Exercise bicycle lying on your back: benefits, how to do, reviews

How and why to do the bicycle exercise? What are the contraindications? The fitness trainer answers.

“Bicycle” has been familiar to everyone since school. It perfectly pumps up the abdominal muscles. And if you strive for cubes, then this is your best assistant. This is the conclusion reached by the American Council on Exercise, which found that pedaling in the air works best for the rectus abdominis muscle. Namely, she is responsible for the presence of these same cubes. But that is not all. We found out what will help improve the “bicycle” and what contraindications it has.

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Benefits of cycling exercise

Exercise has the ability to have a beneficial effect on muscle tone, heart and metabolism. The muscles of the abs, legs, and thighs develop. After regular exercise, a person will get a strong back and toned buttocks.

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For the press

The benefit of doing a bicycle exercise while lying on your back is to burn belly fat. Training will not help you immediately get six-pack abs if a person didn’t have them to begin with. She will be able to enhance the effect, hone the pattern of cubes on the stomach that were developed earlier.

The bicycle exercise has a positive effect on the development of the rectus abdominis muscle and also pumps up the oblique muscles. In addition to abs, it has a beneficial effect on intestinal function. Exercise is useful for people suffering from problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

Advice! You should not exercise immediately after eating!

For weight loss

The cycling exercise for weight loss will be useful if the practitioner starts eating right. The extra pounds will go away in the first 2 months. Proper nutrition is the main tenet during training for weight loss.

After each week of exercise, you need to increase the number of repetitions. It is advisable to add 5 exercises for 1 approach. A person can see a positive result in a few weeks.

Important! Fat is burned faster during heavy exercise.

The main thing is not to overdo it. Exhaustive exercise will not help, but will only worsen the condition of the body.

For legs

Exercise cycling is suitable for the prevention of varicose veins. Training makes the veins elastic and the leg muscles elastic. They become beautiful and slender.

Important! Doctors do not recommend performing the cycling exercise if you already have a history of varicose veins.

The beneficial properties of cycling exercise will help ladies walking in heels. The exercise will improve blood circulation and tone the body as a whole.

For hips

Women and men will feel the benefits of the training. For men, cycling exercise is beneficial due to its ability to improve potency. Women will benefit from firmer buttocks and the disappearance of cellulite.

The benefit of training for the hips is to improve blood circulation in the pelvic organs. This will have a positive effect during pregnancy and childbirth. Strong thigh and abdominal muscles are the key to a woman’s health.

The birth process will become less painful and the risk of birth injuries will decrease. For women, the benefits of cycling exercise are invaluable due to its positive effect on reproductive function.

Can a cycling machine replace mountain running training?

Of course, the bike station will not completely replace it, but it will definitely complement and diversify the training process. Mountain running affects a large number of muscles, and any cyclic load can be used in the training process.

Try to make your training program as varied as possible, both in means of preparation and in intensity, and then you can always enjoy the training process and make long-term and high-quality progress.

Podcast on the topic: Alexander Elkonin: is it possible to prepare for a mountain trail by training in the city?

How to do the bicycle exercise correctly

The execution technique must be strict, without deviations from the path planned by the coach. It will be useful to follow a proper diet, without overusing fatty foods. Then the bicycle exercise will benefit the participant in the training, and not harm.

There are 2 types of execution techniques:

• for newbies;
• for experienced athletes.

Separation is necessary so that beginners cannot harm themselves: get injured, stretch muscles. In this case, they will be ready to quit the next day as soon as they cannot get up from overload due to the training the day before.

But experienced athletes will not be able to use the technique of beginners. They will simply mark time, not benefiting from the classes.

Execution technique for beginners

Beginners should not proceed to a complex type of activity. Concentration on the exercise must be extreme. In the first days, the main thing is not to overdo it, so as not to harm your health. It is important to maintain the desire to continue doing useful work.

Cycling steps for beginners:

1. Place the mat on a flat, hard surface.
2. Lie on it.
3. Relax, keep your arms along your body, palms facing the floor.
4. Then place your hands behind your head, your lower back should be pressed to the surface. Do not clasp your hands behind your head.
5. Tighten your abdominal muscles, raise both legs, bending your knees at an angle of 90 degrees. The shins are parallel to the surface.
6. Rotate your legs as if you were riding a bicycle. In this case, the lower back should be firmly pressed to the floor and not come off it.

Advice! As you move your legs, you need to feel the muscles tense and work.

For beginners, 16 repetitions at a time will be enough. Speed ​​doesn't matter. The main thing is to learn to use the right muscles.

Execution technique for experienced athletes

You need to concentrate before doing it. Lying on the couch and flailing your legs in the air will not do any good.

To do this you need to prepare:

1. Choose a flat, hard surface.
2. Place a rug on the floor to prevent colds in your lower back and back.
3. Take the starting position. Lie down on the floor. The back is pressed tightly to the floor.
4. Place your hands behind your head, relax your neck. Raise your legs, your hips should be in a position strictly perpendicular to the floor.
5. Extend one leg forward. The second is to slowly pull the knee towards the chest.
6. Pull the elbow opposite the knee slowly towards the bent leg by twisting the spine.
7. Straighten your leg, bent at the knee and pressed to your chest. On the contrary, bend the straight leg and bring the knee towards the chest. The opposite elbow should approach the knee of the bent leg.
8. The exercise is similar to riding a bicycle. Full straightening of the spine and body should occur while performing the exercise.
9. Breathe evenly, perform actions measuredly and slowly.
10. Exhale – pull the knee towards the elbow. Inhale – straighten your leg.

Main working muscles[edit | edit code]

• Back muscles that stabilize the position of the spine
  : the erector spinae muscle (spinalis, longissimus and iliocostal muscles), semispinalis muscle, group of deep spinal muscles.
• Abdominal muscles that stabilize the spine
  : rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, transverse abdominis.
• Muscles that flex the leg at the hip joint
  : iliopsoas muscle, rectus femoris muscle, sartorius muscle, tensor fasciae lata, pectineus muscle.
• Muscles that extend the leg at the hip joint
  : gluteus maximus, hamstrings (semimembranosus and semitendinosus, biceps femoris).

Accessory muscles[edit | edit code]

• Muscles that flex the leg at the knee joint
  : posterior group of thigh muscles.
• Muscles that extend the leg at the knee joint
  : quadriceps femoris.
• Muscles that perform plantar flexion of the foot in the ankle joint
  : gastrocnemius muscle, soleus muscle.
• Shoulder extensor muscles
  : latissimus dorsi, teres major, deltoid.
• Muscles that adduct the shoulder blades
  : trapezius muscle, rhomboid muscles.

Nuances and recommendations for performing the exercise

Beginners try to exceed the number of times in 1 lesson. The reason for this is the desire to pump up your abs faster and burn excess fat. A large number of times done in one exercise by an unprepared beginner can harm him.

The exercise should be performed with the right approach, which will increase its benefits:

• warm up your muscles before training;
• even breathing, uniform rhythm;
• concentration on the lower part of the abs, muscle tension should be felt;
• the elbows do not touch the knees when turning the body to the bent leg;
• do not move your head forward;
• the lumbar region is pressed tightly to the floor;
• combine cycling with exercises for the abs and thighs;
• After the exercise, do some stretching.

If pain occurs during the process, it is recommended to stop and rest. If the pain does not go away, then the next day it is better to consult your doctor. Don't try to train through pain. This may harm the body.

After exercise, a person will feel a slight burning sensation and tension in the working muscles. This is the norm. This means they are developing.

Inclusion in the training plan

The “bicycle” exercise can become an independent workout if you do it 10-15 times in 4-5 approaches per day. The main thing is to do it correctly, without trying to simplify the task. You can also include it in your training plan:

• as part of morning exercises;
• for warming up before strength training;
• as part of interval training;
• as a cool-down after a run or intense exercise at home.

Cycling is an exercise with which you can significantly correct your figure. It is useful for everyone who wants to have a strong and sculpted abs, slender legs and a healthy back. For people with imperfect posture, training will be a real boon.

The main thing is not to be lazy and not to give up. At first it will be difficult, since you will have to put in a lot of effort and experience pain in the muscles that are involved in the process of performing the exercise. But once you get used to it, it will be easy and comfortable to practice.

Exercise Bicycle: technique of execution.

Number of approaches and repetitions

The number of approaches and repetitions depends on the level of physical development of the person. With a small number of repetitions, a beginner will pump up the abs well without causing harm to the body.

Training table:

Benefits of cycling for runners

The main advantage is the variability of the training process. Each workout has goals and objectives, and many of us make the preparation very uniform, forgetting that through training we are simply influencing different systems of the body. Therefore, for most sports, including runners, related disciplines will only diversify and complement the training program.

However, the main means of preparation should always be special.

Common mistakes when doing the exercise

Proper cycling is the key to a healthy body. If done correctly, a person will not be able to harm himself.

Beginners make mistakes that must be avoided so as not to cause harm to health.

The main ones:

• choosing a soft surface for performing the exercise - a sofa or bed puts additional stress on the lumbar region;
• making sudden movements, the speed of the lesson does not contribute to development - the useful properties of the bicycle are lost;
• holding your breath - blood pressure rises, heart function is disrupted;
• It is recommended to thoroughly and efficiently warm up before class - this will relieve sprains and prepare the joints for the load;
• it is necessary to rest between approaches - the body should rest well and prepare for the next approach;
• pain during exercise - move on to another exercise, consult a doctor;
• pulling your head up with your hands injures your neck.

Introduce your child to pedals

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Pedaling and balancing at the same time is difficult. So again, break the big task down into small ones. To start, put the pedal in a comfortable position, and then ask your child to press it and just roll as before.

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Gradually make the task more difficult. Ask to press one and the second pedal alternately, and then ride as long as possible. Most likely, at this stage the baby will be able to drive independently.

YouTube channel "VeloDrive"

Contraindications to performing the exercise bicycle

It is not recommended to perform for the following diseases and conditions of the human body:

• heart diseases;
• high blood pressure;
• after operation;
• for various injuries;
• pregnant women;
• severe diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• high body temperature;
• thrombophlebitis;
• malignant tumors;
• during exacerbation of infections;
• hernia.

Failure to comply with these rules will cause harm to the body, which can affect the deterioration of already poor health. After going to the hospital for a consultation, the doctor will tell you how to replace the bicycle.

What is a bike station

A bike station is a stationary device that allows you to convert your bicycle, road or mountain, into an exercise bike. This way, you can warm up and exercise without going to the gym or leaving home.

There are several types of bike stations: roller, air, magnetic, liquid. You can read about which bike station is suitable for your tasks in the article How to choose a bike station for training at home.