Getting in shape is easy on paper, but getting in shape in the real world, is where things become tricky.
Sure, it’s easy to sit back and tell somebody to move more, cut out junk, and eat less, but in reality, if it really was as simple as that, we wouldn’t need to talk to you about the many exercise bike benefits that are out there because people would already know, and people would already be in amazing shape.
The truth of the matter is that obesity rates are higher than ever, life expectancies are reducing, more people are suffering from chronic illnesses than ever before, and our health, in general, is on the decline.
To help drag the developed world out of this downward spiral, we need to practice good health and it all starts with good lifestyle habits.
Cardio exercise is a great way to burn fat, improve your health and fitness, and promote longevity, which is why we’re talking about the many benefits that are out there to be enjoyed.
If you want to improve your health and your fitness, here are several reasons to consider using an exercise bike.
What Are The Many Exercise Bike Benefits?
1. Tone Your Upper Body
When people talk about the many benefits which are out there, often they focus solely on the cardio benefits, which is a mistake as you can also tone your muscles with this specific piece of kit.
When you use an exercise bike, because of the pedaling motion and the way you sit and pump your arms and shoulders, your triceps, shoulders, and back all benefit.
While this isn’t the same as an upper-body workout with weights, it still helps to tone the muscles and improve definition.
2. Tone Your Lower Body
Sticking with what we were just talking about, another one of the many benefits which are out there is the fact that it can also tone your lower body.
When you pedal on the bike, you are obviously using muscles in your legs.
Add to this, the fact that you can also increase the resistance and it’s easy to see why so many cyclists have awesome quads, hamstrings, glutes, and even calves.
3. Burn Fat
Perhaps the main reason why exercise bikes in the gym are always in use is due to the fact that these bikes provide the perfect way to burn fat.
Using a stationary bike is a great way to get a cardio workout in, which over time, will allow you to burn off several hundred calories per workout.
As time passes by, the more calories you burn, the greater the caloric deficit you create will be, and the more fat your body will burn as a result.
4. Can Be Used At Home
Obviously, an exercise bike is one of the most popular pieces of gym equipment found in the cardio section of a gym, but as well as that, it’s also great for use at home.
Exercise bikes can be purchased for a very reasonable amount of money, they aren’t too big or heavy so they won’t take up much room, and they are perfect for getting a cardio workout in from the comfort of your own home.
5. Easy To Use
Some pieces of gym equipment require heaps of practice before you can master the technique and the skills required to operate them.
Exercise bikes however are not one of these pieces of equipment.
If you know how to ride a bike, you know how to use an exercise bike.
If you don’t know how to ride a bike, it’s very easy to learn, especially if you begin practicing with an exercise bike.
6. User-friendly Consoles
Generally speaking, another reason why people are so impressed with the various benefits which are out there, is down to the fact that the consoles are so user-friendly.
Some pieces of cardio equipment have consoles and displays that are very difficult to operate because they have so many functions, but generally, you’ll find that most commercial and home exercise bikes are a great deal more simple.
7. Better For Your Joints
Running is good for your heart, we aren’t disputing that, but one thing it isn’t necessarily good for is your joints.
If you suffer from joint issues, exercise bikes are much better for your joints than running because you aren’t slamming your foot down on a hard surface every time you lift your foot up and down.
Cycling on a stationary bike is better for your ankles, knees, and hips, which is perfect if you suffer from joint issues.
8. Great Cardiovascular Workout
As stationary bikes are often found in the cardio section at the gym, one of the best things about stationary bikes is the fact that they’re so great for the heart.
Your heart is one of your most vital organs and when you consider the fact that heart disease is the world’s biggest killer, the importance of looking after your heart is more evident than ever before.
One of the main key benefits is the fact that exercise bikes help to improve cardiovascular health, making them ideal for your heart.
9. Reduced Blood Pressure
Another of the main benefits is the fact that it has been found to reduce your blood pressure.
High blood pressure is known as the silent killer because it can cause chronic health conditions such as strokes and heart attacks which could be fatal.
Using an exercise bike is beneficial for your health as it can reduce your blood pressure which could prevent a chronic health condition and potentially save your life in the process.
10. Different Workout Options
As beneficial as an exercise bike can be, sometimes if all you’re doing is cycling at the same pace for a prolonged period of time, well, you run the risk of becoming bored.
Thankfully, virtually all exercise bikes, including cheap ones for home use, have numerous pre-installed workouts and workout programs installed so you can select a workout to follow that appeals to you.
You can go for HIIT workouts, steady-state cardio workouts, endurance races, and heaps more on top.
11. Improve Your Endurance
If you’re looking to improve your fitness and endurance, you’ll want to ensure that you hop on your exercise bike and really put in the work.
Exercise bikes are great for improving fitness, stamina, and endurance, due to the fact that they increase your lung capacity and your VO2 max levels, allowing you to utilize more oxygen during your workouts.
12. Great For Beginners
Yet another reason to consider hopping on a stationary bike the next time you’re at the gym, or in your home gym or spare room, is down to the fact that exercise bikes are so fantastic for beginners.
With an exercise bike, you can go as fast or as slow as you wish.
You can ramp up the intensity, or you can slow things down and go at a slow, steady, and moderate pace.
Basically, regardless of your fitness abilities, or your personal circumstances, you can use an exercise bike within your own physical capabilities.
13. Great For Your Mental Health
So far when talking about the countless benefits which are out there, we’ve only looked at the physical benefits.
Now, however, we can instead take a look at the psychological benefits.
Experts have found a direct link between exercise, including cardiovascular exercise like you, would perform on a bike, and good mental health.
Exercise promotes an increase in the production and secretion of endorphins which will lift your mood and put you in a much better frame of mind.
14. You Will Sleep Better
Yet another benefit which cannot be overlooked is the fact that it will help you to sleep better.
Sleep is the body’s natural way of recharging your metaphorical batteries and energizing yourself for the following day.
When we’re ill, we heal our illnesses when we sleep, when we’re injured, we heal our injuries when we sleep, and when we’re drained, we recharge our energy levels when we sleep.
A lack of sleep can leave you feeling tired, emotional, mentally and physically drained, and just generally out of sorts.
Thankfully the more cardio workouts on an exercise bike you perform, the better you will sleep at night.
15. Exercise Bikes Are Affordable
If you do decide you wish to purchase an exercise bike and use it from the comfort of your own home, you’ll be very pleased to hear that exercise bikes in general are very affordable.
If you are on a budget, you can purchase an exercise bike with plenty of cool features, and of a decent spec, for a few hundred bucks.
Obviously, commercial quality products will set you back more, but if you are looking to watch your spending, you can grab some great bargains for next to nothing.
16. Exercise Bikes Are Convenient
Ever wanted to use one particular machine at the gym, only to find that the gym is crowded and there is a large queue before you get your turn?
When talking about the many benefits which are out there, however, this isn’t usually an issue.
Exercise bikes are cardiovascular staples in gyms across the globe and because they’re so popular you’ll find that commercial gyms usually have several at once.
That means that, unless it is incredibly busy, you will never struggle to find an empty exercise bike.
17. Strengthen Your Legs
Exercise bikes aren’t just great for people looking to tone the muscles in their legs, they’re also great for people looking to increase the strength of the muscles in their legs.
Because you use your legs so much during this activity, various leg muscles will get one heck of a workout each and every time you train.
Exercise bikes will help build strong quads, hamstrings, calves, and glues, which will leave you with strong legs in general.
If it does get a little bit too easy, you can crank up the resistance and make it harder and get those leg muscles working that little bit harder as a result.
18. Crank Up The Music And Just Zone Out
Another reason why people find exercise bikes so beneficial when they’re trying to get in shape is due to the fact that they’re ideal for indulging in a spot of escapism.
If you want to escape your worries for a while and just shut out the world, you can hop on your stationary bike, throw on your headphones, put your favorite music on, crank up the volume, begin peddling, and forget the world.
On your bike, it will be just you, the bike, and your music so you can improve your mental health while burning calories and getting fitter at the same time.
19. Very Safe
Finally, the last of the benefits which we’ll be looking at today is simply the fact that exercise bikes are considered very safe.
Some exercises and pieces of equipment are difficult to use and can be dangerous if used incorrectly.
An exercise bike is very simple to use and therefore the chances of you sustaining an injury or hurting yourself on one are very slim.
The History Of The Exercise Bike:
Exercise bikes, also known as stationary bikes, are now as common in commercial gyms as dumbbells and treadmills.
Along with treadmills, elliptical machines, and rowing machines, exercise bikes are amongst the most common pieces of cardio equipment you’ll find.
But what’s the story behind exercise bikes?
Here’s a look at the history behind exercise bikes.
Early Designs:
Now, you’d think that the concept for exercise bikes would of course come from the basic design of a bicycle in general, but that isn’t technically true.
You see, back in 1796, an inventor by the name of Francis Lowndes received a patent for an indoor fitness machine known as the Gymanasticon.
The machine was to exercise all major muscles at once and consisted of a frame big enough to contain a human being, along with pedals, handles, and cranks.
The idea basically was to exercise every part of the body by pedaling, pumping, and cranking using the hands, feet, arms, and legs.
The Draisine And Bicycles:
In 1871, a German inventor by the name of Baron Karl Von Drais invented the exercise machine that was similar to what we now know as a scooter, which would allow people to stand up and exercise.
The invention was known as the Draisine and it was actually a precursor for the bicycle.
In 1839 a Scotsman called Kirkpatrick Macmillan took the Draisine and installed pedals onto it, creating the very first bicycle.
As the years went by, the bicycle underwent modifications, tweaks, and changes, though it wasn’t until the 1930s, that we saw what we now know as the stationary bike.
The Exercycle:
In 1932, a New Yorker known as Howard J. Marlowe took out a patent for a stationary exercise machine called the ‘exercycle’ which was designed to work the same muscles that would be worked when cycling, rowing, or horseback riding.
In 1940, a New York engineer by the name of Gordon Bergfors took Marlowe’s exercycle and performed a few tweaks here and there to make it more comfortable, and to help the pedals and other mechanisms work smoother.
The biggest change he made, however, was making it motorized.
During the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, this stationary bike was marketed and sold for home use, giving people a way to exercise and get fit from the comfort of their own homes.
The Fitness Boom And Present Day:
During the 1970s – 1990s, the fitness industry boomed and as a result, stationary bike sales sky-rocketed.
Now, commercial gyms were purchasing exercycles, as well as households and as a result, more and more companies wanted in on the action.
Companies began tweaking the design, adding their own unique features, and giving exercise bikes fancy names.
To this day, we have stationary bikes, spinning cycles, recumbent bikes, and more, which are all staple parts of any gym’s cardio section.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Does Exercises Bike Have The Same Recumbent Exercise Bike Benefits?
A recumbent bike allows you to sit back and relax while working out. This means that you don't have to worry about getting sore from sitting on a stationary bike. You'll still benefit from the exercise, but you won't have to deal with any discomfort.
What Muscles Does Riding An Exercise Bike Work?
Quadriceps
The quadriceps are the four large muscle groups that run down the front of your thigh. They include the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius. These muscles help us stand upright, walk, jump, climb stairs, and even ride a bicycle.
Gluteus Maximus
The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in our body. It’s located at the backside of our hips and helps us bend forward, sit, and stand. This muscle group is responsible for helping us move around and get things done.
Hamstrings
The hamstrings are the two long muscles that run along the back side of our thighs. They help us bend our knees and keep our pelvis level while sitting or standing.
Does An Exercise Bike Tone Your Legs?
Yes! Exercise bikes are great for toning your legs. They can help build muscle mass, increase endurance, improve cardiovascular fitness, and even burn calories. Exercise bikes are a great way to get fit without having to spend hours at the gym. You can use them at home, work, school, or anywhere else that has access to a stationary bike.
How Long Should You Rid A Stationary Bike To Lose Weight?
You can burn about 100 calories per minute while riding a stationary bike. This means that if you ride at a moderate pace for 30 minutes, you'll have burned around 300 calories. If you want to lose weight faster, try doing interval training. Interval training involves alternating between high-intensity intervals and low-intensity recovery intervals. High-intensity intervals are done at a fast pace (e.g., sprinting), whereas low-intensity intervals are done slowly (e.g., walking).
To lose 1 pound of fat, you need to burn approximately 3500 calories. So, if you want to lose 2 pounds of fat in a week, you would have to exercise for 7 days straight. However, if you only exercise for 5 days out of 7, you'll still lose 2 pounds of fat.
Why Does It Take Longer To Lose Weight On A Stationary Bike Than Running?
When you run, you expend energy through your legs, which burns fat faster. When you pedal a stationary bike, you are using your arms to generate energy. Your body uses this energy to move your arms forward, which makes it harder to burn fat.
Should You Ride An Exercise Bike Every Day?
Yes, you can, exercise bikes are great for your health. They help you burn calories and build muscle mass. If you have been sitting at a desk all day, then you should definitely take advantage of this opportunity. You can use the exercise bike to get your heart rate up and increase your metabolism. This means that you will burn more calories throughout the day.
Final Thoughts:
So, we’re ready to bring this look at the many exercise bike benefits to a close, so what do we think?
Well, as you can see, we’re certainly fans.
Exercise bikes are easy to use, they’re very beneficial, and they’re readily available in virtually all gyms and fitness centers.
If you are looking for an alternative to the treadmills, or simply for a low-impact way to get fit, exercise bikes are ideal.
