Exercise bikes have been a basic exercise for decades — and a good purpose. Exercise bike workout is one of the best workout plans to exercise indoors, offering high-intensity cardiovascular training, low-impact while building strength and endurance. There are some things to stick in mind when preparing your exercise session to prevent injury, have joy, and get the best exercise session you can. Here are the most common parts of the body that can be tense by biking, and what you should do to stop damaging them:
MIND YOUR KNEE
Popular causes of pain in the knee include:
- A seat level that is too high to cause discomfort in the back of your knee.
- A seat level that is too low or too far forward, which shall cause discomfort in the front of your knee.
- Unsuitable foot location on the pedal (or incorrect cleat alignment) that can cause discomfort on the inside or outside of your knees.
- Using a gear too high. Try using a gear that enables you to pedal easily, from 70 to 100 movements per minute.
- Person anatomy can also cause pain in the knee. Cyclists with minor variations in the length of the leg can have knee pain because the height of the seat is balanced only on one side. Shoe inserts or orthotics could help to correct this problem.
MIND YOUR NECK
Neck pain is another common exercise bike biker complaint and is typically the product of cycling a bike that is too long or getting a handlebar that is too short. Tight hamstrings and hip flexor muscles may also cause discomfort in the neck by causing the spine to be round or arched and the neck to be hyperextended.
MIND YOUR FEET
Foot soreness or numbness is often the effect of wearing soft shoes. Special shoes designed for exercise bike cycling have stiff soles that disperse the weight equally over the pedal. This will also help you pedal more quickly. Foot pain or soreness can also be caused by the use of too high a gear, resulting in more stress where the foot reaches the pedal.
It’s a good idea, to begin with a warm-up before starting your bike workout. A proper warm-up can boost the blood flow to the muscles, resulting in decreased muscle stiffness, lower the risk of injury, and enhance the results. The additional advantages of heating up include physiological and psychological readiness for exercise.