Exercise Bikes ? No Excuses, 30 Minutes A Day On A Bike Will Change Your Life – Fitness-Equipment
Exercise Bikes ? No Excuses, 30 Minutes A Day On A Bike Will Change Your Life
Exercise bikes are the ideal home exercise equipment. We are all advised to exercise for 30 minutes per day to stay healthy combined with a good balanced food intake. Most people complain of not having the time to go to the gym or prepare to out jogging etc but if it was for 30 minutes of TV I'd bet that time would be no problem. Why not combine the two, TV and exercise. Watching TV while exercising cuts out the boredom of being locked in a room looking at the four walls exercising. If you have a program you watch on a regular basis the time will only fly in.What exercise bike will I buy?Exercise bikes come in all wonderful styles from the basic stationary bike to built in programs for spinning and mountain courses. The best is what you can afford to pay, the main thing is that you are exercising regularly or intend to do so. The more basic exercise bike can cost anywhere from $80 upwards and generally has a few different gears available to make the exercise more intense as you proceed with fitness. I have to say if you can afford to spend $200 you will find exercise bikes that have pre tuned exercise programs that are easy to follow and are a great way to burn fat.How to Start:Starting can be daunting but after a week or so you will find your fitness level improving and overall health. You need to introduce the body into the exercise for the first couple of days, for many people buying exercise bikes it's the first time they have done such an exercise in years. The first few days should be a slow introductory pace, if you go all out in the first day or so you will only end up with aching muscles and may even put you off exercising again. Remember that this is a marathon not a sprint.Who are the main manufacturers of exercise bikes?Weslo, Reebok,Tuntui, Stamina, Proform, Nordic Track and Fitnees Track have for many years manufactured some of the greatest exercise bikes we have ever seen and all are still doing so. There are foldable bikes available for those living in apartments or people who are simply tied for space. Many people are now trying to build a home gym with the essentials in exercise equipment; the exercise bike should be first on the shopping list. The exercise itself is an excellent aerobic exercise, easy to start with and works ideally as a cross trainer with most other fitness equipment.Some exercise bikes have a dual function, exercise for the upper and lower body. Apart from the obvious leg exercise you will also find upper body levers on some, this is an ideal exercise for a total body workout and will burn fat more quickly than the standard exercise bike (the more muscle groups you exercise the more fat your burn and more quickly).Why buy an exercise bike when I can get a treadmill?The exercise bike has very low impact on the joints. If you have previous injuries or weak joints in general the exercise bike is an ideal gentle exercise. The treadmill is a much higher impacting exercise on the joints and people with weak knees or ankles should be aware. If you decide to get an exercise bike with dual exercise (upper and lower body) you will burn more fat than that of the treadmill as you have no upper body resistance with the treadmill. There are arguments on both sides of the fence as to what is better the bike or the treadmill but you should look at your goals and see what suits both your budget and your target weight loss or general fitness. At the moment the cardio benefits to you as the user lies greater with the exercise dual function bike to that of the treadmill.In Brief:The exercise bike is ideal for beginners to the more advanced groups; it offers a low impact, high calorie burning exercise that have an excellent cardio workout. Combined with a balanced diet the exercise bike used regularly will help you achieve your fitness goals.About The Author
Declan Tobin is a successful freelance writer providing tips and advice for consumers purchasing Fitness Equipment, Treadmills and Weight Benches
. His numerous articles offer tips and valuable insight on fitness.
Exercise Bikes ? Discover The Magic – Fitness-Equipment
Exercise Bikes ? Discover The Magic
There are two types of exercise bikes available. The upright bike resembles a typical road bike but they are stationary. The pedals are below the rider and puts more stress on the joints. The recumbent bike has a seat that resembles chairs and the pedals are out in front of the rider so that pedaling is more natural and less stress is put on the hips and knees.There are a few other types of exercise bikes available as well.
Dual action bikes are upright exercise bikes that have moveable bars or arm handles. On this bike you use both your arms and legs. Aerobic activity and upper body toning is experienced while using the bike.Resistance bikes have some variety as well. Direct tension bikes has manual adjustment of the resistance you use. If it has flywheels the cycling motion is similar to regular cycling motion. Air resistance bikes get resistance by pedaling against the airflow of a fan blade. Magnetic Frictionless Resistance bikes are the most sophisticated resistance bikes.
They allow for a greater variety of workout levels.Feedback Mechanisms on more advanced bikes offer the following readouts:* speed, time, and distance* total calories and fat burned* program mode and resistance levels* pulse, heart rate, and workout level* RPM, watts, METS, mpm's, and mph/kphChoosing which bike to purchase depends on your needs and your preferences. What type of workout you are seeking will also affect the bike you choose? An upright bike will give you a great cardio workout that focuses us on the quadriceps.A recumbent bike has you seated in a reclining position. The seat supports your back and your legs are out in front of you. They work the hamstrings and gluteus muscles. A recumbent bicycle is much easier on your lower back.Upright exercise bikes might have handlebars that move back and forth simulating a rowing motion. This will work your arms, chest, abs, and back muscles. Both bikes offer excellent cardio vascular workouts and calorie burning experiences. Match the bike to your size. Most exercise bikes are easily adjusted for almost any body type.People use exercise bikes for a variety of reasons. Cyclists often use them in the off season to maintain their levels of fitness. Many people use them at home because they feel embarrassed about exercising in front of other people.Exercise bikes are also used in physical therapy programs to promote healing and the regaining of knee or hip joints. Some cardiac rehabilitation programs also use them to promote endurance and greater cardiac health.You can purchase exercise bikes in sports stores, department stores like Sears or Wal*mart and online. When you buy from a store it is easier to match the bike to your living space, to your body size, and your budget.
When buying online you run the risk of not getting exactly what you wanted. The bike may or may not have the exact specifications or may be bigger (or smaller) than what you ordered.The other problem with ordering online is taking delivery. The delivery company likely will not bring it into your house, you will be left to get it in and set it up. This is true though of buying it in a store unless you contract with someone to do the entire process including the set up. If you buy from a store like Sears you can purchase service contracts in case of a problem.Whatever the reason for your purchasing an exercise bike, it is only going to work if you use it. Of course, as with any exercise routine check with your doctor to make sure that you are healthy enough to exercise. Start out slow and build up your endurance. Be safe, be healthy and have fun.(c) www.1st-4-fitness-equipment.comReprint Rights feel free to publish this article on your website but you must agree to leave all active links contained within 'About The Author' intact and "as is" and NOT hidden behind a java or redirect script.About the Author Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of
Home Fitness Equipment which includes
Home Gyms,
Exercise Bikes,
and more! His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information
Exercise Bikes vs. Treadmills – Fitness-Equipment
Exercise Bikes vs. Treadmills
You've decided you want to exercise at home. There are hundreds of pieces of home cardio equipment available. The most popular are treadmills and exercise bikes. In deciding between the two, you should compare long-term sustainability, the effectiveness of the workouts, and safety.Overcoming BoredomThe biggest obstacle to a home exercise routine is sticking with it. You don't have to drive to a gym, so your home fitness equipment is more convenient. The problem is that other distractions are just as convenient at home. The key is to make your routine fun. You want to look forward to your daily workout. You have to be realistic. Playing with the heart rate monitor or watching the calorie counter go up will only be fun the first couple of times you exercise.? Treadmill vs. BoredomOn a treadmill, you walk. Walking isn't that fun. You can walk at different speeds, but that isn't really much more fun. If you get a treadmill that offers an incline, that keeps it a bit more interesting. Walking uphill isn't exactly fun, but it's different. It presents a challenge.You can't really read on a treadmill because you are bouncing up and down. You can't keep your eyes on the same sentence, and you usually end up with a headache. Basically, the only thing fun to do on a treadmill is watch television or movies. If you are really into TV or movies and are able to put your treadmill in front of a television, you can probably keep your treadmill workout from becoming too boring. Problems consist of commercials, the noise coming from the machine, and again, the bouncing.? Exercise Bikes vs. BoredomExercise bikes are unique in that many of them come programmed with various biking routines. You simulate different courses that require you to sprint, pedal uphill, and perform at different levels within one workout without having to keep pressing buttons and changing everything. You can even select random programs so you don't know what's coming, which really keeps you on your toes. Some exercise bikes can even be plugged into televisions and video games to let you interactively pedal through visual courses.On upright exercise bikes, you run into some of the same problems as treadmills as far as reading is concerned. Recumbent bikes, however, allow your hands to be free to hold a book or magazine, video game controller, or phone. Multi-tasking during an exercise bike workout keeps it from becoming boring and allows your workout to more easily fit into a busy schedule.Defeating boredom to successfully keep up a long-term exercise routine is much easier with an exercise bike than a treadmill.The Calorie FactorIn a study conducted by Nordic Track, young, healthy people used various exercise machines and did cardio workouts. Although they felt they used the same intensity on all machines, they burned the most calories on treadmills and ski machines.On average, most people burn about 750 calories per hour on a treadmill. The same people are likely to burn about 550 calories per hour on an exercise bike. So it's a no-brainer, right? You should get a treadmill because they burn more calories.Well, not exactly. You can't get so caught up in which machine burns the most calories. You have to take a lot of other factors into consideration. How likely are you to sustain a treadmill routine as opposed to an exercise bike routine?Because exercise bikes are usually more fun than treadmills, you are much more likely to stick with it long-term. This means that even though you can burn more calories on a treadmill, you are also more likely to stop using it altogether.You might also find it difficult to use it long enough per workout session to get the full benefits. Most people find it easier to workout for 20 minutes on an exercise bike than 20 minutes on a treadmill. You have to think about that. If you are likely to only do 10 minutes on a treadmill but can easily do 20 minutes on an exercise bike, you will burn more calories per session on an exercise bike.So just going strictly by the numbers, treadmills burn more calories. If you easily get bored or have tried and failed to stick with exercise routines in the past, you might want to consider burning less calories per hour in favor of a sustainable long-term exercise bike regimen.Your SafetyThe biggest difference between exercise bikes and treadmills is overall safety to your body.The first case of safety is the most basic. You can fall off of a treadmill. It's very difficult, however, to fall off of an exercise bike. In fact, you would probably have to try to fall when riding an exercise bike. While you might be thinking you'd have to be pretty clumsy to fall while walking, it happens more than you'd think. People get involved with watching television or the beat of music. One wrong step and you can seriously injure yourself. It's also possible to spill water or sweat on the treadmill track, causing a safety hazard you might not notice until after you've slipped.Another safety hazard is injury from the activity itself. A treadmill puts quite a bit of stress on your joints, especially your knees and ankles. Even if you invest in a treadmill with some degree of shock absorption, when you eventually get to a jogging or running point, you can put severe orthopedic stress on your body, even up to three times your body weight. People with existing conditions such as arthritis will find a treadmill painful at times due to this stress. Otherwise healthy individuals can sustain injury and possible long-term damage over time.Exercise bikes put much less stress on your joints. A properly positioned exercise bike supports your weight and still allows you to receive the benefits of a higher impact cardio workout. Upright bikes can sometimes stress your back in the way you have to bend to reach the handlebars. Recumbent exercise bikes, however, can actually improve existing back pain by forcing proper posture and giving support as you exercise. On any exercise bike properly used, your knees and ankles are not stressed as they are on a treadmill.The less you stress joints, the less likely you are to sustain an injury during your workout. You are also less likely to be sore afterwards. Most importantly, a non-workout injury doesn't always have to halt your exercise routine on an exercise bike. If you hurt your back or neck, you will find the support of a recumbent exercise bike will keep you from having to stop your exercise regimen altogether. Let's face it ? if you have to stop, you are less likely to start again.An Exercise Bike is Better for Your Health than a TreadmillAs you can see, both pieces of home fitness equipment have advantages. While the treadmill continues to be the most popular piece of home gym equipment, most people are more likely to faithfully use an exercise bike. This means you're more likely to have to dust a treadmill until it gets the garage sale sticker.Michael Walker is a freelance author providing useful information about stationary bikes, recumbent fitness bikes and portable exercise pedals. His numerous articles offer comprehensive tips and solutions for the fitness enthusiast.