Pedal exercisers

peggymclinn6295
peggymclinn6295 Posts: 5 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Does anyone know if those pedal exercisers burn a decent amount of calories? I used my last night to get some steps in as I didn't feel up to walking in the cold rain, but then I wondered if it was cheating. My legs felt like they got a decent workout, had that 'jelly' feeling, but nothing else did

Replies

  • schippyeyes2019
    schippyeyes2019 Posts: 1 Member
    Are you talking about the elliptical machines -- the ones that you put under your desk at work so that you can pedal while working? I was wondering about that, too. I can really feel the workout in my knees, which was the whole point of my purchase .. to strengthen my knees.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    schippyeyes2019 wrote: »
    Are you talking about the elliptical machines -- the ones that you put under your desk at work so that you can pedal while working? I was wondering about that, too. I can really feel the workout in my knees, which was the whole point of my purchase .. to strengthen my knees.

    By "feel it in my knees" do you mean that you feel it in your glutes, hamstrings, and/or quads? That's what you strengthen your knees, not the actual knee joint itself?

    Regardless, I can't imagine that those would burn a whole lot of calories, likely under 100 calories an hour.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
    I read that a typical person will burn about 50 extra kcals over the course of an 8 hour work day with one.
  • peggymclinn6295
    peggymclinn6295 Posts: 5 Member
    Kind of like an elliptical, but this one looks like bike pedals. When I googled it it seemed to burn almost as much as walking, but I thought that sounded strange so that is why I asked on here
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
    Walking is a weight bearing exercise, you can do a simple mass over distance to get a pretty accurate calorie estimate. When you're sitting down and not moving, that obviously requires much less work. Calories will be determined by how much energy you put into the pedals.

    Are you spinning them very fast at high resistance, and breathing hard to get enough oxygen? Using them casually?
  • peggymclinn6295
    peggymclinn6295 Posts: 5 Member
    Not breathing hard, but my legs feel like Jell-O after lol
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,454 Member
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    Walking is a weight bearing exercise, you can do a simple mass over distance to get a pretty accurate calorie estimate. When you're sitting down and not moving, that obviously requires much less work. Calories will be determined by how much energy you put into the pedals.

    Are you spinning them very fast at high resistance, and breathing hard to get enough oxygen? Using them casually?

    Agree, most likely an under desk pedaling contraption will burn far fewer calories than walking for the same time.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,811 Member
    schippyeyes2019 wrote: »
    Are you talking about the elliptical machines -- the ones that you put under your desk at work so that you can pedal while working? I was wondering about that, too. I can really feel the workout in my knees, which was the whole point of my purchase .. to strengthen my knees.

    I hope you don't feel it in your knees! As mentioned above, I hope it is in your glutes, hamstrings, and/or quads ... even calves.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    They don’t burn many calories because you’re only moving your legs and not moving much weight. They’re probably best for improving circulation for someone out of shape.

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