question about recumbent bike

JeanieWww
JeanieWww Posts: 4,037 Member
edited November 17 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm a bit confused. When using a recumbent bike, if you change the resistance level, wouldn't that change the amount of calories burned? And if it does, how do we record that in MFP.

For instance, I did 30 minutes, level 5 at about 10-12 mph. I was doing cool down after a good strength training workout. So.... wouldn't I burn more at level 5 than level 1? If so, why oh why isn't MFP set up to include the level to give a more accurate reading of a calorie burn? How do we log it???

Replies

  • kal900
    kal900 Posts: 69 Member
    i take the reading from the bike itself and add the calories up for my entries. If you have a digital display it possibly has a training record too?
  • JeanieWww
    JeanieWww Posts: 4,037 Member
    edited April 2017
    seeing as how most the machines figure for a male at 150 , it's not going to be the same for me. :(

    Can you please explain "training record"?
  • 2011rocket3touring
    2011rocket3touring Posts: 1,346 Member
    Best bet is to get a heart rate monitor; either a chest strap type or watch type.
  • PrincessMel72
    PrincessMel72 Posts: 1,094 Member
    Does your bike have a heart rate monitor? Those have been proven to be pretty accurate as far as exercise machines go. I'd go by that if it's available. It's what I use.
  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
    Does it display watts? That would give you the best idea - measuring your actual power output
  • MtnScramble
    MtnScramble Posts: 246 Member
    scorpio516 wrote: »
    Does it display watts? That would give you the best idea - measuring your actual power output

    Since pedaling fast at a low resistance can be the same amount of work (power) as pedaling slow at a higher resistance, without a heart rate monitor a watch type tracker has no way to know so it has to guess. The watts reading is the best answer. It takes turnover rate and resistance into affect.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Watts is the right answer. Heart rate monitor is the wrong answer.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    JeanieWww wrote: »
    I'm a bit confused. When using a recumbent bike, if you change the resistance level, wouldn't that change the amount of calories burned? And if it does, how do we record that in MFP.

    For instance, I did 30 minutes, level 5 at about 10-12 mph. I was doing cool down after a good strength training workout. So.... wouldn't I burn more at level 5 than level 1? If so, why oh why isn't MFP set up to include the level to give a more accurate reading of a calorie burn? How do we log it???

    I haven't thought this it fully so I could be dead wrong but I would think you would only burn more calories if you traveled closer to the same distance or a variable of more distance when you factor in resistance.

    If you have less resistance, you would have more rotation of the pedals but it actually might be simular exertion.

    Example 1
    Level 1: 60 spins per minute
    Level 5: 25 spins per minute

    The closer you get level five's SPM to level one's SPM...the more calories burned. It would be better explained on a graph chart, but hopefully it makes some sense.

    Example 2
    Level 1: 60 spins per minute
    Level 5: 50 spins per minute

    This would give you more calories burned than example 1.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    More resistance doesn't necessarily translate into more calories burned. In fact, it can result in burning fewer calories. Imagine you are climbing a hill. You can climb in the small ring and by spinning fast it takes five minutes. You do it again but using the big ring. It is harder to push the gear, so you pedal slowly, but it still takes five minutes. You are pushing the same weight up the same height over the same distance in the same time. It is the same number of calories even though it feels like the resistance is greater.
  • JeanieWww
    JeanieWww Posts: 4,037 Member
    Very interesting thoughts. Thank you all for sharing!!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    JeanieWww wrote: »
    I'm a bit confused. When using a recumbent bike, if you change the resistance level, wouldn't that change the amount of calories burned? And if it does, how do we record that in MFP.

    For instance, I did 30 minutes, level 5 at about 10-12 mph. I was doing cool down after a good strength training workout. So.... wouldn't I burn more at level 5 than level 1? If so, why oh why isn't MFP set up to include the level to give a more accurate reading of a calorie burn? How do we log it???

    MFP can't possibly know how much power you are producing (power is the true measure of calorie expenditure) - there's far too much personal variation even for similar size and age people.
    I (as an experienced cyclist) produce 30% more power than a colleague (relative beginner cyclist) and in turn a friend of mine (high level cyclist) produces 30% more power than me.

    And as for HRM accurately for calorie burns..... the one of us burning the least calories has by far the highest heartrate!
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