The stationary bike is a good choice for a cardio workout if you're just getting started with exercise and is a great way to ease into cardio. You get the same cardio benefits as when using the treadmill, elliptical trainer, or walking or running outside.
One thing to remember is that doing any new activity will feel challenging, so you may need to start with just a few minutes at a time and slowly work your way up to longer workouts.
Cycling can help you build fitness while protecting your joints. Here are some of the benefits of a stationary bike workout:
See your doctor before trying a stationary bike workout if you have any illnesses or injuries or are on medication that may affect your heart rate or workouts.
We've researched and reviewed the best online cycling classes. If you're looking for an online class, explore which option may be best for you
If you're using a bike you've never been on before, take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with how it works. If you're at a gym, check with the floor manager to see if you can get an orientation for how to use the different bikes and which one might be right for you.
After adjusting your bike, start with the warm-up, then follow each segment of the workout.
In this workout you will do the following:
| Time (minutes) | Intensity/Pace | RPE |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Warm up at a comfortable pace and keep the resistance low. | 4 |
| 3 | Increase the resistance 1 to 4 increments or until you're working harder than your warm-up pace. You should feel you are working, but you should be able to carry on a conversation. This is your baseline pace. | 5 |
| 2 | Increase your resistance and/or the pace once again until you're working slightly harder than baseline. | 5 to 6 |
| 3 | Decrease the resistance or pace back to your baseline level. | 5 |
| 2 | Increase your resistance and/or the pace once again until you're working slightly harder than your baseline level. | 5 to 6 |
| 5 | Decrease the resistance or pace back to a comfortable level to cool down. | 4 |
Once you can do the 20-minute stationary bike workout, progress by adding another five-minute segment with three minutes at baseline and two minutes at a harder level. Complete this for a week or until it is comfortable. Then add another three minutes of easier effort and two minutes of harder intervals to bring your total up to 30 minutes.
When you complete a 30-minute stationary bike workout, you are hitting the minimum recommended amount of exercise per day. Now you can build from there.
You don't have to stick to the stationary bike. Try multiple activities to work your body and avoid overuse injuries and burnout. Complete a beginner interval treadmill workout or a beginner elliptical workout.
Doing at least three cardio workouts per week is a great place to start to build endurance and burn calories.
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