The Calories Burnt Riding a Stationary Bicycle...

The Calories Burnt Riding a Stationary Bicycle

Stationary bikes are a good choice at the gym if you have knee problems and cannot run or use the step machine. Just because you're doing your workout on a sitting position doesn't mean you're not burning calories. In fact, certified personal trainer Mike Behnken, MS, CSCS, who runs the website AskTheTrainer.com, believes stationary bikes can provide you with an effective, intense workout as long as you choose challenging settings and resistance levels.

Speed Variations
The intensity and speed at which you work out will affect how many calories you burn. For example, a 155-pound person riding a stationary bike at very light intensity will burn just 211 calories in an hour. However, the same person will burn 493 calories at moderate intensity and 880 calories during a very vigorous workout.

Other Factors
Your weight significantly influences how many calories you burn during exercise. For example, a 130-pound person will burn 325 calories riding a stationary bike at light intensity. However, a 205-pound person will burn 512 calories working at the exact same speed and intensity. The numbers are even more impressive if you work harder. A vigorous workout on the stationary bike will result on 738 calories burnt if you weigh 130 pounds, and a 205-pound person will burn 1,163 calories during the same workout.

Upright vs. Recumbent Bikes
Although calorie burn was not measured, a 1995 study compared the recumbent and upright stationary bikes in terms of effectiveness. The study, published in the “Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation,” showed the upright bicycle caused a higher heart rate and oxygen uptake. Oxygen uptake, or VO2 max, is the maximal oxygen consumption your body’s capable of. More intense exercise requires more oxygen and causes a higher heart rate. Based on this, the upright bicycle seems to burn more calories than the recumbent bike when done at the same intensity.

Spinning®
Spinning® is a high-intensity fitness class done entirely on a stationary bike. The class has ups and downs of intensity, meant to simulate different terrains a rider would find outdoors. This means you need to keep adjusting your bike’s resistance to imitate the challenge of hills and sprints, among other situations. The program might also include sections in which you’re riding standing on the pedals, without using the seat. This increases the intensity of the ride considerably. According to the “Spinning® Instructor Manual” by Mad Dogg Athletics, Inc., a 40-minute class burns an average of 475 calories. That’s over 700 calories in an hour.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

References
*Spinning®.com; Heart Rate Response and Calories Burned in a Spinning® Workout; Herman Falsetti, et al.
*Spinning®.com: About the Spinning® Program
*Nutristrategy: Calories Burned During Exercise, Activities, Sports and Work
*“Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation”; Physiologic Responses of *Cardiac Patients to Supine, Recumbent, and Upright Cycle Ergometry; T. J. Quinn, et al; March 1995
*Ask the Trainer; Best Cardio Machines; Mike Behnken, MS, CSCS; 2008
*Article reviewed by Geoffrey Darling Last updated on: Feb 8, 2012

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/541121-the-calories-burnt-riding-a-stationary-bicycle/#ixzz1m1vVgYo4