Cycling Workout

Aerobic exercise involves repetitive movement of the limbs for an extended period of time and it incorporates the major muscles in the body. Saddling up on a bicycle and turning the cranks with your feet is a good example of this type of training. One of the biggest benefits of cycling is that it is low-impact. Your best bet for a workout is to do interval training, which not only boosts your caloric expenditure but also increases your aerobic capacity.

Stretching

Before you engage in a workout of any kind, you should thoroughly loosen up your muscles. When you ride a bike, you activate multiple muscles in your lower body, such as the quadriceps, hamstrings and calves. If you hop on your bike and start pedaling, you run the risk of pulling a muscle or suffering some other form of injury. To prevent this, perform dynamic stretches that move your body parts through a range of motion. According to the American Council on Exercise, dynamic stretches functionally prepare the body for movement during activity. This, in turn, lowers your injury risk. Spend a few minutes doing stretches like leg swings, high knees, lateral lunges, ankle bounces, deep knee bends and trunk rotations.

Starting Your Workout

After doing dynamic stretches, mount your bike and start pedaling slowly. The goal here is to spend five to 10 minutes doing a warmup to slowly raise your core body temperature and to get blood flowing to your muscles. This also further loosens up your body. Gradually increase your pace as you approach the end of your warmup.

Intervals

Once you've completed your warmup, pedal as hard as you can for 30 seconds. Reduce your speed to a slow pace for 60 seconds, then pedal fast again for 30. Continue to alternate back and forth for the rest of your workout and finish with a light cooldown for five to 10 minutes. Aim for at least 30 minutes of total workout time and train three or four days a week. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, 30 minutes is enough time to maintain health and reduce disease risk.

Proper Cycling Form

Even though cycling is a form of aerobic exercise, you still need to use proper technique to avoid muscle imbalances and get the most from your workouts. Before you begin, make sure your seat is adjusted to the right height. Your knees should be just short of locking out when you push the cranks down. When you ride, drive hard with your legs, keep your shoulders lifted and abs tight. Look straight ahead at all times and do not lean on the handlebars.

Workout Tips

If you live in an area with hills, integrate them into your workout. Ride to the top of the hill, coast back to the bottom, then ride back up. You might need to stand when going up hills, depending on how steep they are. This will actually work your muscles with more emphasis. If you perform your workouts on a stationary cycle, turn the resistance up for your high-intensity bouts.