Recumbent Bike
A stationary bike with a reclined seat and backrest, pedaled out in front of you, which supports your back and is easy to get on.
- Primary muscles
- Quads
- Secondary
- Glutes, Hamstrings
- Logged as
- Session: time, plus what the machine shows, such as distance and calories
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Why do it
The recumbent bike is the easiest cardio machine to start with: you sit against a backrest with the pedals in front of you, so balance and back fatigue aren't an issue. That makes it a good pick for beginners, for long easy sessions or when your back needs support. The comfortable position makes it easy to under-work, though, so choose a level that genuinely tires you instead of spinning lightly. Your quads do most of the work.
How to do it
Slide the seat so your knee stays slightly bent when the pedal is furthest away, then sit back against the backrest.
Warm up on a low level for a few minutes, then raise the level to a pace you can keep for the whole session.
Keep your back against the backrest and your knees pointing forward, and hold the side handles lightly.
Lower the level for the last minutes. Log level changes as you make them and copy distance and calories from the display at the end.
Common mistakes
Seat too close
If your knee is sharply bent at the far point, the seat is too close. Slide it back until the knee stays only slightly bent.
Pedaling too easy
Spinning with almost no resistance feels pleasant but does little. Raise the level until you can hold the pace but not chat freely.
Knees drifting out
Keep your knees pointing forward, in line with your feet.
Sets, reps and progression
How many sets you do and how close to failure you take them depend on your goal and your week, not on the exercise. These guides cover it:
Alternatives that train the same thing
Same movement, a different angle or piece of equipment.
