Stationary bikes allow you to maintain your exercise program even in rainy, cold or extremely hot weather. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of intense aerobic exercise each week. Riding a stationary bike at the gym can help you reach these weekly exercise totals. Stationary bike workouts emphasize the quadriceps muscles and the hamstring muscles. MayoClinic.com recommends mild stationary bike workouts for pregnant women.
Step 1
Adjust the seat of the bike so that it suits your height. Test the seat’s height by sitting on it and pedaling a few times. Your leg should not be completely straight when your foot reaches the lowest point of the pedaling motion. Rather, your knee should remain bent at about a 5-degree angle. Make sure the plane of the seat remains parallel to the floor rather than tilted in one direction.
Step 2
Adjust the handlebars of the bike so that, when you lean on the bars, you evenly distribute your weight between the seat and the handlebars. You should have to lean forward slightly to lean on the handlebars.
Step 3
Warm up for about five minutes before beginning your workout. Warm up by walking briskly or pedaling slowly on the bike.
Step 4
Sit on the bike’s seat and put your feet on the pedals. Strap your feet into the pedals if the machine allows you to do so. This will enable you to use your hamstrings and quadriceps muscles as you pedal.
Step 5
Select a workout mode on the bike’s console. You can select manual mode, in which you determine the resistance of the pedals and the duration of the ride, or you can select a preset workout such as intervals or hills. Set the resistance of the pedals to a low number when you first learn to use the stationary bike. You can then progress to higher resistance levels as you become more comfortable with the machine.
Step 6
Warm up for about five minutes before beginning your workout. You can warm up by walking briskly or pedaling slowly on the bike.
Step 7
Point your knees forward as you pedal on the bike.
Step 8
Work out for at least 10 minutes to get the benefits of aerobic exercise. The CDC recommends working out for at least 10 minutes at a time.
Step 9
Cool down for five minutes after your workout by walking or pedaling slowly.
Tips and Warnings
- To make your workout go by faster, try reading or watching television while you pedal on the bike.
Member Comments