Recumbent Bike

beginner · locomotion

Setup

Sit into the backed seat and slide it forward or back so that with the pedal at its furthest point, the knee is still slightly bent. Place both feet on the pedals and clip the foot straps if the bike has them.

Execution

Warm up for 3-5 minutes at a low resistance before settling into the main pace.
Rest your back fully against the seat with both hands resting lightly on the side handles, no need to tense the shoulders.
Pedal in smooth circles at about 60-80 revolutions a minute, an easy cadence to hold in the reclined position.
Set the resistance so you can still speak a full sentence on an easy session.
A beginner aims for 20-30 minutes of continuous pedaling at a pace where full sentences still come out, not counting the 3-5 minute warm-up and the 3-5 minute cool-down.
Cool down for 3-5 minutes at a low resistance before stopping.
Chest pain, dizziness or unusual breathlessness means stopping right away and seeing a doctor.

Breathing

Breathe in time with the pedals and take the air down into the belly, because the reclined position makes it easy to breathe shallow in the chest.

Quick cues

Rest the back fully against the seat.
Pedal in circles, not stabs.
Full sentences, or ease off.
Knee still soft at full extension.
Hands resting light, shoulders loose.

Common faults

Fault: The seat too close, so the knee bends too deeply at the near point
Fix: Slide the seat back until the knee bends only moderately, adjusting one small step at a time.
Fault: Setting the resistance so light it barely does anything
Fix: Raise the resistance until you can only get a few words out in the hard part of the session.
Fault: Sitting hunched instead of resting fully against the backrest
Fix: Push the hips deep into the seat and let the whole back touch the backrest.
Fault: Spinning the legs fast with almost no resistance behind it
Fix: Slow the cadence to 60-80 revolutions a minute and raise the resistance so there is real work to do.

Equipment

bike

Muscle groups

cardio, legs