Exercise bicycle - how to do it correctly while lying on your back for abs and weight loss with video

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The abdominal cycling exercise is one of the most common exercises among all lovers of sports and a healthy lifestyle. It is aimed at developing the rectus and oblique abdominal muscles. The bicycle exercise is notable for the fact that it involves all the abdominal muscles due to dynamic work from different angles.

This makes cycling the most comprehensive abdominal exercise in principle. In no other exercise can we immediately work out all the muscle groups that interest us. If you are limited in time, but want to properly work out your abdominal muscles, this exercise is ideal.

The bicycle was loved by athletes from all over the world due to its technical simplicity and variations in complexity of execution. It is important that it does not require any exercise equipment or additional equipment - the exercise can be performed anywhere and anytime.

In this article we will look at how to do the bicycle exercise correctly, as well as the following aspects of its implementation:

what are the benefits of cycling exercise?
correct execution technique;
mistakes of beginner athletes;
variations of the bicycle exercise.

What is an exercise bike

When any sports element does not look complex, one gets the impression that it will not have the desired effect. A bicycle in the classical sense, on the contrary, despite its apparent simplicity, gives a visible result. However, this will only be effective if done regularly. The exercise is done while lying on your back, while using your legs to imitate riding a real bicycle. To engage more muscle groups, you can supplement the “pedaling” with additional elements and do bicycle crunches.

Reviews

All girls who used cycling as a way to combat cellulite noted significant weight loss. Some new mothers after giving birth lost more than 30 kilograms in a year simply by riding a two-wheeler to and from work.

However, with significant weight loss, the skin sags, so it is better to combine cycling with anti-cellulite wraps, and use special creams that have a direct effect on the epidermis. Older ladies are not advised to try too hard, as they may experience knee pain. If there are no other contraindications, it is permissible to ride at a comfortable pace. This is also good for tightening and strengthening muscles.

In addition, the girls note that this type of physical activity is a great way to expand your circle of acquaintances by finding like-minded travel companions.

Cycling is one of the most effective methods of body shaping. The first positive results are noticeable after a month of regular training. However, it will be possible to completely remove cellulite only if you add diet, cosmetic procedures, and normalization of the drinking regime to your exercises.

Benefits of cycling exercise

Among sports training there is not one that would be harmful to the body, but no one has canceled the presence of contraindications to certain loads. You can only work on building a beautiful body if you are in good health. The benefit of the bicycle exercise is that it involves a whole group of muscles. This means that you can simultaneously bring the abdominal and hip areas into the desired shape. In addition, cycling will have a preventive effect on some areas of the body, preventing, for example, the development of cellulite.

For the press

If you have excess body fat, you shouldn’t rely on just one exercise. A bicycle for the press will be effective only if there is an integrated approach. It will help to draw the cubes and oblique muscles, but they will be hidden under a layer of fat and all the efforts will simply not be visible to the eye. To make them visible, you need to include cardio exercises in your training program to help fight the hated deposits. After defeating fat, you can diversify your exercises with crunches, allowing you to acquire a more beautiful relief.

For legs

Beautiful external data, especially when it comes to a fit, athletic body, is important for both women and men. However, health promotion plays a decisive role when deciding whether to play sports. The leg bike has a positive effect on blood circulation, significantly increasing it. This means that if you perform the exercise regularly and correctly, you will not be afraid of venous diseases, such as varicose veins. The benefits of such training do not stop there: you will be able to tighten the back surface of your legs, which is difficult to work on.

For weight loss

The presence of excess weight and figure flaws cannot but worry a person, especially if we are talking about a woman. To feel more confident and look beautiful, you need to develop a balanced nutrition plan and training complex for yourself. Exercise cycling for weight loss will be a great option. Easy to perform, it will help tighten those areas of the body that need it. To do this, you need to devote a few minutes a day to it, but do it regularly. However, it is important to remember that 80% of success in losing weight depends on nutrition, so you need to establish it first.

For hips

The figures of different people are so different that they require a special approach in everything related to sports. With the pear type, for example, the hips are one of the main problem areas. You need to work on them especially actively and seriously. A bicycle for your hips will not only help you acquire beautiful shapes, but will also be a good preventative against cellulite, which is such an unpleasant problem for many women.

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Life story

One of my friends was an amateur football player and played football with his friends. And one day he fell unsuccessfully and as a result received an injury - a torn meniscus. The tear was minimal, but the knee hurt, and the doctors forbade the friend from any activity, including running and even fast, long walking.

After 3 months, the knee recovered, but football was still banned. My friend suffered without movement, consulted a doctor, is it possible to do anything? And the only thing the doctor allowed was cycling exercise! It was this that helped the man to fully recover without losing his skills and shape. He even introduced his wife to it, because studying together is much more interesting!

What muscles work

The effectiveness of figure correction exercises is determined by how many parts of the body are involved: the more there are, the more comprehensive and effective the training will be. If we talk about which muscles work during the bicycle exercise, we can mention different groups:

Back. The latissimus and orbicularis major muscles are involved.
Stomach. The work of the oblique abdominal muscles is activated.
Press. Loading from above and below leads to an equally beautiful result.
Hips. The gluteal and thigh muscles work well during execution.
Legs. A less active group, but the load is enough to lose weight and increase blood circulation.

Adviсe

Before you start training this exercise, understand how the abs work. Otherwise, all attempts to pump him up will come down to twitching the body and moving the legs. In order to “discover” your abs, pull in your stomach while standing, and at the same time bring your lower ribs towards your pelvis. When standing, you will feel tension the way nature intended. Now try to bring the opposite shoulder to the knee, and now you can “discover” the abs. Carry this movement into a lying position. Twist and tighten your abs with each rep;
The hands at the head are needed so that you can bring the shoulder blades towards the back, and statically contract the lats and rhomboids. This is necessary to stabilize the spine and also to prevent the body from moving back and forth on the mat;
There is no need to clasp your fingers together and rest your head on them, this will not make the exercise more effective and will create extra pressure on the cervical vertebrae;
You should not tear off your lower back; at least, excess arching here is only the enemy of back stability;
To prevent your hips from taking on part of the work, try not to lower your legs too low, and carefully perform the exercise so as not to feel tension in the hamstrings;
Don't turn the twist into a fold. The exercise will not be more effective if you learn to transfer weight to the buttocks and actively move along the floor due to the fold;
It is worth learning to do this movement at a slow pace so that the body masters the motor pattern. If you still can't coordinate on a bicycle, try to think about the fact that it takes at least 21 days to master any motor skill. Add 1-2 sets of a “problem” exercise to the beginning of each workout, and you will definitely start to succeed

How to do the bike exercise correctly

The technique is very simple, but mandatory:

Take your starting position. To do this, you need to lie on the floor with a mat under your back and press your shoulder blades.
It is necessary to slightly lift the upper part of the body.
You should try to raise your legs to 45º, but if this is difficult to do, then 90º will be enough.
During execution, your hands must be held behind your head, bent at the elbows. They must remain motionless to avoid injury to the neck muscles.
Start “pedaling”: alternately pull the knee of one leg towards your chest, and straighten the opposite leg parallel to the floor. Watch your breathing.

Squats

Squats are considered one of the most effective exercises for losing weight, since they are the basic movements of the human body. William Lorman, a professor at Stanford University, in his Compendium of Guides to Observing Physical Activity, provides some very interesting data. For example, a person weighing 62 kg loses about 43 kcal while performing just 100 squats.

The squat can be divided into two stages. While squatting down, all the muscles of the body are tensed to maintain balance. The power phase begins when the body rises upward. There are several types of squats, which differ in type of complexity, load and method of execution. The effectiveness of different types of squats is almost the same, so you can use any exercise you like to lose weight. However, one of the most intense and effective types of squats is the jump squat!

The squat is a full-body exercise that also requires no additional equipment and perfectly works the muscles of the legs and core through alternating contraction and stretching of the muscles. A classic plyometric exercise that involves a powerful upward jump from a squat. A so-called explosive load is created, that is, a quick effort is made in a short period of time, which develops muscle strength and increases their volume. This exercise uses the quadriceps, large and soleus muscles of the buttocks, as well as the adductor muscles of the thighs, calf muscles, additional load is placed on the muscles that hold the spine, the posterior thigh muscles, the lower back muscles, and the abs.

Execution technique

Place your feet shoulder-width apart and straighten your back. You can cross your arms in front of you at chest level.
The squat is done while inhaling. Lower yourself until parallel with the floor. You can go a little lower, the main thing is to watch your feelings.
As you exhale, tense your core muscles and suddenly, using the movement of your hips, jump up as high as possible. You need to make a powerful jump up, pushing off with your full feet. Try to jump as high as possible, your hips should “spring” as much as possible.
Once your feet have fully touched the floor, go back into a squat. Repeat squat jumps as many times as necessary.

It is especially important to control the landing: try to stand on the floor with both feet at the same time. You should land on slightly bent legs (as softly as possible) and immediately go back into another squat. It is advisable to use soft and comfortable sports shoes designed for such training, ideally with shock-absorbing soles that can effectively absorb shock. It is also better to choose a surface for practicing, focusing on a softer surface (accordingly, concrete or asphalt surfaces are not the best options).

For those involved in strength sports, the squat is the main exercise for developing strength and muscle mass in the body. Correctly performed squats help strengthen the back and form correct posture. Squats stimulate normal blood circulation in the pelvic area, which speeds up metabolism. Exercise strengthens the leg muscles, and this makes a person more active and mobile.

With the help of squats, you can get rid of the “breeches” on your hips and generally improve the shape of your buttocks. Squats speed up metabolism, train breathing, and increase the rate of breakdown of fat cells. As a result, calories are burned, the figure becomes slimmer and more toned, and the gait becomes lighter, softer and more attractive. For maximum effect, the jump squat can be performed in the form of a Tabata protocol* (read more in the article Tabata: 4 minutes that will work wonders on your body). This 4-minute magic set burns the most calories both during and after your workout. Participants in one study who did eight rounds of full jump squats—20 seconds of hard work alternating with 10 seconds of rest—burned 13.4 calories per minute and doubled their metabolic rate after the workout for at least 30 minutes.

Beginners should practice stationary squats. Once you have mastered the squat technique, you can add small jumps, concentrating on the landing mechanism (see above). Later, the exercise can be complicated using additional equipment. For example, jumping onto a step or box.

Stationary squat technique

A good effect is only possible with the correct technique! In addition, proper technique is the key to a safe workout! Therefore, try to focus as much as possible on your movements. So, if you are new to the sport, you don’t need to immediately squat deeply, touching the floor with your buttocks; to begin with, it’s enough to stop at the mark when the thigh is parallel to the floor, and the knee joint is bent at a right angle. The body weight is transferred to the heels. At the same time, you need to keep your back straight, slightly tilted forward, and pull your stomach in. Before performing the exercise, your feet should be shoulder-width apart, knees apart, toes apart. In this case, the arms can be in three positions: extended forward, folded in front of the chest, or holding dumbbells.

You need to squat smoothly, softly, without jerking, no need to rush, control the movement. Like any exercise, squats should be done in approaches. For example, three sets of 10 times. When performing this exercise, you must ensure that your feet are in full contact with the floor; neither your heels nor your toes should be lifted off the floor. It should be remembered that too many repetitions in a short period of time can put too much stress on the knee joints. Also remember to cool down after your workout and stretch the target muscles. In this case, the hamstrings, glutes and quadriceps.

You can find options for using these magical exercises in your training on the YA young&active channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmiUIq1qbLMRzG0DPp8ZkVQ/videos?view_as=subscriber

Here you can put together your own workout or use ready-made playlists:

Attention! Failure to warm up and cool down can increase the risk of injury during exercise. Therefore, be sure to include a warm-up before an intense workout to prepare your body for the load, and after a workout, a cool-down to restore breathing, relax and relieve muscle tension.

*If you are a beginner or have any health concerns, consult your physician before starting any intense interval training.

How many calories does it burn?

To compensate for the excess amount eaten, most people immediately resort to sports. This decision is justified, since training can provide real help. However, when people find out how many calories cycling burns, their enthusiasm decreases, since with average activity this figure is approximately 10 kcal per minute. Such training is no longer aimed at losing weight, but at acquiring a beautiful relief.

Complicated version

We perform movements with our legs, as in the usual version of the “bicycle”. While moving the leg, we pull the elbow towards the knee. Right knee – left elbow and vice versa. We make the exercise more difficult by changing the angle of the thigh relative to the floor - it is almost parallel to the floor.

That is, we perform movements with our feet as close to the floor as possible, without touching it with our feet. This option is difficult to perform and is suitable for those who are in good physical shape and practice training constantly .
Carefully! The exercise is contraindicated for those who have problems with the lower back, since when performing it the load on it is quite strong.
To perform the “bicycle” exercise, you don’t need any special conditions - it fits perfectly into any environment. A gym is not necessary for this. It can be done at home, outdoors, or while traveling. This is a universal simulator that is always with you. “Bicycle” is aimed at targeting all abdominal muscles. There are not many exercises that can do this and that would give such a good effect. Set yourself a goal and move towards it using your favorite “bike”!

Errors during the exercise

Correct execution of any training element is the key to the fact that it will give the expected result. When performing a bicycle exercise for the abs or thighs, beginners make a number of mistakes that not only reduce efficiency, but can also harm their health. Among them stands out:

Beginner cyclists tend to perform the exercise on a soft surface, such as a sofa. This is not recommended because it puts unnecessary stress on the lower back.
In an attempt to speed up the effect of the exercise, beginners try to make quick, sharp movements. However, on the contrary, such a decision leads to a slowdown in the process, since the muscles do not work at full strength.
The desire to reach your elbows towards your knees is normal, but not for this exercise, so try to overcome this impulse. Otherwise, you risk feeling unpleasant tension in the neck every time.

Benefits and contraindications

It is useful to perform the exercise in combination with other types of stress on the abs for its harmonious development. Working on your obliques will help you perform many basic exercises more effectively.

Crunches in general do not have any special contraindications. Everything is pretty standard: the presence of injuries, problems of the cardiovascular system, elevated temperature. It is also not recommended to perform crunches during pregnancy; during this time it is better to give preference to special training.

Who is strictly prohibited from exercising?

In some cases, potency exercises are contraindicated for men. Playing sports can have a negative impact on your health if you have the following problems:

If you have the problems listed above, it is better to consult a doctor so that a specialist can select the safest method for increasing male libido and potency. In addition, it is worth remembering that gymnastics for potency is suitable as an independent method of treatment only in isolated cases of disorders (that is, as a preventive measure). If the problems recur regularly and the situation gets worse each time, then most likely the cause of the dysfunction is some kind of disease that cannot be affected by exercise - you need drug treatment and taking stimulants (for example, Viagra).