Few things are better for weight loss, or for a good time, than a bike ride around town, through the park or out in the countryside. However, the weather is not always permitting and people do not always have time or the proper equipment to get on the bike and hit the trails. There are substitutes that are almost as good. Jogging, spending some time on an elliptical machine, or engaging in aerobics can also elevate your blood rate, get the heart pumping and help you burn some calories and some stress. For an even closer substitute, there are recumbent, or stationary, bikes that you can use indoors in a gym, health club, or in your own garage.
Recumbent bikes are a great way to burn a few calories and get in some exercise when the weather is less than perfect or you are feeling rushed. They simulate the cycling action of bicycles and really get the heart pumping. They are good for cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance and muscle toning.
Stationary bikes that use electricity are typically better than those that do not. The reason for that is that recumbent bikes with electricity can add resistance to the pedaling to simulate going up a hill or riding in a higher gear. This increased resistance helps to add muscle tone during the workout.
Furthermore, electric stationary bikes can simulate real bike rides and create differing workouts to help you work different muscle groups and to work at different rates of speed. The benefit of this is that it keeps you exercising at different levels which allow you to extend the workout, to take a rest and then increase your speed, and then slow down, working towards multiple peaks and all the while maintaining an elevated heart rate.
Another benefit of some of the electronic recumbent bikes is that they give visuals, like
cartoons, to show your progress and your route, and sometimes even an ideal competitor with whom you are racing. This motivation keeps people going, giving them a sense of competition, and helps to show them the rate they should travel.
Even without electricity, recumbent bikes are a great way to get a workout in. A half an hour to forty five minutes on the bike can give a great workout, get the blood pumping and burn some calories. Best of all, the exercise is not bad for your knees as it is extremely low impact. This means that the stationary bike is a great way for people of all ages to exercise.
The recumbent bike, in short, is a great way for everybody to exercise. It is a good substitute for a real bike ride through town or the park, although it is impossible to recreate the atmosphere. The electronic bikes can do even more to make a good work out by changing the amount of resistance and the amount of work. The benefit of the motivation that some provide is great as well; however, any stationary bike is a great way to get in some exercise.