EXERCISE BIKE
A very popular and effective way to workout is by using an exercise bike. They are available in many different makes and models, ranging from no nonsense to high-tech. Finding the exercise bike that is right for you mainly depends on your ultimate training goal; from general fitness to sport specific training and anywhere in between.
The general fitness enthusiast should include 3-4 aerobic workouts each week to their exercise program. Many personal trainers, fitness books and web sites recommend aerobic workouts to be 20 minutes in length. Following this guideline will not help you achieve maximum results from your exercise bike. In order to effectively utilize fat as the primary fuel source, aerobic exercise should consist of at least 30 minutes of continuous movement. Here is why. When you begin to exercise, the majority of the energy used by the muscles comes from carbohydrate. As the duration on your exercise bike increases your body will utilize more fat for fuel and less carbohydrates. You see, the aerobic energy system, which uses fat as its primary fuel source in the presence of oxygen, takes a long time to get going. The anaerobic energy system, which uses carbohydrate as its primary fuel source without the presence of oxygen, turns on very quickly. The immediate demand for energy is met by burning carbohydrates and the 20 minute mark is the point at which the emphasis switches over to the fat burning aerobic energy system. The longer you can exercise BEYOND the 20 minute mark the more body fat you will burn.
Another important consideration for your exercise bike is determining the proper intensity level. For most people, monitoring your heart rate will be the simplest and most effective way to control exercise intensity. Remember that fat burning exercise is a low-intensity, long duration activity. Exercising at too high a level will still burn calories and improve fitness but the calories burned will be mainly carbohydrate. If fat burning is your goal, slow and long is the way to go.
A simple way to measure exercise intensity is to calculate your maximum heart rate. This is done by subtracting your age from 220. Training zones can then be determined by taking percentages of this maximal number. The ideal range for fat burning exercise is to maintain 60-70 percent of your maximum heart rate. An inexpensive heart rate monitor can be purchased from any sporting goods store and will make tracking your heart rate quite easy.
Here is an example of putting the formula for maximal heart rate to work for a 50 year old individual:
220 - 50 = 170
170 = maximum heart rate
60 % of 170 = 102
70 % of 170 = 119
Fat Burning Workout Intensity = 102-119 beats per minute
If you do not have a heart rate monitor available you can measure your rate of perceived exertion. A low-intensity fat burning exercise will allow you to speak in full sentences while exercising. You may have to take an additional breath or two between sentences but you should be able to carry on a conversation. If you begin to speak in short, choppy sentences or lose the desire or ability to speak at all it probably means that you are exercising at too high a level and should decrease the intensity accordingly.
For many, these workouts are best performed on a recumbent exercise bike. These types of exercise bikes offer wider, more comfortable seats and back rests. This more comfortable, upright position makes it easier to peddle longer. The most popular brand is made by Life Fitness and can be found in just about every gym or health club. Other manufacturers of recumbent exercise bikes include Tunturi, Schwinn and Star Trac.
If you are a cyclist, however, it is recommended that you stay off of this type of exercise bike. The peddling motion will not accurately mimic the stroke of an actual road or mountain bike. The better choice for a cyclists indoor workout would be an upright exercise bike. These bikes provide a similar peddle stroke to an outdoor bike and will help you increase your cycling fitness. There are a wide variety of bikes available from the above mentioned manufacturers.
An even better choice for the cyclist is using an indoor spinning bike. These bikes offer multiple adjustments in seat height, seat fore/aft position relative to the bottom bracket, cockpit length and handle bar height. The variety of positions will allow the user to create a fit that most closely resembles his/or regular training bike. This will maximize the transfer of fitness from the indoor workouts to the street or trail. The most popular choices for indoor spinning bikes include Star Trac, Schwinn and LeMond. The gold standard, however, must be the Pro 300PT model made by CycleOps. This high-end bike comes equipped with a power meter which is becoming the tool of choice for all serious cyclists.
Regardless of the exercise bike you choose, they are an important part of any fitness plan. The variety of exercise bikes will allow you to put together workouts that range in intensity from quiet reading time while peddling to lung busting, killer intervals. Stay tuned for sample workouts and additional tips for getting the most out of your exercise bike.
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Comments to date: 1. Page 1 of 1.
donnie boston | 8:15pm on Thursday, June 19th, 2008 |
Great tips for getting an exercise bike. I am glad I checked here first before buying my exercise bike | |
