Best workouts for stationary bikes

If you’ve recently made the decision to add some new cardio fitness equipment to your home gym setup, then the odds are strong that you’ve considered investing in one or more stationary bikes. First and foremost, congratulations, as these machines make a wonderful investment for anyone concerned with their cardiovascular fitness or general health. Admittedly, it can be hard to know exactly how to use them once they’re out of the box and set up. By this we mean that simply getting on the bike and pedaling for an hour may not be the most pragmatic use of your workout time. Not to worry though, with these creative ideas and tips for the best stationary bike workouts, you’ll never have a dull moment while exercising on your new machine:

Interval training
One of the most high-efficiency ways to burn a large amount of calories is through interval workouts on your stationary bike. This sort of exercise differs from traditional workouts in which you might build up to a point of ardency, maintain that pace for some time and then begin to cool down. Rather, in this sort of workout, you’ll continually alternate between periods of low and high exertion, forcing your body out of its normal exercise stasis and into a constant state of readjustment. This will cause you to burn more calories than normal, which, according to Chron, can lead to efficient reduction of excess fat.

Incorporate a heart rate sensor
A number of sources have recommended that its followers who exercise on stationary bicycles consider incorporating a heart rate sensor into their workouts. By monitoring your heart rate, you can track exactly how hard your body is working at different points during the course of your exercise routine and adjust accordingly. In addition to this, many heart rate monitors have the capacity to store information from previous workouts. With this technology, you’ll be able to track your progress over time as you become more cardiovascularly fit. For example, this stationary bike includes heart rate monitoring technology.

Time trials
This classic take on cycling blends well into stationary bicycle workouts. Set a predetermined distance that you intend to ride, ideally something substantially shorter than your normal workout. See how long it takes you to attain this distance and then continue to try and beat your time over the course of your fitness routine. Track your progress for extra motivation.