Hey guys, just a little background about 3 years ago I was 300lbs, now I'm 170-180 depending on the week all because of light weight training and bjj. Well due to circumstance I can't go to jiu jitsu often so I want to keep my weight down and cardio up although ill be missing training. I have no acl in my right knee so I don't really run, and living in Canada biking outside not always a option. So my question is If i do 90min on the bike what kind of rpm should I be looking at? Around 80? I have heard from some people the bikes are not that effective but its my best option (no pools in the area)
Man, just the idea of trying 90 minutes on a stationary bike makes my balls go tingly and numb. Find a Stairmaster or a elliptical trainer, man.
That being said, don't worry about RPM, worry about your HR and your knee. If you feel no knee pain below a certain RPM, then that's where you stay. Adjust resistance accordingly to keep you in your targeted heart range.
It's actually decent it's got a seat with a back on it and its like a proper seat. How do I find my target hear rate? :p sorry when I lost weight I didn't so much research just trained 6 days a week at jiu jitsu and cleaned up my eating
The bike isn't that bad, but your ass will have to get used to it. (That's what the inmates said?) I just tore my tibialis posterior muscle and partially tore an ankle ligament after taking a gnarly fall ice climbing the first weekend of February. Seeing as I have a Marathon in mid-April (Boston) and a 7-day climb of Mt Rainier a week later, I needed to figure out a way to not lose too much conditioning while being down. Biking was the only thing my ankle could tolerate.
I like heart rate training, but unless I'm specifically trying to stay in a particular zone for a specific training purpose, I don't monitor it much while cycling. I just use a resistance that I can keep around a 80-85 RPM pedaling rate for the entire time on the bike. Like all indoor cardio equipment, it is boring. Get yourself some books on tape or HBOGo for your phone to break the monotony. On a side note, I'm finally off crutches walking without a major limp. Going to try to jog for the first time since my fall in about 20 minutes. Excited!
If you do want to see your zones, follow this link. This is really just a general calculation though: http://www.machinehead-software.co.uk/bike/heart_rate/heart_rate_zone_calculator_abcc_bcf.html
You can also do TAKU's intervals on a bike for a change of pace.
FWIW I think HR training and let cadence take care of itself, but obviously others use other methods. I agree about listening to your knee, stop if you aggravate it.
I listen to podcasts and watch vids on the iphone. It's boring, whatcha gonna do. I live in Seattle and it's not always safe to ride in the rain/gloom, less so if you're in the snow. There is also swimming if the cycling gets boring. I greatly prefer a swim over an hour+ on the spin bike.
I think if it has a back on it it is a recumbent bike.good if you have lower back issues. I use one all the time and the balls and butt do much better then a conventional stationary. I do jump on a stationary to break up the monotony here and there. If you choose the hill (speed training) it can be a great workout.The hills are much longer then interval and the valleys are never flat. Its probably as close as you can get to climbing hills on a bike with a little rest on the flatter portions.For each hill section ramp up the level every minute until you hit a valley. Next hill set it a level in between your max and min level,just hard enough to keep a 60-65 pace.continue with that cycle
Buy a keetlebell if possible. It will give you some variety in your workouts. 90 min on a stationary bike a few times a week would make me want to shoot myself.
Intervals and bodyweight stuff will also let you keep your cardio and cut down on your workout time. 90 minutes is a long time.