Staying fit is essential for everyone, no matter who they are. Illness and disease do not discriminate by race, gender or social status. However, exercise has become a luxury that not many people can afford today. The fast-paced modern lifestyle does not allow most people to take care of their bodies. High-end gym memberships also require ridiculous costs and consistency. There are a number of gyms that allow you to come in anytime, work out, and charge reasonable fees.
This is why at-home workouts are growing in popularity. Imagine being able to exercise right in your home at minimal cost. One of the best ways to get in an intense and safe workout is to use an exercise bike. These are stationary bikes that are fixed in place and provide the same experience as a real bike. There are many pros and cons to using an exercise bike. Today, let’s take a look at the history of exercise bikes, their benefits, disadvantages, etc.
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What is an exercise bike?
An exercise bike or stationary bike is an indoor exercise machine that looks and functions like a normal bike, except that it is fixed in place. Exercise bikes are one of the most widely used and popular pieces of indoor exercise equipment in the world and are indispensable in any good home exercise routine.
Origin of exercise bike
The earliest exercise bike can be traced back to the late 18th century and was called the Gymnasticon. Invented in 1796 by Francis Lowndes, Gymnasticon emerged as a product of the newly developed science of orthopedics. It uses and exercises all the joints of the body. The arena uses a set of flywheels connected to pedals and wooden handlebars. You can see the Gymnasticon image below.
Image credit: Wikipedia
Advantages and disadvantages of exercise bikes
Exercise bikes are an effective tool for a productive workout, but like everything else, they also have some advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of stationary bikes.
Advantages of exercise bikes
- Increases cardiovascular and endurance: Exercise bikes are a great tool to strengthen your heart and lungs. This further increases your stamina, lowers blood pressure, improves memory, brain function and immune system, and reduces the risk of heart disease.
- Aids in weight loss: The advantage of exercise bikes is that they can be adjusted for different intensities and purposes. People looking to lose weight can benefit from using stationary bikes, as they provide the necessary intensity needed to lose weight and burn fat effectively.
- Strengthen your lower body: You can say goodbye to your skinny legs and thighs by exercising regularly on a stationary bike. They stimulate your entire lower body and even your core, and they can strengthen your muscles.
- Safety: Exercise bikes pose no risk of accidents on the road or in bad weather conditions. You can workout from the comfort of your home and it’s just as good as cycling outdoors, if not better.
Disadvantages of exercise bikes
- Expensive: Exercise bikes can be heavy on your wallet, especially high-end ones. The more features, the higher the price.
- Boring: Doing the same thing every day can become boring and take a toll on your mental health. Try to switch your exercise bike regularly to avoid staring at the same wall or location every time you workout.
- Lack of fresh air: There are certain benefits to breathing fresh air outside and getting your daily dose of natural light when cycling outdoors. Indoor exercise bikes feel like riding a real bike, but it’s not the same.
In short
Exercise bikes are incredible workout machines that can help rehabilitate people with injuries, athletes looking to increase their endurance, and everyday people trying to get fit. However, it doesn’t offer the same fresh air and outdoor experience as riding a real bike, even though it feels similar. Everything has two sides, and so does the exercise bike.
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Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: pagasa.edu.vn