Many people wonder about what Muscles does a Recumbent Bike Work during a workout. These types of exercise bikes are a popular choice for cardiovascular and lower body work, and they are a comfortable option when compared to an upright stationary bike. We will take a closer look at recumbent exercise bikes and how they affect your workout experience.
The Recumbent Exercise Bike Basics
The recumbent exercise bike is designed for the user to ride in a partially reclined position. If you want to take long rides as you watch TV, movies, or read a book, this is a great option. Many people ask the question, what muscles does a recumbent bike work? This is a valid question, but it should be prefaced with the statement that the workout must be sufficiently long to get the full benefits. Indoor cycling is not a short-term exercise solution, the workout length and intensity are key components for success.
This is important because the recumbent bike muscles worked are going to get a longer workout. Many people like recumbent exercise bikes because they are very comfortable to use. So, if you are new to cardio and/or working out at home you may find that a recumbent bike is an excellent way to start a regular fitness program.
They are also a great option for more experienced users and it’s easy to tailor the machine to optimize your next workout. The best models allow you to vary the pedaling speeds, you can cycle in reverse and increase or decrease the resistance as needed.
3 Benefits of a Recumbent Exercise Bike
The recumbent exercise bike is a great stationary machine to help you improve your muscular strength, cardiovascular fitness and to improve your range of motion. Let’s take a look at three key benefits in more detail. They are:
Benefit #1. An Exercise Bike with a Comfortable Ride
During the workout, a recumbent bike will offer full back support which reduces the chance of saddle soreness that you may experience on other machines. The recumbent bike muscles worked are used for longer workouts for better results. A stationary recumbent bike is the perfect solution for people that don’t want to ride a similar bike on the open road.
Benefit #2. Customize Recumbent Exercise Bike to Reach Fitness Goals
It’s easy to customize your recumbent bike to meet your fitness goals. The pedaling speed and resistance levels can be varied as needed. The best bikes even allow you to adjust the incline settings to simulate a real ride up and down hills outdoors.
Benefit #3. A Recumbent Exercise Bike Could be a Good Choice if you have Health Problems
When you’re considering what muscles does a recumbent bike work, it’s important to consider the stress that can be applied to joints. When you ride in a reclined position, there is less stress on the lumbar spine which makes this a great option for people with low back injuries. People that have balance issues will find it easier to ride a recumbent bike over other options, such as upright exercise bikes, stair climbers, and treadmills. A recumbent bike is a good choice for those with cardiac limitations because the overall riding experience is less stressful.
What Muscles Does a Recumbent Bike Strengthen?
The recumbent bike muscles worked can be generally grouped in three different areas. They are:
1. Lower Leg Muscles
The lower back part of our legs below the knees are composed of two muscles, the gastrocnemius, and the soleus. When you pedal, the action is known as plantar flexion and the rotation of the foot flexes these calf muscles. Opposite the calves, we find the tibialis anterior muscles that run along the front of your shins. These are worked on the backward pedaling action and the use of foot pedal straps will improve the muscle recruitment.
2. The Glues, Quads, and Hamstrings
The glutes are major muscles that make up most of the butt area and they are used with the thigh moves back beyond your body. This is known as extension; the extension of the leg will engage the glutes every time you press down on the pedal.
There are four large muscles on the front of our thighs which are known as quadriceps. These act as knee extensions during pedaling and they work alongside the glutes for forward and backward pedaling motions. On the inner sides of the quad, there are smaller adductor muscles that get recruited with the pedaling motion too.
On the back of the upper thighs, there are hamstrings that work in opposition to the quad muscle groups to flex the knees. This is the action that occurs when your leg moves from straight to bent and back again during pedaling.
3. Arm Muscles
Certain recumbent bike models are fitted with arm cranks that offer an upper body workout for arm muscle groups. As the handles are squeezed, the forearm muscles are engaged constantly, the biceps pull the handle forward and the triceps push it away again. Pushing the arm crack system during pedaling will work the shoulder muscles too, including the anterior deltoid, the pectoralis, the posterior deltoid, and the latissimus dorsi.
What Muscles Does a Recumbent Bike Work-Frequently Asked Questions
Does a recumbent bike work your abs?
The recumbent bike riding position promotes leaning against the seat backrest and the abdominal muscles will need to be contracted to maintain this posture throughout the ride. The pedaling motion will activate the glutes, hips, and lower abs which promotes superior engagement for those muscle groups. The rectus abdominis will benefit the most from this workout, but the obliques as the supporting muscle groups will get a workout too. Regular recumbent exercise bike riding can tone the entire abdominal area.
Will a recumbent bike tone legs?
There are various ways to tone your legs when you ride a recumbent exercise bike. The pedaling speed, incline, back pedaling and resistance settings can all promote an efficient leg-toning workout.
Does a recumbent bike help hips?
Yes, during recumbent bike riding the hips are externally rotated and they will reach full extension. This stabilized the entire lower body which prevents any further pain or injuries to the hips during the workout.
Does the recumbent bike work inner thighs?
Yes, the inner thighs can get a good workout during a recumbent bike ride. But, the quads and hamstrings will get priority over the inner thigh muscles. One solution is to purchase a recumbent bike with a heavier flywheel which will help to build inner thigh strength.
What Muscles Does a Recumbent Bike Work- In Conclusion
Hopefully, we’ve shown that the recumbent bike muscles worked during a ride are extensive. This type of exercise bike promotes a great lower body resistance workout in a safe position that’s suitable for beginners and more experienced people.