You must have heard people say that using a bike to commute to different places is good for the environment. Apart from the environment, rising a bike can also be beneficial for your health. It can help you shed unwanted calories from your body and also help you get back in shape if you use it regularly. However, many people fail to ride a bike every day due to lack of time. There is a good alternative to this exercise. You can go for an indoor exercise bike and use it at home or in office. It will help you get similar benefits and you can use it whenever you have some leisure time.
Different Types of Stationary Bikes?
When you speak about stationary bikes, you will come across 3 types in the market. These are upright stationary bikes, recumbent bikes, and indoor spin bikes. If you talk about using an upright stationary bike, you will be able to get similar benefits to that of using an ordinary bike. Your body position will be similar to that of riding a bike and your shoulders, triceps, and biceps will also be used. You may say that if you have been exercising for a long time and enjoy a better body posture than others, then using an upright stationary bike is a good idea.
Benefits of Using an Upright Stationary Bike?
There are multiple benefits of using an upright stationary bike at home. If you have never used one, you may fail to understand these benefits. Here are some of the ley benefits listed for you to get an idea.
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Good For Different Levels Of Fitness
Whichever exercise machine you choose, your personal fitness level plays a vital role in determining your capability to workout. Even if you decide to use a treadmill, you will fail to go beyond 5 to 10 minutes if you are not fit. On the other hand, any person can sit on an upright stationary bike and pedal away for several minutes or even hours. Several workout machines, such as elliptical trainers and rowing machines require a great deal of coordination in order to use it properly. If you are a newbie, you may use minimum or nil resistance on an upright stationary bike to start off.
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Low Impact on Your Joints
When you compare an upright stationary bike with any other workout machine such as a treadmill, you will come to know that the former provides a low impact workout. This is highly beneficial for people suffering from various joint problems. If you run on a treadmill, a lot of pressure gets exerted on your hips, back, ankles, and knees. You may not understand the impact unless after a few days of regular workouts on such a machine. If you use an exercise bike, your joints will heave a sigh of relief, since it will be much easier for your knees and ankles.
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Effective Weight Loss
Many of you may think that exercising on an upright stationary bike will not help burn your calories. On the contrary, it is one of the most effective way to burn excess calories from your body. It has been seen that if you ride on a stationary bike at a speed of 5 mph for almost an hour, you can easily get rid of around 700 calories. If you increase the speed to 7.5 mph you can burn around 1100 calories within the same time frame.
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Spin And Make Your Heart Healthy
According to recent tests, just a 20 minutes session on an upright stationary bike can help boost your heart rate, which can get rid of several heart ailments. However, you have to use it on a regular basis.
Some Common Questions to
Answer to Choose the Right Bike
The market is flooded with various types of indoor exercise bikes. If you are not sure which one to choose, you may get confused at a store. Here are some questions you need to answer in order to choose the right bike successfully.
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What Is Your Fitness Level
One of the first and foremost questions to ask yourself is how fit you are before you start using an upright stationary bike. If you are going to use one for the first time in life, then it is always better to opt for a low end bike. It will have the basic features and also fit your budget. At the same time, if you have a great fitness level and have been exercising for quite some time, then opting for a high end stationary bike will make sense. These will have several resistance levels and also various features suitable for an experienced user.
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What Do You Wish To Achieve From Your Bike
Another important question answer is about your expectations from your bike. Do you wish to use it to lose weight or get fitter and stronger? Depending upon your requirements you need to choose a suitable bike. This will obviously take some time on your part.
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What All Features You Need In Your Bike
Different upright stationary bikes come with different features. Although their basic features will be the same, the extra features may vary from one model to another. Before you decide to buy one for your personal use, always think and jot down the features you wish to have in your bike. This will help you choose a proper one from a few chosen options. This will also save your time and effort.
It is important that you finalize a budget before you decide to buy an upright stationary bike. If you have any friends, with proper knowledge about such bikes, then you may also ask him to come along to help you choose the right one for your use. This will help you in your search. Do not make the mistake of purchasing the first upright stationary bike you come across. Compare a few good models in the market before you make the final choice.