Fit Tip: Beginner Bike Workout

Posted On Apr 9, 2021 By Lisa Traugott

A woman using a BowFlex Indoor Cycling Bike.

Between gyms closed for Covid and record breaking bad weather, now is the perfect time to rediscover the stationary bike that has been collecting dust in the corner of your room. Stationary bike workouts are great because not only do you increase your heart rate when you are doing your sprints, you also build muscle when you do your climbs.

This is a quick thirty minute workout for beginners.

If you have never been to a spin class before, here are some basic terms explained. Saddle means seat. So ‘in the saddle’ means seated and ‘out of the saddle’ means standing up while peddling. RPM stands for revolutions per minute, which basically tells how fast you are going. (A typical cadence on a flat road is 80-110 RPM and 60-80 RPM on a hill.)

There are a variety of ways to hold the handle bars. Hand Position 1 is your hands together in the middle of the handle bars. Hand Position 2 your hand move to the bottom outer corners. Hand Position 3 your hands move to the top outer corners.

Time Exercise Position Resistance RPM
5 minutes Warm-up Seated, Hands 1 Low 80
2 minutes Start hill climb Seated, Hands 2 Medium 100
7 minutes Hill climb Standing, Hands 3 High 60
1 minutes Sprint Seated, Hands 1 Medium 80
2 minutes Recovery Seated, Hands 2 Low 90
7 minutes Hill climb Seated, Hands 2 High 110
1 minutes Sprint Standing, Hands 3 High 70
5 minutes Cool-down Seated, Hands 1 Low 100

As with any workout, listen to your body, drink water and listen to your favorite fast-paced music. Do this routine three days per week to get started.

If you are looking to add cycling to your workouts and wondering what your options are, make sure to check out our indoor cycling bikes. We have a few offerings that might be the perfect match for you!

Be healthy!