The exercise bike is one of the most popular pieces of at-home exercise equipment, and when you see all the benefits of having one it isn’t hard to see why! Cycling is a low impact, highly effective form of cardiovascular exercise, and using an exercise bike is enjoyable, yet it can be challenging, and it is far safer than cycling out on the roads.
Having an exercise bike at home means you can work out during your downtime, when you may otherwise be putting your feet up. Pedal away while you are watching television, catching up with a friend on the phone, or just listening to your music, and burn calories while you relax.
# Low Impact Sport
Cycling is a highly effective aerobic activity, but unlike others such as jogging, it does not put a strain on your joints. There is no impact on your joints as you cycle, just a smooth pedaling motion which increases your heart rate and burns calories, and you can increase the resistance accordingly. This makes it a better choice for people who get sore knees from running.
Not only does it not put a strain on your hip, knee and ankle joints, but it can also reduce strain on your lower back compared to walking or running. This means that you should enjoy your workouts more, meaning you are more likely to continue regularly and get more out of your workout experience.
# Effective Cardio Workout
As mentioned earlier, cycling is a great cardio-vascular workout which doesn’t put a strain on any of your joints, but can still help you, for example, to lose belly fat. It is often used in sports rehabilitation as a way of rebuilding stamina and muscle strength without compromising other areas of your body. Cycling is also an effective muscular workout. You use many of the major muscle groups while you are cycling but will work your muscles slightly differently depending on whether you choose an upright or recumbent exercise bike.
# Great Workout Equipment For Your HomeAn exercise bike will be a great addition to any home, whether you live in a flat or are lucky enough to have space for a home gym. An exercise bike does not take up much space at all, and some are even designed to fold down to less than half their functioning footprint, so you can put them away in a cupboard when they are not in use. If you are concerned about space, it is worth considering an upright over a recumbent exercise bike, as uprights have a smaller footprint. You can read more comparisons with other home gym equipment here.
An exercise bike is quiet to use, and modern ones are extremely quiet compared to older models. Many modern exercise bikes use a magnetic resistance mechanism, meaning you get variable resistance that is very quiet. This not only means you can watch television while you work out, it means it won’t disturb your neighbors or wake your sleeping family.
# Track Your ProgressMany modern exercise bikes can connect to other devices via Bluetooth. This means your workout data is transferred and stored so you can track your progress. Some exercise bikes also store data in their computer console for more than one person so that you can compete with your friends and family too.