How effective is a recumbent bike?

recumbent bike woman on bike

Many people ask this question. They buy the best recumbent bike and forget to learn how to properly use it. It usually ends as another gym equipment that lies unused in your home; maybe you can use it to hang your clothes. Sounds familiar?

People don’t feel confident that they work their muscles because recumbent bikes are easy on the joints, unlike upright bikes. But recumbent bikes are actually great gym equipment that provide low impact cardio that is suitable for all people regardless of their age or their fitness level.

Why do people prefer recumbent bikes?
recumbent bike man on bike

Recumbent bikes are comfortable. This is one of the main reasons why people love recumbent bikes. This can allow you to use the bike for a longer time. You can sit and watch TV while you are exercising for long hours without feeling any strain on your knees thanks to the reclined design. The padded wide seat will not make your back hurt and is suitable for heavy weight people.

You can still use your phone, have conference calls or check your emails while using the recumbent bike. Recumbent bikes are also cheaper than other exercise equipment and are less subject to maintenance since the pedals are connected to the motor and are not going to break down or malfunction.

But be careful because if you get too comfortable then you might slow down. When the intensity of your exercise decreases, you are less likely to benefit from the exercise routine.

How to use the recumbent bike for best results?

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You can use the recumbent bike for slow cardio, more intense and interval training. Slow cardio is where you can pedal at a slow comfortable rate. This will let you exercise for long hours without feeling pain or discomfort.

You can actually burn more calories with slow cardio as you can exercise for a longer time. But most people prefer to exercise at very high intensity for a short period, probably 20 seconds, then they rest again to recover and start again. This should be repeated for 8 sessions. This exercise pattern has a big advantage which is called the “After burn effect”.

Some recumbent bikes come with preset programs for beginners. Some of these programs adjust the intensity and the interval to help with fat burning. They work to keep your heart beats in the zone where you are more likely to burn the biggest amount of calories.

Some recumbent bikes have hand pedals that work out the upper body as well for a complete workout. These hand pedals provide upper body support and you can burn more calories too. In addition, these can be found in the best recumbent bike for seniors as well so that an part of the body can be focused on to maintain muscle mass and promote muscular health well into later ages!

Remember that the calories burnt on the monitor don’t represent an exact number. It is more of an estimate of the average number of calories you can burn during an exercise interval.

How many calories can you burn on a recumbent bike?

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recumbent bike couple riding together

Compared to other bike exercises, the recumbent bike is a very effective tool. It doesn’t burn as many calories as you would in running or on a rower but it is suitable for those who want to lose weight and burn calories without straining their muscles.

Using the recumbent bike for 30 minutes can burn up to 260 calories which is equal to the amount you burn on the treadmill but without the muscle strain on the knees or the hip joints. In addition, I would like you to review this best compact treadmill to use at home while you are at it! 🙂

Conclusion:

Recumbent bikes are great exercise equipment that can help you to design an exercise routine that will help you burn calories, fat and those extra pounds. They are preferred by everybody because you can adjust the intensity of your exercise routine to better suit your needs.

4 Replies to “How effective is a recumbent bike?

    1. Thanks for your kind comment about the recumbent bike article and its effectiveness, Davi.d Much appreciated!

  1. In this article, You shared the effectiveness of a Recumbent bike. I think the seat isn’t the main source of comfort. Instead of an upright bicycle, where you take hold of the handles, hunched forward, on a recumbent bike, your hands are totally free. This enables you to sit in front of the TV, read a book, or play one of your most loved games. Thanks for this information.

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