Recumbent bike vs upright bike – Which is better?
When you hit the gym, what is your preferred equipment of workout? Whatever, it is, you almost everyone likes a bike ride. Isn’t it? The truth is all of us have a child in us and that child wants to ride a bike, and in this case it is a safer option. Plus, it helps you lose weight too!
Now, in a grown-ups world, it gets complicated thinking which one to choose, amidst all those options. If you have narrowed it down, you will still ask yourself which one should you choose, recumbent bike vs upright bike and more.
So, we thought it to be wise to share a few pointers about these two bikes in particular. Keep reading if you are interested to know more.
Table of Contents
Difference: Recumbent Bike Vs Upright Bike
A recumbent bike has a large seat and is close to the ground. It gives you a superb back support and is very comfortable to use. You can enjoy your cardio workout while playing a game or watching a movie on these bikes!
An upright bike resembles a real bike and this means you have to sit upright and pedal, like you would in real bikes. Not to mention, these offer you more versatility in terms of exercise. More or less, the workout is pretty targeted around your legs and calf muscles.
Benefits Of Recumbent Bikes
This dialogue about recumbent bike vs upright bike would make no sense, if we did not talk about the advantages of recumbent bikes in general. Here are a few pointers that may help you think in its favor:
- It saves you from straining your back
- Very easy on your lumbar support
- Of course, it has low impact on your joints too
- It is close to ground, which meansno more of balance related problems
- This further reduces fatigue while working out
- These bikes are extremely comfortable to workout on
- Very safe to exercise on
- No risks of injury whatsoever
- Unquestionably, you burn more calories, as you tend to work out a bit longer on these bikes
❌ Cons
It would be unfair and biased, if we did not mention the cons in this conversation. So, here are a few things that are no so great about recumbent bikes, but are not a deal breaker:
- Yes, the exercise is low impact
- Hence, you should not expect a good cardio from this machine
Benefits Of Upright Bikes
Again, this post would not feel complete if we did not exchange a few words about the advantages of upright exercise bikes.
Below are some of the facts that may help you understand them better:
- Very much like traditional bikes
- You need to sit upright that is way above the ground
- You get consistent workout with these bikes
- These target the same muscles like an outdoor bike – quads, calves, glutes, and hamstring
- Expect more upper body workout along with the lower half
- These work fabulously on your abdominal muscles too
- It does not take much of space and can be kept in home set up quite easily
❌ Cons
Yes, we want to remain impartial, which is why we needed to confer about the downsides of these bikes. Have a look, butthese certainly are not a stumbling rock:
- The seat is small like that of a conventional bike
- This implies, it could be uncomfortable for some
- Has chances of injury, if you are not careful
- The back remains hunched that adds to fatigue
- It may also cause sore back muscles in some
It may not be very easy to make a choice, but it is not that hard as well. You know your body and its condition well. You are your owns judge and no one can deny that. Why not take that call and see which one suits you the best!
Which One To Choose between Upright bike or Recumbent Bike?
This may not be easy to answer for us. For that we need to know your history and your goals. Different people, different objectives and we cannot ask you to buy this one over that. Yes, but we can guide you further in a positive way by:
- Asking you to define abudget before your procure a bike
- Your health condition matters the most, like if you have sustained an injury in the past and want low impact workout, then you surely know which one to opt for, by now
- In the contrary, the health benefits have to be taken into consideration too, like for a normal person that wants to challenge themselves, then you know which side to take
- Yet again,if you want lower risks of injury, then you have all the answers in this post
- Find your ideal position and then hit it
- Keep safe distance while mounting an dismounting (as most people completely forget about this)
- Just keep safety in mind while purchasing or simply working out in a gym
- Seek assistance from a professional (an instructor) that can be another remedy
The fact remains to be true that if getting a punch from your cardio is the main key, then choosing a high impact bike should be your first choice. We want you to take a decision based on sound reasoning, which is why we gathered all this information in one place. Why not try it once based on all that we have discoursed so far, and find out what happens next?
Our Advice
In this discussion on recumbent bike vs upright bike, you must have learnt one thing and that would be it is more about your choice.
Look, you may find a recumbent bike to be convenient because of their ease of use.
On the other hand, if you want to push your limits then opting for an upright bike could be the best thing to do.
If you know your system better and are in control of your choice, then you would know what to do. What we suggest, is to select one that helps you accomplish your goals.
Go on take action!
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