Is The Seated Elliptical A Good Workout – You may be wondering which exercise bike you should get and which is better, a recumbent exercise bike or an upright bike. Or maybe a treadmill or elliptical cross trainer is actually a better choice for your goals.
We compare recumbent exercise bikes to upright bikes, elliptical cross trainers, treadmills, exercise pedals and semi-recumbent bikes.
Is The Seated Elliptical A Good Workout
All the exercise bikes and other equipment we discuss here are suitable for home and home gym use.
The Standing Or Seated Elliptical Machine
We will see which machine is best for weight loss, is it a recumbent bike or an upright bike? Or maybe a new type of semi recumbent bike. We rank the machines according to the number of calories each one burns.
But weight loss isn’t everything, you also need a good machine for your knees. So we evaluate which ones have the least impact on your hips, knees and other joints.
We reveal some important features that you might not know but are important to make the right choice. If you want to make sure you make the best decision, read on…
Both of these exercise bikes mainly focus on exercising your lower body. They specialize in giving your quads, calves, hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings a run for their money.
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Upright bikes have the advantage of targeting upper body muscle groups that recumbent models do not. The reclining model hits the lower body muscles harder. Let’s take a look at which muscle groups each of these bikes target the most.
An upright exercise bike offers little or no support for your upper body. The downside of this is that it causes more stress in the upper body, which we’ll talk more about below on ‘pain’. The advantage is that they engage more muscles in the upper body.
Besides giving your legs a killer workout, upright bikes can help you tone your abs and back. They encourage a rigid posture that can do wonders for your core muscles.
The most notable advantage of upright bikes and spin bikes over recumbent bikes is that they allow you to stand on the pedals and lean forward slightly when using harder settings.
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This more stressful position puts a secondary focus on certain muscles in your shoulders, arms, and your neck. If you’re more interested in a full-body workout, an upright exercise bike may better suit your needs.
On the other side of the aisle, the relaxed posture of a recumbent exercise bike will reduce stress on your upper body. Having said that, don’t assume it will be a smooth ride across the board.
A 2014 study of ergometer use by novice cyclists found that recumbent cycling targets the hamstring muscles better than upright cycling.
An upright bike forces you against gravity, pushing your legs down. This puts the main focus on the muscles in the front of your legs.
Elliptical Trainer Compact Grey
A recumbent bike stretches your legs horizontally instead of vertically. They force you to push your leg to the side, perpendicular to gravity. This requires the muscle groups in the front and back of your legs to work in roughly equal amounts.
If you’re wondering what this means for those all important glutes, you’re on the right track. A recumbent bike provides more stimulation to the gluteus maximus muscle group than an upright bike.
If you are interested in targeting your hamstrings and glutes, the lying model will be more suitable for you.
If you prefer to give yourself a light, full-body workout that involves your arms, shoulders, and core muscles, you can opt for the upright model.
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Let’s face it, anyone who works out can feel some kind of pain sometimes, I call it “good pain”. Pain like this can especially worsen when you start a new exercise routine or push yourself with your current exercise. This pain is often called DOMS (delayed onset of muscle soreness).
However, “severe pain” is pain caused by ligaments, tendons, and ligaments as a result of excessive strain, too little rest, or poor form of exercise.
Excessive pain may force you to cut back on your exercise routine. Let’s see how these two exercise bikes fare in terms of pain and comfort.
The pedals on an upright bike sit at an angle below your body that forces your hips, knees and joints to work against gravity.
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The up and down pedaling motion involves a high degree of loading and unloading, which can stress your joints.
In a recumbent bike, the pedals are placed in front of you and further away from your body. In a recumbent bike, your legs work more parallel to the ground.
The position of the upright bike is different. In an upright bike, you work more directly with the ground. Therefore, an upright bike puts more stress on your knees than a recumbent bike.
Pedaling a recumbent bike horizontally engages more muscles in your legs, but without putting unnecessary stress on your joints.
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To summarize, a recumbent bike will train your leg muscles more with minimal stress on the joints. An upright bike will work your leg muscles and some upper body muscles, but will put more stress on your joints.
Recumbent bikes have a padded or mesh backrest that provides good back support. Padded models offer extra cushioning for your lower back muscles. This can be a lifesaver if you have back pain or discomfort due to a herniated disc or other spinal cord damage.
If you have osteoarthritis or spinal stenosis, you may actually prefer an upright bike. Upright models allow you to lean forward while pedaling. This requires a great deal of pressure from your spine.
Using an upright model can help reduce back stiffness caused by degenerative joint disease that is often seen in men and women over 50 years of age.
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Despite the absence of certain joint and back pain, the recumbent bike is the clear winner when it comes to all-around comfort.
The reclining model has a wider seat and more padding. Separate back support gives more angle which you can adjust according to your preference. This allows you to distribute your weight more evenly across your back and back.
Reclining models are a more comfortable option for most people. If you have certain back problems that are alleviated when you lean forward, an upright model may be more suitable for you.
A single person will burn only 500 calories on a bike doing the same amount of effort.
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The horizontal position of the recumbent model makes it harder to get your heart rate up. This typically results in burning about 20% fewer calories in a given period of time.
Recumbent models are more comfortable than upright models, and are less likely to cause joint pain and discomfort.
This advantage means that you will be able to exercise longer on a recumbent bike than on an upright bike.
So, in the long run, you can burn more calories on a recumbent bike because you are more likely to actually sit on the bike and use it.
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If you prefer high intensity activity (or HIIT) workouts in shorts, buy an upright bike. If you prefer to exercise at a comfortable pace for long periods of time, get a recumbent bike.
The bike is close to the ground, making it easy to mount and dismount. Their step-over frame reduces your chances of having an accident while jumping on the bike. If you’re new to cycling or have balance issues, you’re less likely to fall off the bike mid-workout.
The reclining model leaves your hands free to do other things while your legs are busy burning calories. If you like to watch television or work while exercising, this is the bike for you.
If you are an avid cyclist, an upright bike will provide a better simulation of the intensity and fun of cycling outdoors.
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Upright bikes are smaller than recumbent models. If you have limited space in your temporary home gym, you may find it easier to squeeze in a more compact upright model.
Recumbent bikes are naturally larger and have more moving parts. While there are many folding semi-recumbent bikes on the market, we haven’t found a fully folding recumbent exercise bike.
If you need to fold your exercise equipment and store it when you’re not using it, an upright model will be more convenient and cost-effective.
Upright bikes are lighter. The recumbent model has a stronger frame that uses more steel to provide more stability and support more weight. Unfortunately, that makes them heavier and harder to transport than upright bikes. However there are some newer lightweight recumbent bikes like the Marcy ME-709 that are similar in weight to upright bikes.
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An elliptical trainer targets many of the same lower body muscle groups as a recumbent bike. These include the hamstrings, glutes and quadriceps.
Most elliptical trainers have movable handles that can help you engage your entire body in the exercise.
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