Exercise Bike Workout Plans

[Gummer12 134]

Ok..Need to start losing a crap load of weight. I'm trying to cut back on the pop and specifically the High Fructose Corn Syrup (Which is hard cuz it's in EVERYTHING!) So I'm looking to get an upright bike to get things going. I've got one picked out I think, but I'm just wondering what type of program or routine to use, and also what to do before hockey games. I've found this little general plan online.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/78052-ex...e-workout-plan/

I know I want/need to gradually work myself into a regular system, but what is the progression for advancing up the ladder? Do I step it up weekly, monthly? After I get myself down to a respectable weight, I wanna start incorporating a regular bike around the local neighborhood. Maybe Spree or some of you other bikers can throw in some words of wisdom on what to do or not to do or links to other programs for fat people. lol

[lampliter87 8]

I'm far from an expert, but as a means of general fitness and conditioning I'm a fan of intervals as mentioned in the livestrong site. I usually go for time lengths that would mirror a hockey game (45sec on, 60 off) but that's something that can be adjusted to meet your goals.

[Trooper 8]

While it may be part of the program, a bike wouldn't be my first choice for cutting weight. Get in the weight room, drag a sled, anything to increase muscle mass. Muscle mass burns cals faster than fat, so the benefits are non-linear in your favor.

[lee92 2]

While it may be part of the program, a bike wouldn't be my first choice for cutting weight. Get in the weight room, drag a sled, anything to increase muscle mass. Muscle mass burns cals faster than fat, so the benefits are non-linear in your favor.

While muscle revs up your metabolism, therefore burning more calories throughout the day, it does very little to burning your stored fat reserves. That's where cardio comes in. Interval training can strengthen your heart and rev up your metabolism so you're burning more calories throughout your day, but it's not going to burn up your fat reserves.

In my experience, the best way I've found to burn your stored up fat is ~1 hour jogs, three or so days a week, at a pace where it's becoming difficult to speak. I run 3 or so days a week, at a pace where it's difficult to talk but I still can, and it's done a good job in cutting down body fat. I'm in the gym 3-5 days a week with weights as well.

You can apply the same type of routine to the stationary bike, but keep in mind you won't be working as much muscle mass as if you were doing the same intensity workout on a treadmill or running. Stationary bike is pretty isolated to the lower body, and will work wonders to tone your legs, but you're really not engaging your upper body/core as much as you are when running.

One last thing to keep in mind is that it takes roughly 20-30 mins of cardio before you can tap into your fat reserves. Basically your body needs to deplete it's carbohydrate stores first before it can move onto utilizing fat as an energy source.

[mug25 2]

Great thread. I'm actually going to be doing the program in the Livestrong article. I really hate the treadmill since I get nasty shin-splints from running and the elliptical just feels weird after a while so the bike is actually kinda "fun".

[Trooper 8]

While muscle revs up your metabolism, therefore burning more calories throughout the day, it does very little to burning your stored fat reserves.

Could you please cite some sources for this? Your body uses stored fat reserves as energy. By increasing metabolism you use more energy, very simple. Aerobic activity doesn't carry over when not engaged in the activity, muscles burn more calories even when resting.

[lee92 2]

Could you please cite some sources for this? Your body uses stored fat reserves as energy. By increasing metabolism you use more energy, very simple. Aerobic activity doesn't carry over when not engaged in the activity, muscles burn more calories even when resting.

I'm not arguing against interval training, but an intense exercise such as that utilizes more of an anaerobic pathway, burning up glycogen, not fat, as its primary source of fuel. I don't know if you understand that different exercises, actually different heart rates, utilize different substrates as energy. Long endurance activities that have your heart rate around 60% of max will lean more towards store fat reserves for energy, since they provide more calories per gram than protein or carbohydrates (9 vs 4 & 4). High intensity exercises (sprints, running, hockey, interval training, weight lifting, etc.) utilize glycogen (carbs) stores as their main fuel source.

It's true that interval training will rev up your metabolism, letting your body burn extra calories throughout the day. However, the boost in metabolism typically lasts for 4-6 hours after that exercise session. All the while you're probably consuming at least 1 meal during this time period, so in essence you're basically revving up your metabolism to burn off that meal without doing anything. This can be greater or lesser as well to an extent, but hopefully you get the idea. Packing on the muscle mass will raise your metabolism, but only to the extent where you're basically just burning up the days calories. You don't get as far ahead if your goal is to deplete all that nice abdominal fat you've accumulated. My advice is to simply cater your exercising to burning up those store fat reserves via endurance based cardio activities. Cardio will erase your past and interval training/weight training will take care of the present and future.

Now this is all based on someone who is carrying a lot of excess weight. If you're only carrying an extra 5-10 lbs, than yeah, sure, you could probably burn that off with weight training and proper dieting. But for those carrying 20+ extra pounds around, you're probably not in good enough shape to dive into a heavy weight lifting and interval training program. In this case, exercising between 30-60 mins a day, every other day, where your heart rate is around 65% of your max, is far more beneficial and selective in getting rid of that excess store fat.

[mug25 2]

I'm not arguing against interval training, but an intense exercise such as that utilizes more of an anaerobic pathway, burning up glycogen, not fat, as its primary source of fuel. I don't know if you understand that different exercises, actually different heart rates, utilize different substrates as energy. Long endurance activities that have your heart rate around 60% of max will lean more towards store fat reserves for energy, since they provide more calories per gram than protein or carbohydrates (9 vs 4 & 4). High intensity exercises (sprints, running, hockey, interval training, weight lifting, etc.) utilize glycogen (carbs) stores as their main fuel source.

It's true that interval training will rev up your metabolism, letting your body burn extra calories throughout the day. However, the boost in metabolism typically lasts for 4-6 hours after that exercise session. All the while you're probably consuming at least 1 meal during this time period, so in essence you're basically revving up your metabolism to burn off that meal without doing anything. This can be greater or lesser as well to an extent, but hopefully you get the idea. Packing on the muscle mass will raise your metabolism, but only to the extent where you're basically just burning up the days calories. You don't get as far ahead if your goal is to deplete all that nice abdominal fat you've accumulated. My advice is to simply cater your exercising to burning up those store fat reserves via endurance based cardio activities. Cardio will erase your past and interval training/weight training will take care of the present and future.

Now this is all based on someone who is carrying a lot of excess weight. If you're only carrying an extra 5-10 lbs, than yeah, sure, you could probably burn that off with weight training and proper dieting. But for those carrying 20+ extra pounds around, you're probably not in good enough shape to dive into a heavy weight lifting and interval training program. In this case, exercising between 30-60 mins a day, every other day, where your heart rate is around 65% of your max, is far more beneficial and selective in getting rid of that excess store fat.

With that being said, I workout maybe 3-4 times a week, doing nowhere near as much cardio as I know I should be however I'm doing weights on a regular basis. Usually 4-5 exercises consisting of 8-12 reps, 5 sets.

Seeing as I want to build endurance AND lose weight, should I even be bother with interval training or just go straight cardio for 20-30 minutes?

[n3ss 0]

i like to do a mix of both interval training and "regular" cardio for 30-45.

If i don't have time or my knees are bothering me i'll just do interval training. cardio is extremely boring to me, whether on a treadmill or bike. i

[Trooper 8]

I'm not arguing against interval training, but an intense exercise such as that utilizes more of an anaerobic pathway, burning up glycogen, not fat, as its primary source of fuel. I don't know if you understand that different exercises, actually different heart rates, utilize different substrates as energy. Long endurance activities that have your heart rate around 60% of max will lean more towards store fat reserves for energy, since they provide more calories per gram than protein or carbohydrates (9 vs 4 & 4). High intensity exercises (sprints, running, hockey, interval training, weight lifting, etc.) utilize glycogen (carbs) stores as their main fuel source.

I'm quite aware of the different energy systems of the body. I said nothing about interval training, I argued for putting on muscle mass vs. aerobic activities. Muscle burns more calories period, around the clock. This is a hockey board, why steer a guy toward something that is a waste of time (aerobic activities) for hockey and that in the long run will hurt performance anyway?

[shoeshine boy 242]

if you have the $$ get a spin bike rather than a regular exercise bike. I switched about a month ago and I can really feel the difference in my "rides".

[Tailboard Jockey 25]

I recommend looking for a used Schwinn AirDyne. It's a nice upper/lower body cardio stationary workout bike with a big fan wheel. I found mine for $75 on craigslist last year. They're used in a lot of MMA and CrossFit gyms. I love that you don't have to mess around with turning knobs or pushing buttons to adjust the intensity of your workout. You just speed up, or slow down, which raises or lowers the intensity.

[alexk 0]

If I ride the bike for a bit I do intervals, heres a good article about intervals

http://ca.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_1...itness_tip.html

[chippa13 1844]

i like to do a mix of both interval training and "regular" cardio for 30-45.

If i don't have time or my knees are bothering me i'll just do interval training. cardio is extremely boring to me, whether on a treadmill or bike. i

Cardio might be a little less boring if you break it up with different exercises. Instead of just doing 45 minutes on a treadmill or bike, you can do 15 minutes on the treadmill, 15 on the bike and then another 15 on the elliptical. And you can toss in other exercises like the arm crank or rowing machine. It really doesn't matter what you do so long as you get your heart rate up and keep it there for the duration of the workout.

Not only will switching exercises take some of the boredom out of cardio but it will also keep your body from getting used to the exercise and help maximize the results.

[TheGasman 0]

if you have the $$ get a spin bike rather than a regular exercise bike. I switched about a month ago and I can really feel the difference in my "rides".

I second that. I have a brand new excersise bike that has become a coat rack in my bedroom but I go to spin classes at the gym a few times a week. If I could do it again I would buy a spin bike. Eventually I will step it up and buy a real road bike.

[mug25 2]

Holy crap spin bikes are expensive!

[TheGasman 0]

Holy crap spin bikes are expensive!

Ya, I think the ones my gym got are like 1500 a piece but you can find pre owned ones for around 500.

[furlanitalia 1]

If you're getting a bike I would definitely recommend this one Keiser M3.

Girlfriend and I got one last October and it is an awesome bike. Silent, no wearable parts, and light enough that she can lift it if it needs to be maneuvered in a small space.

Personally, I've been using it to keep my cardio up. On days that I play I usually go for two 2Km (roughly 5 min) rides with a stretch in the middle (unbelievable how much this helps) and on days when I workout I go for at least a 5km at the end (15-20 min). Keeps my legs from being super sore the next day. I also do interval training on it (2:00 warmup then 0.45 hard, 1:15 soft for 16 min, then 3-5 min cool down). Being exhausted during games is something I have really struggled with every since I took a year off from playing and have found that riding the bike (along with playing) is really helping me last well into the third period.

I think taking a look at everything that has been said above you really need to do a combination of both intense cardio training to burn off old calories along with increasing your muscle mass so that your body will burn off future calories. Work on getting your heart rate up high during your workouts by jogging on the spot in between sets. As you start to lose the weight you don't want you can tone back the cardio and focus more on building muscle.

[shoeshine boy 242]

Holy crap spin bikes are expensive!

they are but if you scour Craigslist you can usually find gyms unloading used ones. we lucked out that way. found a small women's only gym that had decided to discontinue spin classes because the clients preferred to bring their own bikes and indoor trainers so we got a barely used Schwinn IC Pro spin bike for probably 1/4 the cost of a new one.

[mug25 2]

they are but if you scour Craigslist you can usually find gyms unloading used ones. we lucked out that way. found a small women's only gym that had decided to discontinue spin classes because the clients preferred to bring their own bikes and indoor trainers so we got a barely used Schwinn IC Pro spin bike for probably 1/4 the cost of a new one.

They have em' @ LAFitness but I'm canceling my membership there at the end of April — have a membership at a much cheaper gym. Maybe they've got spin bikes tucked away somewhere but I doubt it.

May look on Craigslist.

[TheGasman 0]

Anyone have good recomendations for shoes? I was looking at the Shimano M086L's.

[furlanitalia 1]

I just wear runners. My bike has the clips but never felt there was much benefit from spending money on the shoes.

[TheGasman 0]

I just wear runners. My bike has the clips but never felt there was much benefit from spending money on the shoes.

I remember from back in my BMX days how much they help you pedal faster. I wear my gym shoes now but it seems a little dicey when I start hauling ass.

[TheGasman 0]

I took my first spin class on Friday with my new Shimano shoes. They make all the difference in the world. The way you are able to almost lift makes adding more resistance easier, especially towards the end of the class.

[gxc999 7]

 I can't honestly say if it's just me but doing longer intervals of constant work or HIIT have both benefited my top speed and endurance, just at slightly different ratios. I'm not sure why, maybe because I naturally have a "slow-twitch" body?