11 Fun Ways an Exercise Bike Can Be Used at Home
Photo by Ruka72 Pap
For many of us, the biggest reason we purchase an exercise bike is to help us lose weight or stay in shape.
However, several other benefits come with using an exercise bike regularly.
Although it is often thought of as a piece of equipment found only in gyms, you can use an exercise bike at home just as effectively!
In fact, working out on an exercise bike at home has several advantages.
It’s more convenient, for one thing, and you can also save money on a gym membership.
But what are the best ways to use an exercise bike at home?
Here are 11 of our favorites:
#1. Cardio Workouts
Whether you are trying to lose weight or improve your cardiovascular health, doing cardio on an exercise bike is a great way to achieve your goals.
Interval training, which alternates between high and low-intensity periods, is especially effective at burning fat and boosting metabolism.
To do interval training on an exercise bike, pedal at a moderate pace for two minutes, followed by one minute pedaling as fast as you can.
Repeat this cycle for 20-30 minutes for a great cardio workout.
You can also do longer, steady-state cardio workouts on an exercise bike.
These are ideal for burning calories and improving your endurance.
To do a steady-state workout, pedal at a consistent pace for 30-60 minutes.
#2. HIIT Workouts
High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is a type of interval training that alternates between short bursts of very high-intensity activity and brief periods of recovery.
HIIT workouts are more effective than traditional cardio at burning fat and improving cardiovascular health.
They are also shorter and more convenient since they can be done in less time than traditional cardio workouts.
For example, you could do a HIIT workout on an exercise bike by pedaling as fast as you can for 30 seconds, followed by one minute pedaling at a moderate pace.
Repeat this cycle for 20-30 minutes for a great HIIT workout.
HIIT workout using an exercise bike will torch calories and help you lean down.
#3. Strength Training
In addition to being a great cardio workout, using an exercise bike can also be a great way to strengthen your lower body.
While pedaling, you can increase the resistance on the bike to make it more challenging.
This will help develop muscle strength in your legs and buttocks and improve your aerobic endurance.
Then, increase the resistance and pedal at a slow, controlled pace for one minute. Repeat this cycle for 20-30 minutes.
Instead of pedaling forwards for the entire workout, try switching it up and pedaling backward for one minute after every two minutes of pedaling forwards.
This will give your legs an extra challenge and help you to burn more calories.
#4. Abdominal Workouts
You can use an exercise bike to work your abs in several ways.
For example, you can try sitting upright on the bike with your hands behind your head and pedaling slowly while keeping your abs and midline engaged the entire time.
Whatever ab workout you choose, make sure to keep your core engaged throughout the entire routine to get the most benefit from it without putting strain on your lower back.
#5. Low-Impact Workouts
An exercise bike is an excellent option if you’re looking for a workout that won’t aggravate your joint pain.
Since riding an exercise bike is a low-impact activity, it is much easier on your joints than running or jumping.
This makes it an ideal workout for people with joint pain, arthritis, or other conditions that make high-impact activities difficult.
Just be sure to start slowly and gradually increase the intensity of your workout to avoid injury.
#6. Booty Workouts
Do you want toned glutes? Then hop on an exercise bike, which is a great way to tone your glutes.
One glute-toning exercise on the bike includes pedaling with one leg at a time or alternating between pedaling forwards and backward.
You can also try doing some basic squats while on the bike.
Start by standing up straight with your feet on the pedals and slowly lowering yourself until your butt touches the seat before standing back up again.
#7. Endurance Training
Using an exercise bike can significantly help improve your endurance if you are training for a long-distance race or event.
Typically, endurance-based workouts on an exercise bike are longer than your average bike workout and can extend beyond the 30 to 60-minute mark.
They usually involve cycling at various paces and resistances to train for different training adaptations.
You can try interval training if you’re short on time but still want to improve your aerobic endurance.
For interval training, you will alternate between short to moderate bursts of high-intensity pedaling with more extended periods of moderate-paced pedaling.
Rinse and repeat this cycle with varying resistances to change the intensity and difficulty of the workout.
#8. Recovery Workouts
If you are recovering from an injury, using an exercise bike can help you stay active without aggravating your injury.
For example, if you are recovering from a knee injury, you can use an exercise bike to get a low-impact workout that won’t put too much strain on your knees.
If you have any other injuries, check with your doctor, physical therapists, or exercise physiologists before starting an exercise routine.
They can help you determine which exercises are safe for you and how to modify them to avoid aggravating your injury.
#9. Take an Online Class
If you’re looking for a great workout at home but want to do it with others, taking an online class that uses an exercise bike is a great option.
You’ll be able to get a great workout while also being part of a class.
These classes range from spin classes to HIIT classes and everything in between.
They’re led by experienced instructors who will motivate you to push yourself harder than you would if you were working out alone. Plus, they’re usually pretty fun!
Of course, there will be some downsides, and the biggest is that you’ll need an exercise bike compatible with the class you want to take.
Additionally, you will likely need to pay for the class, although some classes may offer a free trial period.
#10. Use It as a Part of Your Workout Routine
If you already enjoy a workout routine, you can easily incorporate an exercise bike into it.
For example, if you like to run, you can use the exercise bike as a warm-up before your run or as a cool-down afterward.
You can also use the exercise bike as a break from other exercises.
If you’re doing a circuit training workout that includes weightlifting, you can use the exercise bike as a cardio break in between sets to keep your heart rate up and burn more calories.
This will help keep your workout strenuous and effective.
#11. Go for a Long Ride
If you’re looking for a more relaxed workout, you can hop on the exercise bike and go for a long ride.
This is a great way to exercise if you don’t have time to go for an actual bike ride outside.
You can even put on your headphones and watch a movie, listen to music, or a podcast while pedaling away.
Conclusion
There are endless possibilities when using an exercise bike at home.
Whether you’re looking for a challenging workout or want to get in a quick exercise session, there’s definitely an option for everyone.
And contrary to popular belief, exercise bikes are not just for cardio.
They can also be excellent exercise equipment for strength training, HIIT workouts, and ab and booty workouts.
So next time you’re looking for a quick and convenient workout solution, hop on an exercise bike and give one of these 11 ways of using an exercise bike at home a try!