Recumbent Bike Benefits [Comprehensive Guide]

Recumbent Bike Benefits – Let’s admit it. Searching for the best and the top-quality upright cardio equipment is not as convenient as you think because there are many options to choose from, including rowing machines, ellipticals, recumbent exercise bikes, treadmills, upright bikes, and stationary bikes.

According to many articles over the internet, for people who prefer doing cardiovascular fitness workout in a standing position, treadmills are good to try. It does not only complete your home gym but also takes your experience to the next level.

As the name indicates, an upright bike means you have to sit upright while holding onto handlebars. This offers excellent flexibility. If you’re comfortable doing seat-type workouts, stationary bike/recumbent bikes remain a popular, expert-recommended, and test choice to take into account and learn.

In this recumbent bike benefits guide, you will know them all. Without further ado, let’s begin!

Recumbent Bike or Upright Bike – What is It?

While sitting back on a comfy and spacious seat in a bike, expect other benefits like full back support, increasing quality results, and avoiding discomfort.

Let’s say you are new to intense fitness workout or are a first-time rider. A recumbent exercise bike should be on top of your list. Top choice for starters, exercise bikes are perfect for those who have an advanced fitness regimen.

All you have to do is to vary your pedal’s resistance speed and put extra effort into your fitness regimen. This makes the best exercise bikes even more challenging than you’ve thought. 

In a reclined body position, you can shed pounds and stay fit while reading your favorite books and watching an action-packed movie. You can sit on recumbent bikes or upright bikes for hours without getting bored.

Recumbent Bike Benefits

Great offer on best recumbent exercise bike for seniors

What Does a Recumbent Bike do for Your Upper Body?

The best recumbent bike machine may seem like accessible fitness upright equipment. But it is not like what everyone thinks. 

Other research, participated by women, also indicated a great muscle improvement, functional abilities, strength, and power after using or working out on an exercise bike for around 8 weeks. This is especially true with high and low impact programs. 

Other studies compared the muscular output and energy use of recumbent bikes and upright bikes. Participated by approximately 10 non-cyclist males, researchers found out that there are no differences at all. 

Is a Recumbent Bike a Good Workout?

Perhaps, you have tried different types of workouts. How was the experience? Maybe, you were unable to achieve your goal in mind. Don’t worry! You can invest in the best recumbent bike or machine. 

Probably, all of your friends have been using a recumbent bike. So, don’t be left behind. Buy quality machines and modern fitness upright equipment like a recumbent bike or upright bike today.  

While you’re browsing your favorite magazine and listening to upbeat music on Spotify, you can also burn calories with a recumbent bike, helping you achieve your dream physique you’d like to view. Its spacious and comfy seat is something you’d love. But don’t forget to put great effort into your strength training. 

While they have gained popularity as aerobic upright equipment, recumbent bikes use many muscle groups, including Gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, medial gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior, semitendinosus, Vastus lateralis, Vastus medialis, Rectus femoris, and heart.

As the buttocks’ largest muscles, Gluteus Maximus is one of the body’s strongest muscles, responsible for hip and thigh movement.

Biceps femoris muscles work with different functions. Located at the thigh’s back, it performs hip extension, internal & external rotation, and knee flexion.

Medial gastrocnemius muscles, on the other hand, help plantarflex your feet. As one of the calf muscles, medial gastrocnemius flexes the knee joint leg effectively.

Tibialis anterior muscles, on the contrary, help flex and work feet toward the shin. This motion is commonly referred to as dorsiflexion.

Located at the back of the thigh, semitendinosus is a hamstring muscle that extends the hip and flex the knees.

Vastus lateralis extends your lower leg and allows you to stand up from a squat position.

Rectus femoris or quadriceps muscles work by flexing the hips, extending knees, and flexing thigh. Vastus medialis is the muscle that best stabilizes the kneecap or patella.

More Guideline & Tips on Fitness Workout

Is a Recumbent Bike Good for Weight Loss?

Another advantage of exercise bikes or stationary bikes is that they are good for weight loss, just like a home or upright bike cycle. 

During this unprecedented time, you perhaps forget your workout routine. Maybe, you always stay on your seat all day, watch TV for hours, eat salty food, and start getting fat. 

Your belly begins to get bigger as months pass by. Probably, you have double chins already. Bring back your sexy, healthy, and fit physique with a recumbent bike.

Types of Workout to Incorporate into Your Routine with Recumbent Exercise Bike 

There are two popular kinds of workout you can try in your home gym thru a recumbent bike. These are steady-state and HIIT cardio. 

What’s the difference? Which is better between the two indoor cycling regimens?

HIIT VS Steady State: Which Cardio is Best? | Hypertrophy Coach Joe Bennett

Steady-State Cardio

Steady-state cardio is one of the go-to and typically used options for many people with a recumbent bike. What is it? How does it work? 

Well, it involves exercises at a steady-state and position. 

As a beginner, you can be pedaling your bike for 10 minutes in a good setting for your comfort. 

For the next few weeks or months, increase the time you spend on the pedals. Experts recommend 30 minutes of pedaling. You can add 10 minutes more to your daily routine with less stress on your knees and ankles. Thanks to its seat. 

Whether you have a higher fitness level or are a beginner, steady-state cardio is a perfect and less difficult choice than HIIT. It is way better to hire a qualified fitness instructor. Just email your preferred fitness teacher. You can likewise search for any related articles on how to perform a steady-state workout. 

HIIT Cardio

Imagine you have achieved a decent fitness level. Your job does not stop there. It’s about time to experiment with some interval-based workout training with a recumbent bike. 

As the name indicates, HIIT is based on varying the intensity and speed of recumbent exercise bikes for a determined number of intervals. 

How to integrate HIIT into your indoor cycling? A regular interval session with lower and higher intensity levels is advisable and recommended. 

Recumbent Bike HIIT Workout

Google and other popular browsers have a useful blog you can take advantage of. There are other helpful articles you can use. You can also search for other commonly used upright exercise options online.

How Many Calories Can You Burn When Riding an Upright and Recumbent Bike?

Riding a recumbent exercise bike or stationary machine at your home or indoor gym helps your body burn many calories. 

But it rests on how hard you work. At 12 mph speed in 20 minutes, you might burn approximately 190 calories or more. 

For a 185 lb user, they can burn 311 calories in the same intensity and time. 

For 125 lb user, they can shed 211 calories. 

But it depends on the workout used. The trick is to increase your workout intensity. The greater the intensity, the higher caloric burn you can achieve in the long run.

Impact of the Best Diet on Your Fitness

You have been standing and riding a stationary bike for months. All of your efforts to lose weight will be useless when you don’t have a proper diet. What type of diet plan should you consider? Popular options include intermittent fasting, plant-based diets, low-carb plan, the Paleo diet, and a low-fat diet. 

Plant-based is one of the diets that restrict animal products, including casein, albumin, dairy, whey, and honey. Studies conducted on 1,151 participants indicated that this diet type helped people lose a minimum of 4.4 pounds. 

On the other hand, the Paleo diet consists of vegetables, whole foods, lean meats, nuts, and seeds. It restricts the consumption of dairy, processed foods, sugar, and grains. 

Research has shown that the Paleo diet can lower the risk of belly fat and aid in weight loss.

Is a Recumbent Bike Good for Bad Hips?

Pain in the hip, groin, or joints? Sticking of the hip joint? Grinding noises during movement? Increased pain during the rainy season?

Perhaps, you have hip arthritis. Because of the discomfort, you might avoid going to your home gym or utilizing your recumbent bike. 

It can be a headache if you have a workout routine to follow. But having hip arthritis is not an excuse to avoid home and indoor cycling. Working and training on the best recumbent bike would guide you to follow your exercise regimen despite your condition.

Recumbent Bike is the answer to Knee Pain

But ask your physician before making decisions for your comfort and safety. 

Health Benefits of a Recumbent Stationary Bike

Apart from weight loss, using recumbent bikes provide other health benefits. Some of them are highlighted below:

A recumbent bike offers full back support.

Back pain is one of the most common concerns people experience during a high or low impact workout. Say bye to the inconvenience with a recumbent and stationary bike.

Whether you engage in an upright exercise or other intense routines in your gym, the best recumbent fitness equipment got you covered. It provides enough and comfortable support, helping you avoid back pain.

Recumbent Bikes put less stress on joints

As we get old, our joints get weak, increasing our risks to suffer from arthritis, osteoarthritis, and other medical conditions. 

But that does not mean you will stay in your bed for hours without doing anything. Treadmills may be your number one option. But find other excellent alternatives as treadmills can put more stress on your joints. 

How about ellipticals? Well, they can be the right choice. But nothing can beat the best recumbent fitness equipment. Depending on your options, you can stay fit without extreme joint pain.

The reclined position is perfect for people with low back injuries in a recumbent bike

You have tried working out on ellipticals and treadmills with a severe low back injury. It’s painful and inconvenient. 

If you don’t prefer the best recumbent machines, talk to certified and qualified medical professionals for your comfort. While the consultation may require extra fees, the services are worth it.

An ideal bike great way to achieve a tremendous indoor workout

During a rainy season, it would not be easy to run or jog in the park. But things changed today. Why don’t you turn your empty space into a home gym? Yes, you read it right!

While there are many fitness recumbent machines to purchase, the best recumbent bike should be on top of your priority. 

Although it needs enough space, one of the benefits of recumbent bikes is that it can transform your home gym into what you have thought in the first place.

It guarantees a lower risk of body inflammation

Another health benefit of the best recumbent exercise bikes is that they are easy on different muscle groups, including the Rectus femoris, Vastus medialis, Vastus lateralis, and semitendinosus. 

If you always wake up feeling sore after high and low impact workout, get your fitness equipment replaced with a new recumbent bike today. But don’t be tempted to invest in the cheapest brand in today’s market. Purchase recumbent fitness machines that are available at a fair and competitive rate. 

Other Health Benefits of a Recumbent Bike and Upright Bike

• A recumbent bike or upright bike benefits one’s fitness.
• Just like an upright bike, it helps those who want to burn body fat.
• A recumbent bike or upright bike benefits patients with weak legs and other body muscles.
• Similar to an upright bike, it helps those who follow interval training.
• Using recumbent bikes is safer and more convenient than road cycling.
• The seats are comfortable in recumbent bikes.
• Recumbent bikes offer other good opportunities for exercise.

Bottom Line

Are you still searching for the best fitness recumbent machine? Don’t look further than a quality recumbent bike.

So, what are you waiting for? Look for the best brand in the market today and incorporate it into your indoor gym!

We hope this guide on the benefits of a recumbent bike helps you throughout the process. You can read other relevant articles for more information! You can also email us for support and other details!

Related:

• Recumbent Elliptical vs Recumbent Bike
• How to Use an Elliptical Machine?
• 8 Best Recumbent Elliptical Trainers