Recumbent Bike Workout For Beginners (Everything You Need to Know!)

A recumbent bike is a stationary bike that can be used in the comfort of your home or the gym. This bike has a seat that is fitted with a backrest. The pedals of this bike are also placed at the front. This forces you to stretch out your legs with every pedal stroke. This bike is very comfortable and easy to use especially if it is compared to the other two types of stationary bikes (the upright bike and the indoor cycling bike).

Because of its comfort and its ease of use, a recumbent bike is highly popular among pros and amateurs alike. If you are a beginner, starting off with a recumbent bike is quite advisable. For some like the indoor cycling bike, the level of intensity you begin with is not friendly for people who are entirely new to this form of exercising.

This bike has a gear knob whereby you can adjust the levers to reduce or increase resistance. For an exhilarating and effective workout session, fitness experts often suggest going for high resistance if you are up for it. So, the ability of this bike to allow you to reduce or increase the gear is a plus for everybody. Beginners particularly benefit from it because you can be able to slowly work your way up the different levels without causing too much strain on your body.

Below is a guide on workout routines for beginners using a recumbent stationary bike. It first begins with highlighting all the things a beginner requires as well as factors to be considered before settling on recumbent bike for purchase.

Firstly, there are a few pointers for beginners before engaging in a recumbent bike workout routine. For a beginner you are advised to work out on the stationary bike following a ratio of 2:1. You should set aside the greater value for recovery purposes. This is only because if you are new to indoor cycling, you would not want to put too much stress on your body at once. You can even be putting yourself at risk for injuries. For instance, you can easily wreck your muscles by overstraining as this can easily cause you uncalled injuries.

Once you purchase a recumbent bike, also consider whether it is digital or computerized. Depending on how modern the bike is, the better your experience as a beginner. For example, a digital recumbent bike will most likely come with many pre-set workout routines which allow you to do many interesting workout routines in order to burn fat and lose weight altogether.

Things you require before starting a recumbent bike workout

Training shoes- as you start your workout routine make sure you are not compromising on your comfort or safety. The choice of training shoes has to be the correct size and comfortable to wear. Preferably, you are advised to choose those with a rubber sole so that it can help you balance with the grip that it offers. Also having a leather sneaker is advised as it makes the shoes last longer.

Sauna suits- you always begin to sweat once you begin to work out. Sweating while exercising gives you a good feeling because of the hormones secreted. It is also very good for your health as it benefits you burning fat making sure you have low blood sugar levels, weight loss and even aerobic fitness. Before you start training, make sure you have the appropriate gear.

Here are some of the best workout routines to follow with a recumbent stationary bike

Bike interval workout routine

The steps that you should follow while doing this routine are:

First and foremost warm up. Do some stretches to loosen up your muscles and also ensure that your blood is flowing through your entire body. This part of the routine is very important as it ensures that you will not face any injuries after working out. You can also go ahead and do mindfulness yoga and meditation to make you as calm and prepared as possible for the workout.

After you warm up you can start causing pedal strokes with a 95% capacity for about 30 seconds. Here your resistance should be high to burn those fats.

You can then reduce resistance by dropping the speed for about 30 seconds which is also your recovery period. As you can see, this routine suggests a ratio of 1:1. This makes this workout a little bit more effective but harder too. Go for it if you are up for the challenge or tweak the plan to reflect the ratio of 2:1.

After working out, stretch and take your well-deserved rest. Planning out recovery phases is good for overall health and fitness.

Alternatively, here is another workout plan that works just as good in a recumbent bike.

20 Minute HIIT Workout

This work out consists of only 4 minutes of high intensity interval training (HIIT). While this on paper may seem like very little, it can be quite difficult while doing it. After the HIIT interval, also there is 16 minutes of rest which is the recovery period. You can make the most out of this step by pushing for low intensity. In general, this workout is very beneficial for cardio workout and also fat loss.

Here are the steps you should follow.

As always, start with a warm up at first. Do a warm up for around 5 minutes ensuring the flow of blood. Also, stretch your muscles and prepare your joints for the work out session.

For this particular workout routine, you will need a recumbent bike that has a lot of levels of resistance. If possible, up to 20. For most beginners resistance of 6 to 8 is good enough, but you should just pick whatever feels right and comfortable for you.

The second step is that you go into the maximum effort step. Here you take the intensity very high resistance and also a rider should pedal very fast at maximum capacity. You should do this for 30 seconds.

Thereafter, take a break by going to a low resistance level, pedaling at a low speed. Do this for as long as you would like in order to catch your breath. This part of the routine should last up to 2. Tip, keep breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth

Interchange these two previous steps for eight times this is in order to ensure 4 minutes of high intensity and 16 minutes of recovery. At the end of the routine, do a cold up.  Do some stretches to avoid any pain afterward and even any injuries. Drink some water and make sure you have enough rest afterward.

You might feel out of breath starting off with this workout routine, the breaks though, will help you with this. Also if doing a total of 8 rounds is too much for you, it is okay, just increase the rounds over time as you are getting used to it.

Tips for working out on a recumbent bike for beginners

An exercise stationary bike can only work and bring out positive effects if it is used correctly.

Proper seat adjustment

Practically speaking if you are working out and you are uncomfortable you will not able to do as much as you would wish. Also sitting on uncomfortable saddles for a long period of time will definitely cause injuries. Most of these stationary bikes like the recumbent bike, allow the riders to adjust the seats according to their preferences. Usually you can do this by sliding it back or forward, just make sure you get what you are comfortable with.

Keep track of your progress

Once you start training you should keep a journal well you can write down how many pounds or kilograms that you have lost per week or per month. You can also use this journal to note down how many minutes 4 seconds you have added into your workout routine or how long your intervals are in between workouts.

Have a diet plan

If you want to have the best results after starting a workout routine obviously you were not want to put back the calories on. For this reason you are advised to plan a diet so as to make sure you exercise bears fruits. Also, make sure to workout at the set times.

Conclusion

Compared to other stationary bikes like indoor cycling bike, a recumbent bike might just be the best option for beginners. For example, an indoor cycling bike has a heavy flywheel that takes a lot of effort to even budge it a little. This in turn makes its riders burn more fats and calories but also strain quite a bit.

For comfortable workout sessions that are easy on the legs and knees, go for a recumbent bike. Using this bike is rather easy and this guide has also included a routine to follow for the best results. When a recumbent bike is used correctly, it is excellent for weight loss, great for endurance, stamina and even strength development. With all the factors stated above in mind, a recumbent bike is appropriate for beginners.