Gym Bicycle Questions..

well, like regular biking I know the balls of your feet should be on the pedals... that's all i know. and I think leaning forward is normal.

 

Hmm, what type of bike?

There are a few different kinds. The one i have at home is like....super tripy and weird hah. I have to lean back when im on it. But i think most people choose to lean forward when on the average kind, but its not a set-in-stone rule.

 

the "upright" stationary bikes should be ridden pretty much as you'd ride a "real" bike - balls of the feet centred on the pedals, seat at the correct height so your leg is *slightly* bent when the pedal is at the lowest point, as for the upper body, the position you're in will be governed by the relationship between the seat and handlebars - at my gym, the bikes have handles shaped so you can get a comfortable position easily by simply moving your hands - you'll find as the resistance increases you'll move your upper body down and forwards (as you would on a real bike riding up a hill) - this is normal.

As for recumbant style bikes, just make sure the seat/pedal distance is correct - as described above with your leg *almost* straight at the furthest point, and the upper body matters less, as you'll be leaning back...

 

I am big on ellipticals over bikes... they are lower impact, and get your arms going which helps burn calories more efficiently. also, with those, you can work alot of the muscle groups by adding resistance and slope that you just dont get with bikes.

We have a elliptical and a recumbent. havent tried to recumbent, which is my moms, but the elliptical is good.

 

Yeah, depends on the bike. I find that recumbents tend to give a better workout since you're not working with gravity.

 

Recumbent bikes I sit so my back is against the seatback, and when my leg is at the farthest away point, my knee still bends a little.

With an upright stationary bike it's much the same as a normal bike.

Personally I find the upright hurts my balls, and I don't find I get as intense a workout on a stationary bike as I do on a treadmill or elliptical.

If you're going to a gym, see if they have spinner classes. The leaders are generally quite good at giving you motivation, and I'm sure they can help you if you're not sitting on it correctly. Also I think they generally mix it up in a routine. Some standing, some leaning forward, some leaning back.

 

Ideally you want the peddle pretty much in the middle of your feet, if not maybe a little bit further back.

It's important to make sure the bike is at the right height for you. You should be able to reach the peddles easily and your knees should reach up just above your waist.

You can lean forward or sit straight (straight is preferred) but make sure that you don't hunch your back and try to keep your shoulders back.

As for working out, make sure you warm up with a low intensity ride for at least 10minutes before increasing the intensity, and so the same as the end.