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People are nowadays giving more importance to stay fit and are keen on maintaining the shape also. For this, people regularly hit the gym and with the help of a personal coach or trainer want to reduce the weight using proper method. There are various equipment’s in the gym that is used for exercising. For example, for cardio exercises equipment’s like treadmills and elliptical trainers are used.
The personal trainer will help us in choosing the types of exercises that we will have to do in order to reduce weight methodically. Of all the equipment’s used the elliptical and treadmill are the best ones as they involve whole body workouts. There are different types of exercises that focus on specific areas of the body like
- Abs workouts
- Legs workouts
- Abdomen workouts
- Hands workouts
- Whole body workouts
Of all the above, cycling on the recumbent exercise bike is the most effective way of losing weight as it avoids putting unwanted stress on knees, hips or on the back. Also, it concentrates on the front thigh muscles called the ‘quadricepses. Unlike the usual bike, this bike focuses on the posture of the user and ensures that the back and spine are aligned on the same line. This recumbent bike burns calories slower when compared to outdoor biking activities! On the whole, the exercise bikes focus on the following areas of the body, abs, calves muscles, buttocks, abdomen and the backside of the thigh. However, there are few mistakes that people should avoid to make the most of this exercise.
#1 Posture
The most important part of starting this exercise is by sitting in a proper posture without hurting your spine or back. Maintaining the correct posture is essential and avoiding leaning is also very essential. When we tend to lean we do not get to do the full range of the cycling correctly. Make sure to adjust the seats by pushing them backward or forwards according to the comfort level.
#2 Warmup and stretching
Since this is a cardio workout warming up before is very much needed as it helps to increase the temperature of all the muscles in the body. Also, by warming up and by doing stretches we can avoid all possible types of muscle injury that might happen during exercising. Warm up exercises for hips and legs are a must before riding this recumbent bike.
#3 Start pedaling slowly
Even after the warm-up session has been done, our muscles are not ready to get into full motion right away. We have to start pedaling slowly and then keep increasing the pace. We should not start pedaling at the top speed right away! That is not correct and injuries are sure to happen.
#4 Select the correct resistance and time
The common mistake that all of us do while selecting the resistance is, we choose the hardest one. The higher the resistance, the harder it is to pedal. So when we pedal slowly calories do not get burned! So the best option is to change the resistance during the workout session. First, start pedaling slowly for a longer duration so that the leg muscles become active. Then switch to intense pedaling for a shorter time as it will help in engaging the targeted muscles, namely the thigh and butt muscles.
#5 Interval workouts
Interval pedaling or workouts are always effective according to the various studies conducted on exercises. Interval workouts are combining short yet intense pedaling and longer yet slow pedaling sessions. When these are combined, this is called as interval workouts. Intervals are actually a must to obtain the maximum results from the session. This interesting combination has proven to be the ideal workout session.
#6 Duration
Cardio workouts can be up to a maximum of 60 to 90 minutes. Doing this duration for 5 days a week is the best for weight loss. This need not be the same for everyone, so the personal trainer will help us in determining the time that we need to do cardio workouts.
Investing in a recumbent bike might be a costly affair for most of us. If we constantly hit the gym and combine all other workouts along with cardio workouts we can lose weight faster and in an efficient manner. When at home some might tend to lose interest in working out, but in gym seeing other people exercise itself is a great motivating factor! Also, the guidance of a professional coach is must when we decide to lose weight and do not know where to begin.
These points have to keep in mind when riding a recumbent bike. It is an excellent source of cardio workout and can produce expected results when done properly!
Other floor exercises like leg raise, squats, planks and push-ups are also best forms of workouts that help in toning the muscles. Holding in the plank position for one whole minute can do wonders for the body muscles! When done daily head to toe all muscles are being toned.
Apart from exercising maintaining a healthy and balanced diet is important!
The recumbent bike has to first done only under the guidance of a proper coach or trainer. People should not attempt to ride the bike after seeing the videos that advocate the usage of recumbent bikes. As a word of caution, it is better to consult with the trainer before starting any exercise.