Magnetic Exercise Bike
Recumbent exercise bike
The exercise bike has adjustable resistance, from about zero to hard to pedal. The resistance is best provided by a magnet, or in a few bikes by an air wheel. Magnetic resistance is used on the better exercise bikes because it gives smooth and accurate control. You want good control because you can have the consistent workouts that are most enjoyable and give the best results.
Recumbent exercise bike or upright exercise bike?
Exercise bikes come in two kinds. The upright bike looks more like an outdoor bicycle. The recumbent bike has you recumbent or lying back with a back support. They both give your legs and lower body a good workout. Since the seat supports your body (in both recumbent and upright biks) and since the resistance can be very low to start, an exercise bike can be used by those with leg problems or health problems that make other exercises too difficult or dangerous.
Some people, especially those with back problems, may find the recumbent bike to be more comfortable. The recumbents can take up some more space. A good quality yet compact recumbent is the Lifecore LC-900 recumbent exercise bike.
The upright bikes, even those of good quality, are reasonably priced (especially the exercise bikes on sale) and take up little room. The most athletic riders often train on the spinning-type bikes, a kind of upright bike that is designed for hard workouts. A favorite for the serious bike athlete who wants to keep training even in winter is the Kaiser M3 exercise bike.
On the right you can see a list of bestselling exercise bikes. These recommended exercise bikes provide excellent low impact way to get in cardio shape. Most people who follow a daily program see excellent improvement and see smooth weight loss as the body increases its metabolism under the good influence of exercise.
Because of the good value and little space used, an exercise bike can get the exercise program started with less cost than the more expensive elliptical trainers or treadmills. The workout is not as strenuous as a treadmill, and may be feasible for the out of shape person who wants to get started on the path to health.
How do you make the exercise bike ride more enjoyable?
We humans can find it difficult to keep working out just because we know it is healthy. You can try to force yourself, but that usually does not work. So here is the answer. If you get an iPod, you can listen to music. My favorite is to listen to audio books. These can be checked out from the public library, and it is such a pleasure to have the book read to you while you do your exercise ride. The minutes melt away as your excess weight and health issues melt away. Highly recommended. You may not want to start out on your first few rides with an mp3 player, but in about a week you will be used to the riding and will be happy to have the audio experience as part of your day.
How do you get started with your exercise bike?
When your bike is delivered, set it up and start out the first day with an easy ride. This is important: only do a short workout, so you will feel good when you finish. Starting out with too heavy a workout is the path to failure. Do not be tempted, the daily workout with GRADUAL increases is key.
As with all exercise programs, you will check in with your Doctor before you start. Start out with a comfortable workout, your Doctor will notice your improvement when you see him in a couple of months after your daily ride. You will want to sign up for the free exercise program lessons on the top right of the page.
The less expensive exercise bikes give you a good workout, while the more expensive exercise bikes will generally have a longer warranty. The expensive bikes include a heart rate monitor, based on readings from a chest strap. I use a chest strap heart monitor, and these are availble as a separately purchased accessory. It is part of the daily routine to write down the time spent exercising and the maximum heart rate. Your day can start with a satisfying exercise workout, and an even more satisfying moment when you write down your time and your heart rate. In two weeks, you will feel better walking down the street.