The Bike and Cardio

[Lugar]

Does anyone use the bike on their off days to do cardio?  Just wondering how effective it is...I walk on an incline most morning, but thinking about a good 30 minute pm session.......curious if people use the recumberant or upright and what works for them? Moderate?  Slow?  HIIT?

[pumpster]

Bike is IMO a good supplement to other cardio, because it's less rigorous in a seated position that is not supporting most of the bodyweight while exercising. Recumbent's even less rigorous than a regular bike.

To make biking a primary source of cardio the overall level of intensity has to be increased. Spinning/HIIT are the most common ways to do it, either in a class, by following a Spinning class video tape, by timing intervals, etc. Watching others do it can help with motivation.

[thewickedtruth]

I too am very anti-cardio but need to have it all the time due to high blood pressure and it's ability to regulate it down for me.  Have you thought of joining a cardio class? Not to sound like a moe or anything but I recently joined the spin class at the gym 3 nights a week for an hour and it's actually alot of fun and goes by very fast. 5 minutes on the bike alone with headphones is boring as hell and feels like an eternity but, an hour in the class seems like time just flew by. Might be something to consider if you hate cardio as much as I do.