If you are thinking of losing weight, then you must be thinking of building muscles and burning the fat in your body. Dr. Daniel Pozarnksy, a fitness expert and chiropractor, says that when you use more muscle groups during an exercise is you burn more calories.
Can a recumbent bike help you achieve that? Most people view recumbent bikes as docile machines meant for a leisurely pass time. Thus, losing weight on a recumbent bike is practically impossible.
That may true in part. But, any workout program you choose needs commitment. A recumbent bike is a good option if you want a low impact workout. With modern recumbents, there is an option of changing the resistance to make it harder or less hard. Similarly, you can alter your pedaling speed to get the best out of your workout.
Fact is, you might not reach a higher intensity as compared to using a treadmill or an upright bike, but this bike will for sure melt a great deal of fats from your body if you keep the consistency.
Recline position of a recumbent is meant to give you comfort but not hamper your workout. For any recumbent bike weight loss program, you must set goals and focus on them.
Note that in a reclined position achieving a higher RPM can be challenging to maintain for a long time, especially if you are a beginner.
Maximize Your Workout
A recumbent bike can give you the same workout as other machines can.
Hares the deal:
Efficiency and consistency.
Though the recumbent bike does not recruit a larger group of muscles to a significant degree, it still works out muscles of the lower body. But you’ll need more time and consistency to achieve the weight loss goal.
Drew Baye, a fitness expert, says that when muscles are actively involved during an exercise, the muscles can burn more calories – 50 calories per day per pound of the muscles.
It is common knowledge that muscles require fuel to function and exist, and to perform any activity; they need energy. Any activity that recruits muscles burns calories. This is the way to lose weight.
Now:
To use your recumbent effectively, you’ll have to be a little bit creative by setting your workout parameters. Getting options that allow for modifications like interval training helps to maximize the cardiovascular impact – Mayo Clinic.
Interval training
This is a short but intense form of cardio workout. In this training, you alternate an intense workout session with a less intense session. For instance, you can pedal your recumbent bike at a faster rate or increase the resistance. Then after some time, you can reduce the rate of pedaling or completely stop pealing for you to recover before starting again.
Time intervals
You can set a variable time interval depending on your workout plan and level of fitness. The most common time intervals are a 1-to-1 interval and 2–to-1 ratio interval. The former time ratio is good if you are a beginner.
Time interval simply means the ratio of time you take to perform an activity versus the time you take to recover. For 1-to-1 range can be illustrated as taking, for instance, one minute to perform an exercise then take a rest for a similar period.
If you are new to interval training, you can do an intense exercise for 30 seconds then recover for one minute.
Increase your interval training time as you become accustomed to your workout schedule. Increasing your hard segments to a minute and retaining your recovery time to a minute as well, is the best way to balance your workout.
In advanced stage exercises, a rider can have an intense riding for 4 minutes then rest for two minutes. This can be done in a 40-minute workout session. For such a workout, results will be more appealing.
The workout on a Recumbent Bike for Weight Loss
The best way to start your workout on the recumbent bike is through warm up. Warm up for about 5 minutes. After that, increase the pedal resistance and speed to maximum intensity. Do it for 30 seconds.
Lower the resistance of the pedal and the speed for a 3-second recovery interval. Work out within this range for 25 minutes before finishing with a five minutes cool down.
If you need better outcomes, you’ll have to alternate and experiment with different interval times. Note that some recumbent bikes have an inbuilt workout program. This program automatically adjusts the resistance of the pedal and prompts you to speed up or slow down your pedaling.
Consider the benefits
A recumbent bike comes with a number of benefits, which makes it a better option for people with different needs.
The obvious benefit is reduced strain on the back and the joints. The wide seat and the backrest offer support for the lower back while sitting down in itself gets more weight off the knee joints. This reduces the impact on the knee joints.
Therefore, these bikes are a better choice for people with back problems, knee issues such as rheumatoid arthritis or those with core issues.
Also, the bike is smaller in size, i.e., it won’t take much of your space; thus, you can use it in your homes comfortably.
Lastly, the recumbent bike offers a workout in the most comfortable position than any other kind of exercise machine.
Conclusion
For a successful recumbent bike weight loss regimen, emphasis must be put on consistency and hard work. The more intense your exercise program is, the more active your muscles become. This mean, you burn more calories.
You can start with lower rates then gradually increase your resistance with time. The trick is, you must follow the program’s demands.
Pedaling at an easy intensity won’t burn any calories. In fact, this type of pedaling is only good for beginners or people with medical conditions. With modern recumbent bikes setting your exercise goals can be achievable.
The bottom line is, a healthy diet must accompany your exercise program.