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Recumbent Exercise Bikes – Healthy, Safe and Smart

 

While watching TV, you are sure at one time or another to have seen a commercial that advertises the best equipment and the easiest way to get in shape. If getting in shape, having better health and stamina is your goal, sometimes watching those commercials can be downright frustrating when you are trying to decide which workout program and fitness equipment is best for you.

For a healthy, safe and smart cardio workout, a recumbent exercise bike is recommended by many physicians and trainers. These experts will tell you that recumbent bikes are also one of the safest pieces of exercise equipment you can use to burn calories, increase stamina and improve overall health.

Healthy

A recumbent exercise bike can give you a comfortable, low-stress cardio workout. Depending upon your efforts, working out on an exercise bike can raise your heart rate by 60-85 percent. Greater range of motion and flexibility, as well as increased lower body strength, are also health benefits you will gain by using a recumbent bike. Another advantage to using an exercise bike is that most models come with pre-programmed workouts and monitors to indicate pulse rate and number of calories burned during your workout session. For the greatest health benefits, experts recommend exercising for at least 20 minutes a day, three days a week. Be sure to talk to your physician before beginning any exercise program.

Safe

One of the best and safest pieces of exercise equipment to use when getting started on your fitness program is the recumbent exercise bike. Perfect for people of every fitness level, whether beginner or advanced, recumbent bikes are also a great option for people with minor physical problems…especially back problems. Unlike jogging or running, using a recumbent bike creates less pounding and stress on the spine and joints. The bucket seat sits low to the floor, while stretching the legs out in front creates great support for your back while putting less pressure on the knees and other joints. Because of the comfort and safety you find in using the recumbent bike, you will want to exercise more often allowing you to enjoy a great aerobic workout.

Smart

Exercising with a recumbent bike is a smart idea. Even if you are at a more advanced level of physical fitness, adding weights and/or adjusting the recumbent seat backward will give you a great upper body workout. Sliding the seat forward and raising the legs will allow you to work your lower abs without doing painful crunches. Compared to a recumbent bike, an upright exercise bike will also give you a good cardio workout; however, an upright bike does not allow for much upper body work, although they are great for strengthening and toning the lower body, legs and thighs.

There are also many different recumbent models to choose from, including manual, electronic or self generating recumbent bikes. Manual bikes are equipped so you can choose your level of resistance. Electronic recumbent bikes come with your choice of programs and feedback functions. Self generating bikes are exactly as the name implies: self-generating power. All of these models come with a contact heart rate monitor.

Because of the many different workout programs available for each model, your workouts will be less monotonous and more likely to keep you motivated to exercise. Since recumbent bikes are suitable for all fitness levels, everyone can find a routine that can be enjoyed on a regular basis, helping to achieve their fitness goals.

With the various models and price ranges to choose from, it is easy to find a recumbent bike that fills your fitness needs and fits your budget. Since they are safe and comfortable to use, a recumbent bike is possibly one of the best investments you can make in your health and well-being.

Ken is the author and owner of http://fitnesswizshop.com, a website dedicated to fitness and cardio vascular health. Recumbent exercise bikes are just one of the many products found on his website. Visit the website at the above link to view the variety of recumbent exercise bikes and other exercise equipment available.

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Recumbent Stationary Bike

Cycling is one of the easiest and best ways to keep in shape.  As an aerobic exercise, it works out the cardiovascular system, and it helps keep the heart healthy and lowers blood pressure.  Cycling can play a large part in preventing conditions like heart attacks, kidney failure, and strokes.  As a means of controlling body weight, it is excellent as well.  Just half an hour of brisk cycling can burn hundreds of calories and substantial amounts of fat buildup.  The problem with cycling, however, is that it can only be done in certain conditions, which may not work with a busy schedule.  If a person works late, he or she may not want to go out and ride a bike.  In conditions of inclement weather, cycling is not a great idea.  However, for those who still wish to pursue riding a bike, there are many stationary indoor exercise bikes available which can be used at any time in the comfort of one’s own home.  To further increase the ease of use, and therefore to encourage repeated use, a recumbent stationary bike – one with a reclining seat – may be the optimum choice.

The problem with standard bicycles – whether stationary or road-worthy – is that the design does not fit with the natural ergonomics of the human body.  Most of the body weight is focused on the pelvis and upper thighs, which can constrict blood flow through several major arteries and creates sores on the legs.  What weight is not focused on the seat is directed through the hands.  Hunching one’s body over handlebars does not help it either.  The weight dispersal can cause problems from pinched nerves, to pulled-back muscles.  A recumbent bike, however, solves many of these problems with simple design revisions.  On it, a rider reclines in a seat and pedals from a more relaxed position.  This allows more widespread distribution of the body’s weight which solves many problems of too much pressure being placed on specific areas of the body.  The even weight dispersal also allows for heightened air flow which keeps exercise from being a sweaty ordeal.  The reclining position also allows a rider to sit comfortably in front of a television in order to make an exercise routine even more of a relaxing proposition.

The design flaws of standard bicycles do not need to prevent anybody from using them.  There are many health benefits which can be attained through their use, and by utilizing a recumbent stationary bike, a rider can exercise comfortably in his or her own home; no matter what time of day or what weather conditions exist outside.  The bike is designed to encourage regular exercise by minimizing discomfort and making the prospect of a workout, in a fun and easily accessible option for anybody.  Considering all the benefits a stationary bike offers, the choice to use one can be a great first step towards better health, a better body, and an improved outlook on life.

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Foldable Exercise Bike

Stamina folding recumbent bikeRegular exercise can be the first step to preventing disease, staying fit and attractive, and living a long, happy life.  Many people do not engage in exercise as much as they should.  There are a variety of reasons for this.  Some people lack the money to join a gym, some people work odd hours and don’t have the time and some people might just not have the motivation to get out and do anything.  Each reason is understandable, but anybody who wants to work out regularly can do so in the comfort and safety of their own home, on their own time, with an exercise bicycle.  Unlike regular bicycles, exercise bikes are easy to use, and can be utilized any time, regardless of the weather.  Even an individual with limited space in his or her house can find space, as there are many foldable exercise bicycles available which can help towards a healthy future without providing too much clutter.

Exercise bikes are a boom to the health enthusiast for a variety of reasons.  They provide the basis for an excellent aerobic exercise routine which works out the cardiovascular system.  They also lower the risk of high blood pressure and its many related health problems; such as strokes, kidney damage, and heart attacks.  Exercise bikes also provide a low-impact workout, which can minimize the risk of damage to a rider’s joints and muscles.  Regular riding can help to reduce body fat, tone muscles (especially in the legs and lower body), and increase general stamina.

All of these benefits can be achieved through a fun, relaxing workout which carries few of the complications of other workout plans and can be undertaken in the privacy of one’s own home.  This comes with a single payment, rather than a monthly gym membership.  Compared to the cost of using a gym, an exercise bike practically pays for itself after a few months.  In addition to all these benefits, there are many portable models which can be easily stowed for convenient storage when not in use.  Not only can an exercise bike owner get a great workout without leaving the house, but his or her house does not have to get too cluttered.  With benefits like those, it almost seems foolish not to get an exercise bike.

The benefits of exercise bikes are numerous, and anybody who wishes to get an easy workout in his or her own home will not be able to find a better machine for their money.  Riding burns fat and helps keep a healthy heart, in a low-impact exercise routine which does not harm the muscles and joints.  This routine can be done in the comfort of home, often while watching television or listening to music, making it seem less like exercise at all and more like active relaxation.  Best of all, anybody who tries to keep a house neat as possible has the option of a foldable exercise bike which can be kept out of the way.  In the end, there are so many reasons that exercise bikes can help the health that there is no way to really understand except to get on and ride.

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