Exercise Bikes

Exercise bikes are a staple for nearly every professional gym and a great choice for home gyms because they do not take up a lot of space, are easy on the joints, and can deliver a pretty good workout depending on how hard you push yourself and what level you have it at. But before you make a choice out of all the exercise bikes that are out there, keep in mind that you should shop around before finding the best options and also contact your doctor to make sure you are medically able to use exercise bikes.

The nice thing about riding on one of the many exercise bikes that are out there is that you can easily watch television while riding it or even read a book or a magazine. On other forms of exercise equipment this is not an easy task because most of them require you to use your hands. A bike, however, does not require you to use your hands, even when you push yourself.

Another great thing about exercise bikes is that it tends to be great for people who have knee problems. Not only is it easier on the joints than something like running, but it also builds up the muscles around the knee which can help you manage your injury over the long term. However, if you do not set the exercise bikes to the proper level for your height, you could actually hurt your knee more. Ask a personal trainer or one of the people working at your gym if you have it set correctly.

If you would like to get a good workout using exercise bikes, you may want to wear a heart rate monitor. You may also want to vary the resistance and how hard you push yourself. This variation keeps your muscles and your heart guessing which translates to a better workout.

If you decide to purchase an exercise bike, make sure you do your research and test a few out before you make a decision. Read reviews and ask others which exercise bikes they use. You will probably want to purchase a high quality model that has a lot of features if you want the best workout possible. However, if you are on a budget, a used or inexpensive exercise bike is a lot better than doing nothing.

Here are the top 12 exercise essentials:

1. Good shoes
2. Fun or appropriate music
3. Free weights
4. A positive attitude
5. Comfortable clothing
6. Lots of water
7. A supportive sports bra
8. Safe, well-made equipment (e.g., cardio machines, heart-rate monitors
9. Weight-training gloves
10. Enough time
11. A workout partner
12. Fresh, clean air and/or sunshine

Exercise is Essential

Exercise is something that is essential for us to stay healthy. There are a lot of things that are considered exercise. Some activities, such as cleaning the house and other forms of exercise that we get without realizing that they are exercise. The fact is that people who exercise frequently are healthy and are able to maintain a normal weight quite easily.

Even though you can get exercise in your daily life, it is a good idea to create an exercise program that you will stick with. You can?t always rely on having an active day. Most of us lead sedentary lives. We sit at our desks all day and other than getting up to go to the bathroom and talk to our coworkers we only get a small amount of exercise. That is why going to the gym or finding other physical activities that we enjoy is so important.

To develop your own exercise program, keep in mind that there are several elements that are important for overall fitness. These include flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, and overall strength. A good exercise plan will take all of these into account. So keeping these three elements in mind, think about the activities that you enjoy. Do you like yoga, stretching, or Pilates? These are all good for flexibility. For cardiovascular endurance you can do anything that elevates your heart rate. This includes walking fast, running, dancing, biking, and sports such as tennis, basketball, soccer, and any other activity that you can think of that gets the blood moving. For strength work you can go to the gym or do resistant work at home with bands or work with free weights.

Once you pick an activity or series of activities that you enjoy, the only thing left is to put your plan to action. This will require some motivation on your part but remember that once the activities become habit your need for a lot of motivation will decrease. Exercise is good for all aspects of your life. It not only makes you healthy but it also help you lose weight and manage stress. There are so many positive things about it, it really is worth it to give it a try, even if you have to start out slowly. Remember to consult with a doctor before you do anything new or strenuous.

Daily TIPS for increasing exercise!   

Walk 10 Minutes a Day and Increase Your Fitness Level Old thinking was to work out in a sweat-filled gym for hours a day. No pain, no gain. New studies show that even short bouts of activity can increase your fitness level, especially if you’re new at working out. 

Park and Walk
Whenever you have an errand, park your car as far away as you can handle and walk to the store. At the mall, park at the farthest end and walk the length of the mall. Use every opportunity to walk. At the end of the day, it all adds up to better fitness.

Crunch in Bed
Before you even get out of bed in the morning, do 10 stomach crunches while lying flat on your mattress. Increase daily by one until you get up to 100. Think you’ll never get there? Try it. You may eventually have to set your clock to wake up 15 minutes earlier, a small price to pay for a flatter stomach.

  The actual amount of cardiovascular training that one person needs is really going to depend on the individual.  Although there are tremendous benefits from being on a cardiovascular training program, I don’t agree that everyone “needs” it.  There are a handful of people out there that have really amazing genetics and would not ever “need” to follow a cardiovascular training program. However, I wouldn’t bank on that being you…sorry  There are far too many positive benefits of following a cardiovascular training program to not do it. Even if you were one of those special people that were genetically gifted, you would still gain long term benefits from a Cardiovascular training program. Wouldn’t you agree that if you could add a few more years to your life that it would be worth doing even 20 minutes of cardio a few times a week? For me yes, but only you know what’s important to you. 

 One of the most important benefits of following a cardiovascular training program is that it builds a strong healthy heart.  Some experts say that the heart is the most important muscle in the body. I guess that’s the opinion of some and while I can’t speak for what’s important to you, I will have to agree with them on this one. Some other benefits include burning calories, burning fat and strengthening the lungs just to name a few. As far as the amount that one individual needs, it’s really going to depend on there current health conditions, what there goals are and how quickly they wanted to achieve them.  For a beginner it is wise to start off slowly, even just adding a brisk 20 walk in to your daily routine a few times a week. As you become more comfortable with it, you should gradually increase your program until you are doing at least 30-40 minutes of moderate intensity 3 to 4 times per week. This an optimal amount for general health purposes.  In order for your activity to really be considered a Cardiovascular workout, your hear rate should be between 60%-85% of your maximum heart rate. This is considered the cardio zone.  Your maximum heart rate is just how it sounds, the fastest that your heart can beat. If you are not sure what your maximum heart rate is, a good way to judge it is if you can hold a conversation during your exercise, then you need to turn it up a notch. Although you should be able to talk, you certainly should not be able to hold a conversation. Have you ever been to the gym and seen 2 people on the treadmill next to each other chatting it up? Yeah, well…..they’re probably NOT in the zone! If you are looking to burn more fat quickly, obtain better conditioning or train for any kind of sports, then a more vigorous program will certainly be needed. I would recommend that everyone get on some kind of a cardiovascular training program.  If for the only reason, to add a few more years to your already short life. Now, get out there and MOVE people!