Stationary Bike Tips?
 

Ok so I'm gonna climb onto the stationary bike at the gym starting today once a week. I'm varying up my exercise schedule to get a balanced workout over the week. What are some tips on how to get the most out of my workout? I don't have time for a spin class, I need to be able to just hop on whenever I find time.

Well when I started using the bikes I wasn't working out very hard but I think its best to start small and build up.

See if you can stand on the bike while working out, just start with intervals of standing up and build up.

Turn up that resistance, keep on varying it, for most of the time I try to get a steep resistance where I can still go fast then have little intervals of low resistance going fast sitting down and then intervals with a really high resistance standing up but I go slower so my whole body is really pushing myself through.

Also try getting your upper body down lower and almost sit but just keep your bum hovering over the seat, just hits the muscles at a different angle.

Take rests, maybe even have a few weights beside the bike so you can get off do some lifts, give your legs a break anyway and then you can jump back on.

Make sure you don't fall of the bike. :) a girl at my circuit class did, she didn't get her foot out of the strap before getting off and your legs can be quite shaky so take it easy.

Also my foot nearly slipped off one of the bikes without the straps and you don't want to bang your self off the bar ouch.

Here is my take. I don't workout on the bike like spinning classes do, so it may be different than others.

Do you want to use the recumbent ones or the upright ones? I like the upright ones much better, but you need to make sure that the seat is high enough - only a slight bend in the knee when extended. Also, sit so that your bones are on the widest part of the seat - that will be the most comfortable long term. I sit the entire time, but I do adjust if I am sitting up straight or leaning forward in a tour-de-france type road bike way so my elbows and forearms are on the handles and I am gripping the hand part. The latter is better for sprints. I usually do a resistance of 8 and an rpm in the 80's. On occasion I will increase or decrease the resistance by 1. I also do sprints where I up the rpm to in the 90's or higher. I will do the sprint for either 1/4 mi or the length of a song on my ipod depending on the resistance and how dead I am. I do about 2.5-3 mi in 10 min. Try to find a resistance that is right for you. You should be able to go for 20-30 min but be covered in sweat at the end. I just love it and will answer any questions. I like it so much that I recently bought a bike (for outside) and have ridden about 10 mi/day for the last 3 days.

Feel free to ask any questions!