8 Benefits of Exercise Bikes You’ll Wish You Knew Earlier
There’s a reason why spin class is always full to the brim at your local gym. It’s because the word is out in the fitness world, and it’s that training with a stationary exercise bike has plenty of great benefits for the body, and we’re not just talking weight loss as one of the benefits of exercise bikes.
If the first thing that comes to your mind is weight loss, then you’re not wrong. Most people use exercise bikes to lose weight and tone up their body. Using an exercise bike for one hour can burn up to 500 calories, which can lead to weight loss. Besides the obvious perks, there are several other amazing benefits of exercise bike training that will do your mind, body and spirit good.
What Is an Exercise Bike?
An exercise bike is a stationary bike that is modeled after a normal bicycle. You’ll typically find them in your local gym or in someone’s at-home gym. An exercise bike isn’t an outdoor bike, but it can offer the same exercise benefits as a traditional bike. With the proper setup, you can simulate hills and terrain by adjusting the resistance throughout your workouts.
Maybe you’ve tried an exercise bike or two or have even been brave enough to attended a spin class, but maybe you weren’t impressed. We promise that once you read this article, you’ll consider adding an exercise bike into your workout routine.
These eight benefits of using an exercise bike are sure to make you want to hop on or take up a cycling class again.
8. Great Way to Get A Workout at Home
Let’s face it, the gym is not for everyone. But who’s to say those non-gym folks don’t deserve a good workout? Not all of us are lucky enough to have a membership to the perfect gym that isn’t too pricey or too far from work. Whether you’re way too busy or simply hate gyms, working out at home is a perfectly acceptable alternative.
An exercise bike is a common piece of exercise equipment that people buy for their homes. They’re super convenient, don’t take up too much space and give you a great option for exercising at home. Say goodbye to blowing off your exercise because of not wanting to go to the gym and hello to a full, energy-boosting, fat burning home workout.
If you’re looking for the best exercise bikes for your at-home workout, check out our review of the best options.
READ MORE: Top 5 Beginner Mistakes to Avoid When Using Exercise Balls
7. Low-Risk Exercise
Using certain workout equipment at the gym always requires safety precautions. From using it the wrong way to the effects of overuse, there is always a risk involved with exercising with equipment.
Fortunately, exercise bikes are one of the most low-risk and low-impact equipment types you can use. Because most people know how to ride a bike, learning how to use a stationary bike is easy.
Low Risk
Low-risk exercise means that you are less likely to injure yourself or others during the training. Because an exercise bike is stationary, you don’t have to worry about colliding with other cyclists like you would outside.
Additionally, you aren’t as subject to nature’s unpredictable elements. Riding an exercise bike is an exercise you’d do indoors, so you’re generally safer and less at risk when it comes to bad weather or other accidents. This also makes the exercise bike a lot more convenient for cyclers, which means you’re more likely to actually use it.
Low Impact
Many health practitioners and fitness experts recommend cycling on an exercise bike for people with recent injuries or even surgery. Exercise bikes are known to give people a low-impact workout because they don’t impact your joints as much as running or other cardio workouts do.
Longterm runners are usually at risk of knee or ankle injuries because of the constant impact on the joints. On an exercise bike, the effect is the opposite. Cycling increases your joint mobility in the hip, knees and ankles. You’ll be working out all of the muscles in this region of your body and will steadily increase the range of motion in your joints.
READ MORE: Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Use an Exercise Ball in Office
6. Killer Workout for the Lower Body
Along with the weight loss and cardio, you’ll notice another great physical result from using an exercise bike. If you’re looking for a lower body strength training and fat burner, an exercise bike may be exactly what you need. Just one hour-long workout on a stationary bike can burn up to 500 calories or more and helps cellulite disappear. The exercise bike engages all of the muscles in your lower body, including the inner and outer thighs, calves, hamstrings and shins.
The workout benefits only increase once you factor in the various settings you can choose. Most exercise bikes have different resistance levels. The higher the resistance, the stronger your workout is and the more calories you burn. In fact, regular use of an exercise bike leads to those famous toned thighs and butts you see on cyclists.
Incorporating different exercises that involve your core, like standing up or variations, will also help sculpt your lower body.
READ MORE: Ladies, Here’s How to Get the Toned Quads You’ve Always Wanted
5. Mood Booster
One of the benefits of exercise bike training is that it is a completely natural mood booster. The endorphins you’ll release after doing a good spin workout will boost your mood, relieve stress and anxiety and put you in an overall better state of mind.
Why? When doing cardio on an exercise bike, you’ll be simultaneously releasing endorphins that create positive feelings in the brain. Those endorphins in your bloodstream are responsible for the “high” you get after a good workout.
High stress, anxiety or even low mood levels often lead to fatigue. If you’ve noticed you’re more tired throughout your day after doing normal tasks, regular exercise can help. It’s no different with a stationary exercise bike. You’ll notice an instant increase in your mood and energy levels once you’re done. If you feel exhausted post-workout when you first start exercising, stick to it. You’ll notice a difference in your energy levels after exercising regularly.
READ MORE: 5 Effective Back Exercises for Women
4. Immune System Boost
Just like many other cardio workouts, using an exercise bike is great for your long-term overall health. Pedaling on a stationary bike regularly will help keep your heart healthy and will boost your immune system.
Studies have shown that regular cardio workouts help prevent different cardiovascular diseases by strengthening the immune system. Similarly, cycling also helps reduce stress, which is known to have a negative effect on the immune system. Incorporating the exercise bike into your daily routine will help keep your body and heart healthy and keep you around much longer.
READ MORE: Exercise Routines (That Are Anything But) To Kick-Start Your Heart Health
3. Great for Multitaskers
We’ve all been guilty of sacrificing our workout for an endless to-do list. Most of us have a jam-packed schedule that makes it difficult to get everything done in a day, including incorporating exercise into daily or weekly routines.
A wonderful benefit of exercise bikes is that you can multitask while using it. Because the bike is working out your lower body primarily, your hands are usually free. This makes it easy to do other things, especially if you’re working out at home.
Need to study or read? Send a quick message? Watch a lecture or a movie while getting a workout in? This is totally possible for people who are masters at multitasking. Exercise bikes help you kill two important birds with one stone.
READ MORE: Top 5 Fun Activities That Are Good for You But Don’t Feel Like Exercise
2. Digestion Improvement
Cycling is one of the best types of exercises to help improve digestion. When you work out the lower body and engage your core, you’re simultaneously working out your intestinal region. The food moves quickly through the intestinal tract so that your body to break it down quicker.
If you suffer from chronic constipation or other digestion issues, cycling is a great option for helping kick that. An exercise bike coupled with a healthy diet that is rich in fiber will be your saving grace. Using your exercise bike only a few times a week will make a difference in improving your gut health.
Cycling is also linked to lowering your chances of getting colon cancer and preventing other types of digestive diseases.
READ MORE: 6 Ways To Start Improving Your Gut Health Today
1. Cardio Alternative to Burn Fat
If you’re a cardio junkie, like a runner, then it’s important to diversify your workouts from time to time. Running every day will cause you to get lean, but incorporating something like an exercise bike will help you burn more fat.
Your muscles will get used to the exercise you usually do because of muscle memory. Switching up your workouts will ‘shock’ your muscles and cause your body to burn more calories during a workout. On an exercise bike you’ll get the same great workout benefits from cardio, but the different exercise puts your body in a better position to lose weight and build strength.
If you’re for even more kinds of workouts to shake up your routine, read about some simple kettlebell exercises you can start doing.
