use an exercise bike effectively you’ll want to make sure that you have a good handle on why you’re using one at all!
Exercise bikes are wonderful workout machines that help you increase your fitness, among a variety of other benefits.
By understanding how this type of exercise will help your body, you can become more passionate and dedicated to sticking to a plan.
Here are some of the best benefits that the exercise bike can give you:
- It’s a great cardio workout
- It will leave you feeling energetic
- You’ll sleep better
- It will help you lose weight if desired
- You’ll be able to burn more body fat
- It’s a low-impact workout
- It helps strengthen your lower body muscles
- It’s safer than many other exercises
Perfect your setup
Having a proper setup is one of the easiest ways to learn how to use an exercise bike effectively. It’s all about keeping your bike in a proper location that makes it easy and convenient to use.
You should choose to place your bike in a room that’s free of distraction. If you have a home gym, then that is the perfect spot! Unfortunately, we don’t all have space or the ability to do that. So, placing your bike in another room is fine, as long as the area isn’t going to be filled with distractions.
Do you need a mat under an exercise bike? This is one of the most common questions that people have when they’re setting up an exercise bike in their homes. The answer is yes!
Putting a mat under an exercise bike is a great decision. Most importantly, it will help you protect your floor. Having heavy exercise equipment can scuff your floor and damage it.
While the exercise bike may not weigh as much as other machines, like a treadmill, they can still leave enough damage to make you regret not having a mat.
Having a mat under your exercise bike can also make it feel like a smoother ride.
Even the slightest difference in motion can make your bike rock or sway, and having a mat can help decrease these motions.
It also helps reduce the noise that comes from the machine. This is from the lack of rocking back and forth.
Adjust it to your needs
You can’t learn how to use an exercise bike effectively if you’re using it straight out of the box. Every exercise bike user has a different height or weight and so you’ll need to adjust your bike accordingly.
You’ll need to adjust the angle of your saddle. If it’s tilting up or down too much, you’ll find yourself feeling uncomfortable or even in pain.
You should be able to sit comfortably and move slightly without feeling any pain or discomfort.
The seat height will also need to be adjusted based on your height. Your knees should be bent when your feet are on the pedals, but you should still be able to pedal comfortably.
The position of your handlebars is also important. Having to reach too far or have your arms pressed too closely can result in neck and back pain. Your handlebars should be positioned so that your elbows are bent, but not too close to your body.
Having your bike adjusted to your unique body needs is crucial. If you’re too busy trying to prevent discomfort, you won’t have the energy to learn how to use an exercise bike effectively!
This will also help prevent injuries that may otherwise force you to take an extended break away from your bike.
How to use an exercise bike effectively for weight loss
One of the most common goals for people using exercise bikes is to lose weight. So, if that’s you, then read on!
Biking at any speed or resistance level will burn a few calories, but there are some important things to learn if you want to lose weight efficiently.
The key to using an exercise bike effectively for weight loss is to work up a sweat. One of the best ways to do this is with some high-intensity interval training!
You’ll need to pick up the speed to do this. One of the most popular forms of interval training for weight loss is the 10-20-30 method.
You should begin most of your exercise bike routines with a quick warmup. Spend anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes biking at a comfortable pace to get you in the zone.
The 10-20-30 method has you working out in short bursts of time at different speeds. After you complete your warmup, you’ll begin with 30 seconds of moderate-intensity riding.
Your resistance should be set up at a level that allows you to accommodate this intensity and will depend on your leg strength.
Once you’ve completed your 30 seconds, you’ll do another 20 seconds at a higher intensity. This should feel noticeably more challenging than your first 30 seconds, but you will still not be giving it your all.
Following your 20 seconds, you’ll complete 10 seconds of intensity that seems to reach your limit. This will be harder than your previous 50 seconds and will be quite tiring.
Take a 2 minute recovery time after your first burst of 60 seconds. Ride at an easy to moderate pace to gather the strength to do it again. You’ll then repeat the exercise 5 to 10 times, depending on your fitness level.
Make sure that you take your recovery breaks between each burst so that you don’t overwork yourself and risk injury.
Once you’ve completed your repetitions, ride at an easy to moderate pace for 5 minutes as a cool-down. It’s recommended to do this exercise 3 to 4 times per week.
If you’re not a fan of interval training, you can always learn how to use an exercise bike effectively for weight loss in other ways. Moderate resistance levels at fast speeds can make you burn calories and lose weight quickly. However, we still recommend the interval training for your best workout.
How to use an exercise bike effectively for strength training
Weight loss isn’t always the main goal for many exercise bike users.
Strength training is always a possibility on a bike, and there are workouts that are tailored to target muscle rather than just burning calories. These workouts tend to rely on increased resistance rather than speed.
The workout for strength training is similar to the one for weight loss, but you’ll want to ramp up the resistance. Find the resistance level that is very intense for you.
You’ll want to find the level that is hard enough that you cannot go more than 60 seconds without feeling like you need a break, though it should still be something you can handle for those 60 seconds.
Like with any workout, you’ll want to start this with a warmup. Have your resistance level at a very moderate pace, and pedal at a conversational speed for 5 minutes.
After your warmup, put your resistance level to that high-intensity one mentioned. Pedal for 60 seconds without stopping, and then decrease the resistance level to moderate intensity to give yourself time to recover.
Spend 2 minutes at this recovery pace before going back up to high-intensity for another 60 seconds.
You’ll repeat the above process 5 to 10 times depending on your fitness level.
Like this exercise bike guide? Check out some of our other fitness how-to guides!
- How to Exercise Your Stomach Muscles at Home – 10 Exercises To Build Core Strength
- Our Guide on How to Exercise at Home and Lose Weight
As you can see, learning how to use an exercise bike effectively takes planning.
You haven’t spent the time and money to set up an exercise bike only to let it go to waste!
So, think about your unique goals, and ensure that you have everything set up properly before you start pedaling.
By learning how to use an exercise bike effectively, you’ll be able to lose weight quicker, gain muscle faster, and minimize the chances of you getting hurt or experiencing discomfort.
