I use it all the time. It's great for leg endurance and is a good fat burner. It's great for getting a good sweat out too.
Never really used a stationary bike but I ride a regular bike alot and my legs never get tired or feel weak when I'm boxing.
Cycling has done wonders for my muscular endurance in my thighs, I notice it doesn't really help my calves though, but I can skip for that anyway.
iv been using the stationary bike and the rower for a while now as i cant run everyday due to injuries. I find running is superior for fitness ( just my personal oppinion) however rowing and cycling are great alternatives when i cant run. Still getting a cardio workout and using different muscles than i would running. I dont spend long amounts of time on them though iv found doing short intense sessions better. I normally do as little as 10 mins on the rower then 15 -20 mins on the bike straight after. But i go as flat out as possible.
wow thats creepy similar dude, im going thru the same exact thing rite nw and was thinking about and doin the exact same:blood. Only didnt knw which to do or to combine
haha , well i find it does the job for me. these days i try and run 3 x a week however keep things sensible i run no longer than 30 mins and always aim to beat my 4 mile time ( which doesnt always happen) but the point is its intense and your pushing yourself. Now this is on a treadmill at the moment as i find it easier on the ankles though no where near as fun. The days i run i would still row 10 mins first with the same intensity in mind. On days i dont run its 10 mins row then 15 or 20 mins on the bike once again as intense as possible. Bad thing about this gym work is its boring as well good thing is you can measure your progress easy and challenge yourself ( even if it is just staring at digital displays ) Im no expert by anymeans but iv found these shorter far more intense sessions more benificial to what i was doing a year ago which was pretty much running out on the concrete every day doing 6-8 miles 6 days a week and a 10 mile on the sunday. Hence why all the running related injuries now :?
i feel you, i got my injurie from over running, go figure. on days when you do run, do you row b4 also??
if im in the gym yes. i used to do 5 mins cross trainer 10 rower 20 bike and 30 run. and between each on bodyweight exercises eg after cross trainer before rower 100 push ups and 100 sit ups ect ect obv with no standing round chatting like most people in the public gym i go to :twisted: but now i do either run or bike but i always do the cross trainer as a small warm up and always row, i figure its working your upper body more. another tip i was given by a friend who knows a rower from oxford or cambridge or something is not to have the rowing machine on full resistance ( usually measured as 1-10) and have it down at at more like 3-5. he reckons the higher resistance makes you pull more in a jolty sort of way rather than smooth and proper rowers dont do this. Id like to know if anyone knows if this is true or not?
Due to sitting down, heart rate will be 8-12 bpm lower than an activity such as running. Rowing is a great overall exercise, and biking is good for leg stamina.
Good point. I find that the exercise bike is good for building up endurance in the legs but it's not the best cardio workout due to sitting down. If you're trying to build better cardio I would suggest high speed plyometrics or running.