Elliptical Exercise Bikes

Identification

• Most people are familiar with exercise bikes. Whether they are recumbent bike or an upright bike, you basically sit on them and pedal. An elliptical machine is a device where you stand on pedals and move your legs in a motion similar to running, however it is low impact since your feet never leave the pedals. A true elliptical exercise bike combines these two machines together. It is across between and elliptical machine and an upright bike. It is basically and elliptical machine with a bicycle seat.

Significance

• The dilemma is, that while both traditional exercise bikes and elliptical machines can both give you a great cardiovascular workout, there are limits and considerations. An exercise bike is appealing to many because you can sit which takes pressure off of painful joints and feet. The drawback is that you do not fully work your leg muscles as you would with a machine you stand on, such as a treadmill or elliptical. Also, since you are seated you are not getting weight bearing exercise which is essential for the prevention and management of osteoporosis.
  With a traditional elliptical machine, you are getting weight bearing exercise and you are getting a good workout for your leg muscles, however many people find ellipticals hard and tiring. Some of my clients can barely get through two minutes their first few times. In addition, if you are dealing with joint or foot pain, it can be difficult to stay on them for thirty to forty minutes. This is a key factor as many agencies such as the American Heart Association and the President's Council on Physical Fitness, now recommend that adults get between thirty and forty minutes of aerobic exercise at least five days per week.

Benefits

• Having an elliptical exercise bike solves this dilemma. You now have the option of transitioning from sitting to standing without having to make major adjustments or change machines. If you are dealing with joint or foot pain this is a great way to train. You can begin by doing as much as you can standing and then take periodic seated breaks to help you get in that solid half hour of aerobic exercise. In contrast, if you need to do most of your workout seated but are concerned about osteoporosis, you can occasionally stand up for a minute or two to get some weight bearing exercise in. Both of these solutions can help you to start at your current level of fitness and slowly work up to a more vigorous workout.
  In addition, an important concept in fitness is called cross training. Cross training involves participating in a variety of activities to ensure you are fully challenging your muscles. If you continually workout the exact same way every time, your body will eventually become accustomed to the routine and you will discontinue getting results. Having a machine with two workout options in one can be a great help. If you are at a level where you can bike or do the elliptical for a full thirty minutes straight, then you can vary your workout by biking one day and using it as an elliptical the next. In addition, if you add in some walking, swimming or other activity, you will have a well rounded cardio program that will help you become more fit and healthy.

Features

• Most elliptical exercise bikes machines come with both handle bars that move as well as stationary handles. If you have balance concerns you may want to start with the non moving handlebars until you feel more secure. If you have not been exercising for a while it can be quite tiring to work both your arms and legs together, so here again you can alternate between the handlebars that move and the ones that do not to help change the intensity of the exercise. With all models you should be able to adjust the seat height and the level of tension. The bike shown at the top of the page is more complex, while the one shown here is a simpler model. Because elliptical exercise bikes have standard bicycle pedals as well as elliptical foot pads, with some models you can vary your workout even more as you can use either one while sitting and standing.

Considerations

• Whenever you combine two features in one machine, while you gain versatility you lose other options. With the elliptical exercise bikes you may not have as many options as far as adjusting the bicycle seat for maximum comfort. With traditional ellipticals you have choices in pedal stride length. This can be an important feature for those with knee and hip concerns. With some ellipticals the motion is a shorter stride and more circular. With others the stride is longer and there is less bending in the knees. With an elliptical exercise bike, because their needs to be room for the bike seat and pedals you will not have as many options in the stride length. Lastly, there are not many manufacturers producing true elliptical exercise bikes. This means that you will be limited in functions such as having different workout programs to choose from, getting feedback as to how far you walked and calories burned. On elliptical exercise bikes you can be limited to a very simple console or no console at all.
  As with any type of exercise machine, take your time before you purchase one and try out different machines to see which feels better for your body. It is also helpful to make a list of the things that are most important to you. Are you most concerned about not aggravating your back, knee or hip pain, is it important to have a complex console, or do you need to worry about how much space your home gym takes up? Making this decision before you shop will help keep you focused when looking at the hundreds of models there are to choose from.