Exercise Bike

katie_perkins
katie_perkins Posts: 7 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello!

I just bought a regular (non-recumbent) exercise bike and had it delivered yesterday. I set it all up and did my first workout on it. (40 minutes on a relatively high resistance level) But, in my 40 minutes, I started wondering...

Do any of you have any tips for me or for certain exercises on the bike? A certain number of minutes a day or something similar?

I've read one long (1-1.5 hour) exercise is best, then I've read multiple smaller exercises are best. (3 separate intervals of 20 minutes, or something) Any hints?

Thanks!

Replies

  • Hfox3953
    Hfox3953 Posts: 20 Member
    It definitely depends on your goals.

    The duration of your workout is dependent upon the intensity as well. I recommend using the bike for HIIT. If you decide to do interval training (your bike may have a program set up in it) then I would recommend several shorter exercises.

    If you are trying to build your endurance, lower fat percentages, etc... I would recommend a longer workout at a steady resistance. (preferably a bit higher). For the longer workouts you want your speed to be a moderate pace (12-14 mph) and your resistance to be higher. For the shorter workouts you want it to vary between high pace, low intensity, and low pace, high intensity.

    I hope I helped a bit! AND Made sense!
  • porffor
    porffor Posts: 1,210 Member
    The varied speeds is what I'm doing at the moment - I'm still trying to lose weight and am also trying to add stamina and speed. I do 20 mins at a good pace on a mid-resistance level - I'll up this in time. I've had it 4 days - one thing I will say is don't trust the Calorie burn - I don't have a HRM buteven compared to MFP which is invariably reviewed by those with HRM as being high, the bike I have doubles MFP levels of calories burned. I'm not saying the same will happen with yours, and you may well have a HRM so won't be an issue. lol
  • lewandt
    lewandt Posts: 566 Member
    I too have a bike. I am in a 56 mile race this summer and am trying to build up to it. I saw there are spin dvd's you can get to work out with and that is what i think i am going to do if i can find the right dvd. I was hoping the library would carry them so i can try it but no luck so far.

    Otherwise i try to vary my workouts. Maybe do longer ones sometimes then do shorter, more intense ones other days.
  • jenronan1
    jenronan1 Posts: 44 Member
    20 minutes of interval training is equal to roughly 1/2 hour. Unless I am racing, or training for a specific race, I see no need to spend hours on a piece of equipment...and as a Personal Trainer, I would not suggest spending hours a day on one piece of equipment. If you LOVE the 1 1/2 hour, I would say do that as a long endurance and then alternate that with shorter more intense workouts. There is a principle that applies to fitness - if you increase your duration (time), decrease intensity and vice versa if you increase intensity, decrease duration.

    Hope this helps!
  • katie_perkins
    katie_perkins Posts: 7 Member
    My problem is when they shipped the bike to me, something happened with the counter all together. The numbers are messed up so I can't read any of it for the time being, as far as the HRM or Calories Burned or even time doing it. So, basically I time myself with my iPhone and also I try to watch three episodes of The Office while riding. :-)
    @ Hfox - I had to re-read yours a couple of times, but yet is makes sense! Thanks!
    @porffor - My main goal in using this is to become more fit. I don't really care about the weight loss as much as I care about visually seeing my body change. I'm trying to stay away from weighing myself altogether. Last time I did so, I went a little crazy with it and tried only eating 500 cal's a day because I wasn't seeing weight loss. Can't do that to myself again. haha
  • jenronan1
    jenronan1 Posts: 44 Member
    I too have a bike. I am in a 56 mile race this summer and am trying to build up to it. I saw there are spin dvd's you can get to work out with and that is what i think i am going to do if i can find the right dvd. I was hoping the library would carry them so i can try it but no luck so far.

    Otherwise i try to vary my workouts. Maybe do longer ones sometimes then do shorter, more intense ones other days.

    You may not find these in a library for free, but are worth the money:

    Spinervals and Chris Carmichael have great dvd's for stationary bikes. Carmichael is/used to be Lance Armstrong's coach.
  • katie_perkins
    katie_perkins Posts: 7 Member
    @jenronan1 - That was exactly what I was looking for when I wrote this... Thank you so much! I will definitely do that. I think I may switch it up, every other day do longer, less intense work-out and then shorter, harder workouts. I honestly know very little about things like this. My husband thinks he's an expert, but he isn't. ;) That's why I was doing really long workouts at one time. See if I listen to him again! hehe :)

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