Is 20 Minutes a Day on an Exercise Bike Enough?

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Cardiovascular health, muscle strength, and a rockin’ bod… what’s not to love about exercise? That’s a no-brainer – the work. No matter how fun your workout sessions are, keeping fit is not always easy.

But we bring you good news: With as little as 15 to 20 minutes of daily workout sessions, you can still achieve your fitness goals. The best part is that you don’t have to pound the pavement day after day – you could do it on an exercise bike!

You heard that right – minimal time and effort with real results. After years of experience in fitness and weight loss, we realized that most people failed to follow through with their fitness goals because of the effort and time required to achieve them.

Consequently, we have devised easy, manageable, and time-conscious ways of staying fit and losing weight. Of the options available, an exercise bike is one of the most effective and realistic ones.

That said if you’re here wondering whether 20 minutes a day on an exercise bike is enough, you’ve come to the right place.

Is Biking 20 Minutes a Day Enough?

Contents

1 Is Biking 20 Minutes a Day Enough?
2 Why Cycling? Top 6 Benefits of an Exercise Bike
3 Plan Your Exercise Bike Workout Sessions – Make the Most of Your 20 Minutes
4 Safety Tips To Consider When Using Exercise Bikes
5 Summary: So, Is 20 Minutes a Day on an Exercise Bike Enough?

To begin with, we’ve got to tell you this; get out of your head, you are doing fine. As a general rule, any exercise is better than no exercise at all. So yes, 20 minutes of exercise is enough, and even better when it’s 20 minutes of consistent effort for at least 4 days a week.

Both the CDC and NHS recommend 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. That’s a minimum of at least 10 minutes of intense exercise a day and about 21 minutes of moderate activity.

By incorporating both gentle rides and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) into your daily routine, you can easily achieve your fitness goals. We’ll talk more about that later. For now, let’s look at the benefits of cycling on an exercise bike:

Here are some benefits of an exercise bike:

Why Cycling? Top 6 Benefits of an Exercise Bike

a man gets ready for an exercise bike workout

1. Helps Burn Calories Fast

Did you know that cycling regularly burns about 1,000 calories each week? And no, it does not have to be an intense workout. Even cycling at a slow pace of 12 mph burns 563 calories every hour! Harvard Health claims that a 155-pound person may expect to burn roughly 173 calories during a 20-minute moderately strenuous workout,

That said, exercise bikes are a great option for your weight loss goals. All you need to do is match your workout sessions with the calories you consume by following a good diet and you’re good to go.

2. Keeps You Physically Fit

You can also maintain or improve your present level of physical fitness by riding an exercise bike for at least 20 minutes a day. Because inadequate physical activity is one of the top causes of death around the world, cycling an exercise bike daily can improve your lifespan.

It provides good aerobic exercise, improving your heart and lungs. It also involves muscle movement which helps you stay fit. It also puts less strain on your joints than other types of cardio equipment. The best part of all is that it’s enjoyable and as long as you’re positive about staying fit and staying in shape!

3. Can Be Done at Any Time, Any Day

Have a busy 9 to 5 schedule that won’t allow you to have some time to yourself? Well, with an exercise bike at home, you can manage the time you have and achieve your fitness goals. You can access it at any time of day.

Better yet, it’s not weather dependent like running. Even when it rains, you’ll still meet your fitness goals. You can build muscle, lose weight, and burn calories without any impediments!

4. Easy to Track Your Progress

Tracking your progress when using an exercise bike is pretty easy. You can either do it manually using a notebook or a cycling app. The latter is particularly useful because you can see your improvements over time and stay inspired.

If you’d like to calculate how many miles you’re riding per minute, divide the speed by time. For example, at a speed of 10 miles per hour, divide 10 miles per hour by 60. 10 divided by 60 equals 0.167 in this situation. This translates to 0.17 miles per minute of cycling.

5. A Safe, Low-impact Workout

Cycling on stationary bikes is far safer than cycling on the road. While exercise bike cycling has been professionally established to help prevent a variety of health problems, it is also enjoyable because it is a low-impact activity.

As you ride moderate impact and intense sessions, you’ll realize that it is a physical activity that fits neatly into your daily routine.

6. Numerous Health Benefits Associated with Body Health

Cycling has innumerable health benefits. It is an aerobic activity, which means that riding this low-impact vehicle gives your blood vessels and lungs a good workout. It also improves circulation, allowing more oxygen to reach the skin cells and speeding up the body’s healing process.

Cycling also builds lower body muscles and regulates the mobility of particular joints over time. As a result, it can be a beneficial workout for persons with arthritis and joint pain. Overall, cycling improves stamina and aids in the management and prevention of a variety of ailments.

Plan Your Exercise Bike Workout Sessions – Make the Most of Your 20 Minutes

a couple dressed in all back gets ready for an indoor cycling ride

Cycling is an excellent aerobic workout. You can burn approximately 400 calories per hour. It also helps to build your lower body, such as your legs, glutes, and hips. But to get the most out of your 20 minutes, you’ve got to plan your workouts for the best results. Here are some pointers:

Set Up Your Bike Properly

When it comes to stationary bikes, setting up your bike is crucial. It reduces the risk of damage or strain during extended durations of use. For example, if the seat is too close to the pedals, you may place undue stress on your muscles and joints, including your knee, which may result in pain over time.

You’ll also be fatigued more rapidly if you reach for the pedals or the handlebars on each revolution. To avoid stressing any area of your body while using them, adjust the seat height, saddle angle, and handlebars to the perfect position that feels comfortable.

Find a Routine That Works for You

There is no one-size-fits-all option when it comes to stationary bike routines. The training that’s best for you will be determined by factors such as your level of fitness, your wellbeing, your experience, weight, and so on. As such, devote some time to research and develop a regimen that works for you.

You could begin by determining why you’re opting for an exercise bike. Do you want to lose weight, become physically fit, recover from an injury, or other reasons? This will help you know what your routine should look like and how intense it should be. If you have a fitness expert to guide you through this, the better!

Interval Training

For beginners, cycling for a few minutes at manageable speeds is a great place to start. You will however need to push yourself to achieve your desired results. Interval training is one of the best strategies there is for that. Start interval training with a few bursts of high-intensity, high-resistance cycling, followed by longer, lighter bouts of pedaling.

Changes in resistance and speed in your workout can keep you interested while also ensuring that you enjoy the benefits of regular exercise. Granted, the harder and faster you cycle, the more calories you’ll burn.

High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Goes a Long Way

HIIT involves short bursts of intense activity alternated with intervals of low intensity. A HIIT workout with cycling may consist of 2 to 3 minutes of easy pedaling with low resistance or 30 to 60 seconds of really fast cycling against high resistance.

One study that involved a 12-week program showed that both HIIT and moderate-intensity continuous training reduced fat mass by 10%. HIIT workouts, however, proved superior because they took substantially less time and are thus a more practical option for fat loss.

Remember to Cross-Train

Doing one thing repeatedly can be mundane. Adding a variety of other work-outs to your weekly routine will therefore keep you motivated. Besides that, stationary biking only exercises your lower body so you need to supplement it with upper body fitness routines.

As if that’s not enough, using the same exercise bike can be detrimental to your health. How? Because repetitive motion can put too much stress on some joints and cause injury. This is particularly the case for upright stationary bikes.

Keep Your Mind Entertained

Last but not least, this is not the great outdoorsy where you’ll enjoy wonderful views. It could get boring so find other ways to entertain yourself. Choose a playlist, watch TV, listen to a podcast or anything else that will keep you motivated!

Safety Tips To Consider When Using Exercise Bikes

Although stationary bikes are safer than riding on the road, there are still certain safety issues to consider:

Always maintain optimal body positioning and form. If you’re confused about the proper position or form, see a professional personal trainer.
If you experience any kind of joint or muscle pains while riding, pause to enable your body to recuperate.
Always do what feels comfortable as per your fitness level, don’t push yourself too hard, especially in a group riding setting.
Repetitive activity or poor form can cause muscle fatigue or damage. Remember to cross-train.

Summary: So, Is 20 Minutes a Day on an Exercise Bike Enough?

You bet! Cycling has been proven to be an ideal form of exercise. It improves heart health, strengthens the lower body, improves coordination and posture, slows the aging process, and has many other benefits. So yes, 20 minutes for at least 4 days a week is enough to make a substantial difference in your life.

As we always say, the key is to find something that works for you. So if 20 minutes of daily cycling is more sustainable than high intense gym sessions, that’s the way to go.

Unlike other types of exercise, most people who begin riding do it for the rest of their lives because it is less time-consuming, more manageable, and requires less effort. To get the most out of your riding sessions, however, don’t forget to adopt a fitness regime that brings you closer to your goals!

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