HIIT Training on an exercise bike
After battling shin splints for too long, I’ve taken the search for alternative ways to do HIIT lately, especially at the gym. I can do it on an eliptical machine, but I really hate them, and I feel like a complete freak while doing it, so last week I thought I’d give the exercise bike a shot. As someone who’s grown up riding bikes pretty much constantly, I’m always a bit skeptical of how gym bikes feel. The seat is so big, it’s actually uncomfortable, and the position is always far from any bike I’d actually ride. So, what ends up happening is that I can’t stand to ride them and do something else.
As I already said, last week I tried it again, and was completely shocked by the results. I think it may be even better for HIIT than running. It takes a little bit of practice and fidgeting around to get the seat at the perfect height, but it’s worth it. I’ve never had a positive experience with a recumbent style exercise bike, so I don’t recommend using those. I used the LifeFitness 95Ci, which was perfect. Make sure that your knees do not straighten completely at the bottom of your stroke, and your hips should not rock side to side as you pedal (they should remain pretty steady as your legs pound it up and down like pistons).
Once you get the seat height correct, the next thing to do is focus on which “workout” you want to do. I’m still finding the right one, but today I think I did the “Interval” hill course (you just keep pressing Hill Plus until you see intervals). I’ve been trying to do 45-60 second intervals with 60-75 second rests. This has been working really well for me, and I’ve completely killed myself at it. I also crank up the Level to 12-14, and try and get my RPMs around 120-130. This is pretty difficult for me right now, but I think it’s the right level of exertion. I like the fact that I’m both training my body to spin at a higher cadence, which will help my climbing, but also I’m pushing what equates to a bigger gear, which will increase my strength. Regardless, I’m burning some serious calories, and quickly putting my body into serious interval training.
I plan to mix it up a little over the next few weeks, trying different techniques and interval lengths with different cadence goals and level choices. Part of why I’m doing this is to get stronger at riding my bike, so I want to mix it up and make sure I capitalize on the saddle time in as many ways as possible. Regardless though, the ease on your body compared to running can’t be stressed enough, and for some reason, spinning frantically over in the corner seems much less weird than totally going to town on the eliptical or treadmill. Also, because you can increase the resistance level so much, you don’t have to spin at a disruptively high cadence. And one last tip for using the bike, move your butt forward and backwards on the seat to find that perfect position. Some people like to be right over the pedals, while others prefer to be behind them slightly, find what works for you and don’t worry about the big indents on the seat, you shouldn’t be in those anyway. Also, with this model, the armrests work really well if you rest your elbows on them. It allows you to just lean into the bike and give it hell. Way to go LifeFitness for making a great tool for HIIT. In the next week or two I’m going to sneak into the spinning room and give those bikes a try, but for now, I like the computerized display showing me numerical representations of my cadence (RPM) and level.
Feb 21st 2008
hi how long should hiit last on a bike?
May 10th 2008
I use to be just like that. I talked to this personal trainer one day and he said the best way to stay motivated is to make a journal of exactly what you do every single day. Honestly it really work when I looked at it on paper it was different. When you see no improvement on paper in terms of reps, sets, and distance and haven’t done anything you feel like a lazy asshole that day then get motivated to get on them running shoes and pull out the wieghts.
Aug 14th 2008
Hi, I did a google on HIIT as I want to add it to my routine. Like you, I hated running. Notice the past tense. I now like running because I’m now on a hormonally balanced diet called the Zone Diet. You can google it for more information, but it is a moderate, balanced diet that yields amazing results. Joslin Diabetes Centers recommends a diet that is almost identical. Dr. Sears, the creator, has worked with athletes that have brought home 24 gold medals. Jenny Thompson was the most prolific Zoner medalist and her count was just surpassed by Michael Phelps a day or two ago.
Christian Vande Velde is a Zoner - he recently finished 5th in the Tour de France.
I’d also recommend spending some google time on “pose running.” It has helped me a lot, but takes some time to get your calf muscle strong enough to support the work load.
I’m a decade your senior and I feel better than ever - and I mean this factually. I really really do feel better than ever. I effortlessly lost 25+ lbs of fat while adding ~70 lbs to my bench press - I started pretty weak.
My foundation is the Zone Diet, pose running is a great tool and I hope to add HIIT as another tool in my arsenal.
Best of luck in your exercise adventures.