1. Cycling Is a Fat Blaster
Cycling burns fat. Whether it's indoor or outdoor, bike riding burns calories, which leads to weight loss. Combine it with a low fat diet to see amazing weight loss results. Indoor biking is a terrific exercise that increases overall fitness levels and improves health. If you're out of shape, get clearance from your doctor before beginning exercise. This usually involves a simple physical, and ensures that your health is okay to work out.
2. Easy on the Joints
Cycling, also called spinning, is a low-impact exercise. This means that for those with arthritis and other joint problems, cycling is a great way to exercise without pain. Stationary cycling provides a stable base so that falling is not an issue, and it's not necessary to balance yourself. Even if you can't ride a bicycle, you can still ride a stationary bike--you just have to be able to pedal. In fact, those with sports injuries from running and other activities usually hop on a stationary bike until the doctor clears them for high impact again. This keeps them in shape while allowing their body to heal.
3. The Possibilities Are Endless
There are tons of workout options on a stationary bike. You can go for distance, building endurance or you can work on speed by doing intervals of intense pedaling mixed with recovery resting. On an easy day, just get on the stationary bike and pedal easy to loosen up your muscles. No matter what your exercise goals are, a stationary bike can meet your needs. From longtime cyclists to gym junkies, indoor biking is a great fitness choice.
4. Get Cardio Too
Riding a stationary bike is a cardio workout. To get your heart rate up high, keep the RPMs (rotations per minute) above 80. Keep the resistance low enough to stay close to that number. Cardio is when your heart rate stays above 80% of your maximum heart rate. Remember to stay hydrated while exercising on a stationary bike.
5. Still Fun
Pedaling on a bike is not as much fun indoors as it is out. There are computer programs, however, that aim to reproduce the feeling of cycling outside from the comfort of your living room. These programs hook up to your bike and simulate the riding experience, from adjusting resistance to mirror hill climbing, to the visual of the road moving at your speed.
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