The pain of coronavirus is real, especially when all of us are social-distancing and self-quarantining. With corporate jobs granting their employees to work from home and every event around getting postponed, that feeling of FOMO is a hard hitter.
But on a good note, this means that you can finally start doing what you have been missing out on for a while. Working out at home amidst coronavirus is the best way to at least an hour of your day pass by.
Gyms being shut, most of the people are now choosing to work out at home. With a plethora of workout machines, available in the market, these days easier than ever to lay your hands on a low-impact cardio machine.
That brings us to the versatility of a recumbent bike. This stationary bike can help you reap countless benefits. Just like any other cardio workout, stepping onto this upright bike helps work many muscles of your body.
The best part about these exercise bikes is that it lets you pedal at different levels while working your different muscles like your core and legs. But if a question like if recumbent bike works for your thighs and butts did pass through, let us tell you, that it sure works.
Exercise bikes usually focus on the lower part of the body so when you work out, it puts pressure on your hips and knee press in which hamstring muscles are used. This way it tones your thighs.
But when you wish to have a toned butt, it is vital that you use this machine in the right manner. Now, if you are wondering how to put these muscles to work and crank it up a notch, here's how you can do it:
Proper Foot Placement
Get ready to tone your butt and thighs with proper foot placement on a recumbent bike!
Bad foot placement is a basic mistake that people make while using this machine. When you are cycling this machine, your glute, quads, and hamstrings work together. Now, if your foot is placed in a wrong manner, the whole regime will go in vain.
The right way to work it is by placing your foot on the pedals and keep it parallel to the floor as you lower your feet in the front and backward. This will grant movement to your calves and hamstrings.
If you haven't purchased the bike yet, you should lay your hands on the machine with proper foot positioning with pedal clips as it helps in maintaining the alignment.
Proper Body Position
Proper body position on your recumbent bike can help tone your butt and thighs.
Most of the people, while working out on this machine sit upright which is not right. The reason why it won't work is that in this case, only your quads and calves are exercising.
This isn't wrong but if you want to tone your thighs and butt, you have to lean a little forward instead of just sitting on the machine.
When you lean forward, the energy is switched to your butt muscles. On a side note, maintain a balance while leaning ahead, as it can cause severe neck pain if not done in a correct form.
Proper Seat Adjustment
Sculpt your lower body with a recumbent bike - adjust your seat for maximum results!
While you are working out on this bike, if your seat is not well adjusted, the machine will not show its effectiveness on your body.
The Recumbent bike for a heavy person or a thin one works the same way but for it to work properly, seat adjustment is crucial. Set the level of the seat to your hip level as this is the proper seating while working out on it.
Right Saddle
When the saddle of the machine is right, you will be more excited to work out on it. If it isn't well-suited for your butts, it is going to hurt while you workout and irritate your skin as well.
Opt for a machine that has a narrow saddle as it's perfect to sit as well as workout. If you want more comfort, you can always add seat covers to it.
More Resistance
Every bike has different resistance levels. The ones that have the same resistance level will be useless when you reach a plateau. Hence it is important that you dip your toes in the latest machines and get a stationary bike that can give you varied results.
An expert suggests that a ride of 10 minutes at a lower resistance and then increasing it with time, is the best way to have toned butts and thighs.
Since riding at a higher resistance needs more energy, starting slow will help you, letting you power through as you increase the level. Just make sure you are pedaling properly to gain the most out of this bike.
Heart Rate
When you workout at a higher intensity, it is always a good thing. As you maintain a proper regime, toning every bit of lower body on a recumbent bike has proven to be beneficial.
With time, as you increase the intensity of your workout, your heart rate will increase too. The best recumbent bike today comes with a heart rate tracker that will show you if your fitness regime is moving in the right direction or not.
If you are a beginner, soon enough you would notice how this machine shows an increases level of heart rate, which is good. It means that you are concerned about your health and the trackers added in the machine, are the best way to find out if your workout fitness regime is growing.
Bottom Line
If you take care of these things, there’s nothing a recumbent bike won’t be able to do. Then be it your abs, core, thighs or butts, every body part will start getting toned. Make sure besides exercising on this machine, you also have a balanced diet to let the workout work faster for you!
Must Read: Recumbent Bike Flywheel: Types And Benefits.
