Recumbent bikes allow you to do a workout while sitting down in a reclined position, with the bike wheels in front of you instead of under you.
To give you a quick answer to your question, pretty much every major muscle in your lower body gets worked out when you exercise on a recumbent bike. I’ve included a complete list of muscles engaged in a recumbent bike workout in the first section below.
Hi everyone! This is Andrew, and first off, let me embarrass myself by telling you a short story about an incident at my local gym.
I used to belong to a large, well-known gym that had a huge selection of exercise equipment, including treadmills, rowing machines, stair climbers, assault bikes and, oh yes, recumbent bikes.
The recumbent bikes were usually not occupied, but every now and then, you would see someone using one of them.
My buddies and I would roll our eyes. “That’s not a workout” we would say to one another. “Why don’t they just stay home and watch a movie, it’s no different.”
I’m embarrassed to say that we actually said these things, but in our defense, we didn’t know any better. We honestly thought that recumbent bikes were pretty much useless except for those over 80 years of age!
Little did I know that I would be using a recumbent bike in just a little more than a year after I severely injured myself.
Are you wondering what muscles does a recumbent bike work? Do they really give you a workout? Are they more sizzle and not so much steak?
In today’s article, I want to talk about how recumbent bikes work so you won’t make dumb comments like I used to.
List of Muscles That a Recumbent Bike Works
Contrary to popular belief, exercising while sitting down can still be a terrific workout. If you’ve ever done rowing or even regular bike riding, you’ll know what I’m talking about!
Here’s a list of the muscles that a recumbent exercise bike works:
- The Quadriceps (the front of the thighs)
- The Hamstrings (the back of the thighs)
- The Shins (the front of the calf)
- The Calf muscles (the back of the shins)
- The Glutes (your buttocks)
If you do upper body exercises at the same time, such as holding weights and pumping your arms, you’ll have a full-body workout all while sitting on a recumbent bike!
Still think that a recumbent bike isn’t a good workout? One study found that older females who did an 8-week recumbent bike workout had significantly improved their muscle strength and stamina!
Is a Recumbent Bike as Good as Walking?
Believe it or not, using a recumbent bike is better for you than walking!
It’s true! While you are using the same muscle groups, and the calorie burn is nearly the same, using a recumbent bike puts less stress on your joints!
Of course, you need to put some work into your workout! You can’t sit on the recumbent bike and barely move your legs, thinking that you’re getting some benefit!
Work up a sweat and get that body breathing hard! I highly recommend using a heart rate monitor to ensure that you are working hard enough.
Can You Lose Weight with a Recumbent Bike?
A lot of people get the wrong idea about recumbent bikes thinking that because you are sitting back you aren’t really working.
Can you lose weight with recumbent exercise bikes? Yes, you can!
All you have to keep in mind is that you need to create a calorie deficit, which means you need to consume fewer calories than you are burning.
For example, if you need 2500 calories a day to maintain your current weight, burning or eating 200 calories less per day will result in about 1/2 pound of weight loss per week.
Using your heart rate monitor, work out on your recumbent exercise bike until you burn off 200 calories. The amount of time needed to do that will vary depending on your sex, age, and current weight.
Most people find that a combination of eating a bit less (having a glass of water instead of a can of soda with lunch will cut 200 calories out of your diet) and exercising at least 20 minutes most days of the week will cause them to lose weight.
How Long Should You Exercise on a Recumbent Bike?
The time you should spend on a recumbent bike will depend on many things, including your age, gender, current weight, current physical fitness level, and end goal.
For someone who wants to lose weight, you might find that you need to work out 30 minutes four or five days a week to drop those unwanted pounds.
For someone who hasn’t exercised in many years or is very overweight, 30 minutes may not be possible. If you’re in this group, you might try 5 minutes a day at least 6 days per week, adding one minute to your exercise time each week until you can do 20 minutes at a time.
If you just want to get in a cardio workout on a recumbent bike, you may find that an HIIT program every other day will get you closer to your goal more quickly.
If you aren’t sure how long you can safely work out on a recumbent bike, don’t be afraid to speak to your doctor, physical therapist, or chiropractor.
In fact, it’s always a good idea to consult with your doctor before making any drastic changes to your diet or exercise routine to be on the safe side.
Is It OK to Use a Recumbent Bike Every Day?
I’m not a doctor or a chiropractor, but I would say that for the majority of people, it is safe to use a recumbent exercise bike most days of the week. However, you should give your body at least one day of rest each week.
Your body builds muscles and repairs itself while you are sleeping and when you aren’t exercising.
This means that your body can do life’s everyday tasks, such as cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, and other chores and still do repairs.
However, if you exercise every day, your body has to work harder to do those repairs since you are only giving it time to do so when you are sleeping.
For the best results, give your body one day off per week to rest and get at least 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
Final Thoughts
I hope that this article has given you a better understanding about stationary recumbent exercise bikes and what they can do for your body.
A recumbent bike works the lower body, but you can even get an upper body workout by adding arm weights and pumping your arms.
If you really want a full-body workout, you might try an indoor rowing machine like the Hydrow or maybe a seated elliptical like the Teeter FreeStep LT3. You may have used a similar device at your physical therapist’s office.
No matter which type of exercise machine you decide to use, the important thing is to get a great cardio workout that is good for burning calories, while keeping your body flexible.
Keep in mind that moderation is the key to healthy living. Eat a healthy diet, get plenty of sleep, and try to use your recumbent bike at least 3 times a week.
Always find a reason to smile, enjoy life, and stay healthy!