stationary bike?

Hi, I just bought a stationary bike (I am motivated to work out now!! YAY!), it has the handles that move back and forth. I was just wondering what the benefits were from using the bike in respect to losing weight. Is it a good tool? I like the fact that my arms will be moving as well as my legs. Any insight or experiences???

I think that as long as you are doing something, you are good!  Anything that gets your heart rate up is great!  Have FUN!!

Ok, I was using the elipitical only and that is what I loved and then for awhile I moved to a new location and the only gym facility in a 55 mile radius had one cardio machine and that was the stationary bike that the arms moved on. I was so nervous that it was not going to give me the same results as the elipitical, but I used it anyways and found that it did the same thing, I mean I am sure it was using differnet muscles and all that, but in fact it was a nice change and my brother said something that I now agree with. He said as long as you are working as hard on the bike as you had been on the other machines then it is going to be just as good. So basically it is doing somehting that you like and that you will actually stick with that counts. So I think ya ride that bike. Plus I love the fact that the arms move. That always made me feel like it was working more then the other stationary bikes. Hey by the way if you dont mind me asking, how much did it cost??

Well I rode it for the 1st time yesterday. I did it for 30 minutes and it said that I burned 541 calories!! I don't know if that is acccurate or not. If anyone has any idea please let me know. I was drenched! And I kept changing the intensity between high and low (intervals). It was a good workout and my legs were on fire. I can feel the soreness in my arms and sides. I struggled with it and had to take breaks but I made sure I kept moving around when I would get off (electric slide!! lol). I really want to know about the accuracy of the calories burned. Thinsky, I bought the bike from WalMart for $88. Its an air bike. Not very heavy so you can easily slide it to where you want it. The only thing I don't like about bikes is that the seat hurts your inner thighs and butt. I put a pillow on it and it helped a little.

My first piece of excercise equipment was a magnetic recumbent bike. I lost about 20 pounds just using that. (Of course I also changed my eating habits.) It worked really good for me. When the one I have finally dies, I would love to get a bike that has the moving arm handles on it. Mine doesn't have that, and I really like moving my whole body when I do cardio. So could you please let me know what you think of it after a couple of weeks? Good luck and keep peddling!!

1beavis1, I will definitely let you know. You can add me as a friend if you want (cuz I don't have any on here!! lol). But I can tell you that my sides and arms are killing me right now! It is definitely a full body workout. When I got off that bike yesterday the skin on my thighs felt like it was about to pop!! thats how tight they were. But I made sure I stretched afterward. The legs aren't too bad today, but the arms and obliques are!! I'm happy about that because I really want to work on the fat in my middle! I hope this will help. I already changed my diet, so I hope this exercise will do the rest.

Hi! Added you to my friends list and (lol) you are my first and only. I've been on here since April, but I'm kind of shy and really just recently started using the forums. I guess now I will try to use my journal. Maybe it will help me get rid of these last 10 pounds I seem to be holding on to. Lately, I've been very bad about holding myself accountable for what I've been eating. I haven't gained but haven't lost either. I read that you don't want exercise to seem like excercise, me neither. I want it to be fun, and I like to mix it up alot. Otherwise I get bored easily. Plus, I figure if this is a lifestyle change then it has to be fun or I'll never stick with it. I'm so in this for the long haul. Everyone on my dad's side of the family is way overweight. At family gatherings they all sit around and talk about their medical procedures they've had done or medications they take. I don't want that to be me. So maybe we can help each other.

The calorie count on your bike seems right. I ride 40 miles a day and use a stationary with moving arms with i can't get out on my reg. bike. They work really well!!

Really only 88 dollars that is awsome, I want one.

1beavis1--sounds good to me! We can do this!!

daddyspumpkin-wow!! you ride 40 miles a day?? dam and i thought i was doing something with 11!! well it said that i burned 541 in 30 min, but here's the thing, the bike doesnt have a feature where you put in your age and weight, at least i havent found it yet. so do you still think it would be accurate??

thinsky--WAL-MAAARRT!! lol!

WOW! 531cals in 30 mins? WOW! I have a statioanry bike but I bought mine second hand and the meter doesnt work i cant see how many miles or wieght and height log and how many cals Im burning, but I looked it up on the net and it said I burned around 300 cals in 30 mins.  I rarely ride it much no more because it  hurts my Butt too much! ;)

see thats what i mean. when i looked it up it said around 300 calories. BUT you also have to factor in the fact that the arms move on my bike. so maybe the 541 is right?

That will be fun exercise, you can read or watch something while you do it too if you feel like it. I had a bike like that in my room about 5 years ago and it helped SO much, it helped me to lose at least 10 lbs, but then I got tired of it and just did other exercise. Ok actually i was just sick of it being in my room and it was really old looking. Have fun..and overall i think it will be a good way to do some exercise whenever you want to!

Yeah, maybe you are right, when you get your arms moving it counts as extra.

When I ride my bike I like to play ball with my kids so I get my arms moving too. its fun and time goes by much faster.  Those 30 miniutes on the bike feel like 30 hours! Lol!

300 cal in 30 minutes? but how fast were you riding it. Seems as though Honey was riding at whats considered a "race pace" 20 mph + which is what i ride so her cal. count to me seems pretty on give or take a few... 11 miles is great, keep up the good work!! If you enjoy riding, you should consider going out on a regular bike from time to time as well, up and down hills really works your legs and butt :o)

yeah i rode it again last night and it said around the same amount of calories. actually a little more than before. closer to 600. i was riding pretty fast, i think it said like 25 mph, not sure but it was around 20 something. and it was 11.5 miles in 30 minutes. i turned the resistance down, but i was still sweating like a pig. i heard that you should turn the resistance down to burn fat and turn it up to build muscle is that true??

BIG  thank-you to whoever started this post. <33333

I would suggest turning it up and down as you ride ever few miles, to get the feel of a regular rode bike, up and down some hills and such...

oh ok, but will that still help me to burn fat?

One GREAT thing you can do while riding is to get a mp3 player, portable cd player, or whatever.  I like using something with headphones.  Basically, I will play music that motivates or gets me into a "zone" or rhythm.   I will do my own spin classes!

I pick points in the songs as keys or triggers to change up my pace.  Sometimes when a song changes to the chorus for example, I will simulate a climb on a road bike by standing up and increasing the tension a bit.  When the chorus ends, I sit back down and ease off the tension (I don't know how well this will work with a bike that has the moving arms but you get the point - mix it up).

You can also speed up when a song speeds up to simulate a sprint, etc. etc.

Do this all at your own pace and HAVE FUN WITH IT!!!  And for anyone who has a mp3 and wants some great downloads for a spin workout:

http://www.trainright.com/info.asp?action=dis play&uid=3237 :-D

I have been downloading these to my mp3.  This is Lance Armstrong's old coach.  He has basically created audio workouts backed by commentary and music to give you a sample of key stages in the Tour De France!  THEY ARE GREAT!  They are free until a certain date and then you have the option to buy them if you don't download off the site before the cut off date. 

thanks! i have tried it with the mp3 once. i liked it. i got more energy to push through the end when this one song i like came on.