Fitness experts from the leading sports discounter “World of Sports” cordially welcome those who today would like to learn not just how to spin an exercise bike, but with the help of the sports equipment presented in our online store from leading Russian and foreign manufacturers:
- improve the condition of the cardiovascular system;
- get rid of excess weight;
- make sure that every new workout on an exercise bike brings positive emotions, well-being and joy.
Our clients often send us their questions related to the use of a specific sports equipment. We have collected all these questions and on this page we want to give the most comprehensive answers on the topic: “How to exercise on an exercise bike correctly?”
Let's start with a simple question:
What should you know before training?
The most important thing is the condition of your body. And, unfortunately, not even the most experienced consultant from World of Sports can answer this question. Only a doctor can tell you whether you are allowed to exercise on an exercise bike in general.
We kindly ask: do not regard our sports equipment as a toy. They say, “I spin an exercise bike whenever I want, and I don’t need any consultations from medical representatives!”
This is the deepest misconception. If you have decided to place a “piece of sports furniture” in your apartment or office, which you do not intend to use at all, then, of course, no one can prohibit you from doing so. But if you would like to seriously use an exercise bike, the load on which can be very, very significant, consultation with a doctor cannot be avoided.
And... here's our advice. If you find a lot of money for sports equipment, find money to visit a paid (or better yet, sports!) clinic, where the doctor will not just roll his eyes and, looking at his watch, ask questions in the style of: “Why do you need this at your age?” necessary?”, but will try to give an objective answer based on the following factors:
Are you obese? Are there any real problems with the spine or joints that exclude exercise bike training? Are there diseases of internal organs that it is better not to overdo on a bicycle? Perhaps your heart hurts, and you need not “rush into battle,” but first identify the causes of this pain. After all, there is a very big difference between vegetative-vascular dystonia (which does not exist according to ICD-10) and “heart disease”. Whether it is possible to exercise on an exercise bike with varicose veins, only a doctor will tell you, having assessed your personal condition.
In other words: by visiting a medical center and getting a certificate of no contraindications before purchasing, you will perform an absolutely justified and reasonable act, for which you will thank, first of all, yourself.
There is a certain culture of behavior on the eve of sports activities. There is no need to eat food or “invigorate” the body with a cup of coffee before cycling training begins, which may well result in a hypertensive crisis. Have you eaten? Have you had some coffee? Pause for 60 minutes.
Just before you start exercising on the exercise bike, do a warm-up. This is absolutely necessary if you do not want to suffer from pain in your legs, back and arms. A set of exercises consisting of 10-20 squats, forward and side bends (30-40 times), rotational movements of the arms, swings of the legs (25-30 times) adapts your body to the upcoming training.
And one more thing – it’s better to learn how to competently exercise on an exercise bike of a specific model BEFORE you start exercising. Study all these buttons labeled “Speed”, “Incline” if you are dealing with a non-Russian model. Read the instructions. Chat with support. And... everything will work out for you!
How to create an individual training program?
In order for a training program on an exercise bike to produce results as quickly as possible, it must be compiled individually for each athlete. When selecting loads, it is important to take into account a person’s lifestyle, physical fitness, expected regularity of training and the presence of health restrictions.
A properly composed complex implies:
- Keeping the athlete's heart rate in the range of 120-140 beats per minute. (otherwise, muscle mass will increase or, conversely, be burned along with fat. In both cases, the appearance of the body will be far from perfect and fit).
- Gradual increase in load (both within one approach and the training scheme as a whole).
- High intensity only if the athlete has no contraindications (in all other cases, moderate or low intensity is recommended, at which the athlete’s breathing does not become interrupted and the heart rate remains stable).
Basic rules for training on an exercise bike
“How can I spin an exercise bike correctly?” - for some reason, the vast majority of users try to get an answer in the style of: “Quickly.” Or, on the contrary, “Slow down and take longer.” But the success of classes depends on a number of factors. Do you have to choose between the amount of time spent on an exercise bike and the quality of the exercise? Make a choice in favor of the second one. The principle of “less is better” from this sport!
The topic “Exercise bike for beginners” is worthy of an entire monograph. And there are many such works. But we will try to fit everything on one page.
It is better not to start training than to start it incorrectly. A sacred rule for those who want to truly work properly on an exercise bike. There are days when it is better to cancel the workout. Does something hurt? Weakness? Didn't get enough sleep? Did you celebrate the holiday vigorously? No! You are not required to ride this sports unit in this state.
Have you decided to start exercising on an exercise bike? Bravo. But first, do the warm-up exercises described above. Your joints, muscles and ligaments will thank you. Do not try to “jump out” from the machine at the peak of activity. Nothing helps your heart like a slow cool down. A gradual reduction in load and cool-down exercises are mandatory for everyone.
The art of properly exercising on an exercise bike presupposes the ability to constantly control your breathing. You are not a fish out of water: breathe evenly, always through your nose. If it doesn't work out? Please reduce your load and control your breathing.
What about equipment? How and in what way to exercise on an exercise bike? There are special cycling shorts that are definitely worth purchasing. They are comfortable to sit on the exercise machine and do not interfere with the necessary movements.
Do you want to exercise in slippers or barefoot? It won't do. Good sneakers or sneakers are what you need.
Each training session on an exercise bike must be recorded. It doesn't matter how you monitor. Perhaps the old-fashioned way - by writing in a journal or diary. Perhaps with the help of a gadget. You should be able to:
- rejoice at the results we believe! - will grow day by day;
- consider factors that either help or hinder progress.
And in this case, you will never regret the time spent on the exercise bike, realizing that you are not just taking away precious minutes from your work or some other life processes, but are investing in yourself.
Exercise technique
Mastering the technique of training does not mean learning how to switch the speed of a bicycle and rush headlong into battle.
A lot depends on the position of your body on the machine. Many beginners have a number of “typical” mistakes that are worth considering before you begin. After all, it’s better to learn from other people’s shortcomings than from your own.
Do not arch your lower back excessively, as many inexperienced beginner athletes do. She should have a natural, completely relaxed position. Round your shoulders slightly. It will be easier this way!
Very often, those who do not know how to exercise on an exercise bike correctly and correctly begin to transfer the key load to their arms, which leads to rapid fatigue. Should not be doing that.
And, of course, it is very important to pay attention to the correct position of the legs. The feet must be parallel to the floor. Let your knees “look” forward. Or they will even be rotated a degree inward. Why is something like this needed? This is one of the secrets of how to spin an exercise bike correctly, safely and effectively.
What about the head? If your exercise bike doesn't move, there's no reason to look at the floor. Try to look forward all the time, as if there, at a point encrypted on the wall or beyond the horizon, is your result, to which you are striving to break through.
And yet... it may seem strange to you, but many beginners do not know that the seat can be adjusted. Be sure to adjust it according to your height so that it is comfortable for you.
Load selection
Someone works out on an exercise bike like this, while chatting in instant messengers and holding the steering wheel with one hand, while others, on the contrary, attack the sports machine as if they would like to die on it right today, give it their all, develop a hypertensive crisis and decide that “big sport is not for him.”
Both strategies are fundamentally wrong. How to exercise correctly and safely on an exercise bike, choosing the optimal load? The secret is both simple and multifaceted at the same time. But the main thing: the load should be no more and no less than your capabilities at the start of training.
Experts recommend focusing on heart rate indicators. It should not be higher than 65-70% of your individual maximum frequency. How to calculate it? Let's say you are 40 years old. From the absolute maximum figure (220) we subtract 40 and get a pulse of 180 beats per minute. We subtract 30% from this indicator and focus on the heart rate, which is your “pulse guide” on how to exercise on an exercise bike without risking your health, striving for results. The desired figure is 126 beats per minute, which is very gentle. It will not put your body and, in particular, your heart into overload.
How much should you train?
A very common question that can be answered with a counter question is “For what purpose?” If you are pursuing the goal of losing weight and want to learn how to exercise on an exercise bike to lose weight, then you need to understand that the fat burning process begins only after thirty minutes of exercise on the exercise bike.
Let's look at a typical workout scenario to get an idea of how long to exercise on an exercise bike.
- After you have warmed up outside the exercise bike (done squats, bends, a few push-ups), feel free to start... warming up on it. Pedal at a calm and measured pace, preparing your body for a serious load. Let the level of resistance be small or even minimal. You should spend 10 to 15 minutes on this warm-up.
- Set the load level at which you can maintain a working speed of 25 km/h, keeping your heart rate in the operating range that we calculated above. An exercise bike for beginners should in no case be a “calvary”, but only a tool for burning fat, so 20-30 minutes at level 3-4 will be quite optimal and good training for a beginner. If you are working out at the gym and see a person who demonstrates higher performance, do not try to keep up with him. Perhaps this is a master of sports who has been practicing since childhood. You can still reach a level close to his professional heights.
- Cool down. Slow down and work on the exercise bike at a calm pace, feeling how your pulse and breathing return to absolute normality, which, however, should not be ragged during exercise. This should take you another 10-15 minutes. Total?
A productive workout lasts from 50 minutes to 1 hour!
Option for runners
According to recent studies, in order to develop your own running results, it is possible to use not only special running training, but also exercise on an exercise bike.
Of course, the best option for such exercises is a mechanical exercise bike of the shoe type, but such a requirement is not extremely important. If you have a simple vertical machine at your disposal, you too can feel the progress from these classes. You can try cycling training.
What you need to know
- Schedule. You can do this workout twice a week. This amount is quite enough.
- An effort. In the active phase, you need to give it your all if you want to see progress. The peculiarity of this program is the short rest periods, so it will be difficult. However, over time, the body will adapt and will need to increase the load for active phases.
Approximate complex
| Duration of the stage | Content |
| 5-7 minutes | Warm-up stage, warming up the muscles, gradually increasing the load. |
| 10 Seconds | Maximum speed at medium load. |
| 30 seconds | Rest phase, slight twisting. |
| 5-7 minutes | Hitch. |
Here you need to repeat steps 2-3 at least 15 times. Bring the main interval period to 15 minutes, that is, you will need to do 22-23 cycles.
In fact, interval training is a more than interesting topic. If you want to achieve high results and spend relatively little time, consider this option. As you can see, there are opportunities for a variety of tasks and in order to get in shape and in order to develop the body at a professional level, for each goal there are certain subtleties that we have discussed in this material.
Also watch this video:
Use these programs and tips, adjust them to your own needs, and track the results. You can feel the effect after just a couple of weeks of regular exercise, and after 12-20 weeks you will see significant changes in your own body. We hope you find this information helpful.
How much can you lose on an exercise bike?
The question of how much and over what period you can lose weight on an exercise bike is one of the top questions on the Internet. Answer: as much as you want. And for the required period.
Let's not lie. We know both those who have been training on the simulator for years without achieving any results, and those who have lost from 15 to 25 kilograms in six months.
Believe me, the training will be truly effective only if you combine it with a sports diet. Even if you study for an hour, two, three a day, daily compensating for the calories spent at barbecues, you will not see progress very soon, and, most likely, you will not see it at all.
If you stick to the diet, and at the same time do not “die” on the simulator, trying to force the result, actually harming yourself, damaging your health, then progress will not be long in coming.
Follow your diet. Train in a fat-burning mode of 65-70% of your maximum possible heart rate. And, if you do everything correctly, minus 10 kg in six months is not at all fantastic.
For weight loss
A slender and toned figure, beautiful hips - this is what most girls strive for. And an exercise bike can be a great helper in this matter! There are quite a lot of weight loss programs. We bring to your attention one of the most effective workouts, thanks to which you will quickly achieve the desired results and be able to burn the right amount of calories.
- 1-3 minutes. Warming up the muscles. The speed scale of the exercise bike shows no more than 15-16 km/h, the resistance is 20%;
- 3-7 minutes. We are moving into the stage of active weight loss. We increase the speed to 20 km/h, resistance to 40%;
- 7-9 minutes. Without changing the parameters, lift your pelvis above the saddle of the exercise bike and, leaning on each leg in turn, continue pedaling;
- 10-13 minutes. Sit back in the seat, reduce speed to 17 km/h;
- 13-16 minutes. Increase the speed on the exercise bike to 24 km/h and the resistance to 50%;
- 17-19 minutes. Repeat 3-7 minutes of training;
- 19-21 minutes. We gradually stop exercising on the exercise bike.
That's all! By regularly using this program, you will quickly get your body in order. Remember: losing weight is easy!
After each workout, fitness instructors recommend stretching. This way, the effect of exercising on an exercise bike will be maximum.
Contraindications
Let us once again return to the question with which we started. Is it possible for you to exercise on an exercise bike? Only a doctor will give an answer, taking into account an analysis of the current state of your health. We sincerely believe that everything is fine with you, but... there are ailments that people may not know about, so let's take a look at a specialist.
Obvious and well-known contraindications may include pathologies of the cardiovascular system, stage 2-3 hypertension, oncology, coronary disease, diabetes mellitus and thrombophlebitis.
We sincerely wish you to improve your health with the help of sports equipment from the World of Sports!
Types of exercise bikes
Exercise bikes are divided into magnetic and electromagnetic, belt ones. So, let’s figure out which exercise bike is better: magnetic or belt or electromagnetic:
The operation of belt exercise bikes is based on the tension level of the belt that connects the pedals and the flywheel. The disadvantages of such a simulator are: – high noise level; – inability to accurately adjust the load; – rapid wear.
Magnetic trainers work based on the attraction between magnets and a flywheel. The load is adjusted by changing the distance between them and increasing or decreasing the magnetic field. The advantages of such a simulator are: – large display; – smooth running; – low noise level.
Electromagnetic exercise bikes are powered; the load is adjusted by increasing or decreasing the electromagnetic field that acts on the flywheel. The advantage of this simulator is: – low noise level; – high measurement accuracy; – smooth running; – the ability to set the exact load level.
Electromagnetic simulators are considered the newest and most technologically advanced. Therefore, when choosing a productive and quiet exercise machine, it is recommended to use it.
