How To Use A Recumbent Bike?

Using a recumbent bike can help you get in better shape and lose weight. In fact, cycling on a recumbent bike is safe and comfortable. That is because it does not place undue stress on the hips, lower back, or knees. Unfortunately, a lot of people do not know how to use a recumbent bike. They end up using it inefficiently or even incorrectly. Although you have the freedom to try your own things at the gym, these are some of the tips on using a recumbent bike as you exercise on a daily basis.

Adjust Your Seat

There is no doubt about this; a lot of people fail to adjust the seat of the recumbent bike. The process of adjusting the bike’s seat takes less than a minute. Other than making things comfortable, it helps increase the effectiveness of the workout. You can adjust the seat by sliding it backward or forward until you extend the leg.

Stretch It Out

You should note that riding a recumbent bike is like any other form of exercise. Therefore, you need to be well-prepared before starting. It is advisable to try dynamic stretching because of the many benefits it has. For instance, it warms up the muscles and improves your range of motion. You can spend about 5 minutes or more performing stretches such as toe touches, lunges, trunk rotations, and swings to be fully stretched out.

Warm-Up On The Cycle

You do not have to jump into the workout. After you stretch out, you can spend at least five minutes cycling lightly on the recumbent bike. For instance, you can start at a low, steady pace and increase the speed gradually. After a few minutes, you can stand up and stretch again before getting back to the seat for an intense workout. You should note that warming is quite important as it loosens the muscles and increases the body’s core temperature before the start of the workout.

Maintain Proper Form

The truth is that proper form is quite important when it comes to riding recumbent exercise bikes. Other than helping prevent injury, it can help you burn the excess calories. You should avoid leaning forward and keep the back aligned. You can hold the handles of sides during intense periods of cycling.

Choose Right Resistance

A lot of beginners to the recumbent bikes do not have an idea which resistance you should choose. It is quite common for people to set the resistance too high. Remember that cycling a recumbent bike is like any other type of exercise. You do not want to go in into a high resistance level immediately. Instead, you should choose a comfortable resistance as you get used to the bike

You need to understand that the higher the resistance, the more it becomes difficult to pedal. That means your leg muscles are becoming better at strength training workouts. You need to ensure that you can pedal quite quickly to get the heart rate up. Therefore, you should consider adjusting the resistance multiple times when working out.


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