Ride a stationary bike or ride a regular bicycle, which one is better?

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends cycling as a good physical activity for children and the elderly. Cycling is very fun, because it can train leg muscle strength as well as overall body fitness. In addition, currently there are many options for cycling. You can use a stationary bike indoors or a regular bike outdoors. So, which one is better? Ride a stationary bike at the gym or at home, or ride a regular bike? Check out the following explanation.

Ride a static bike vs ride a regular bike

Cycling, either using a stationary bicycle or an ordinary bicycle, is one type of cardio exercise. This is because by cycling, the performance of the heart, lungs and circulatory system will increase.

In addition, regular cycling can also reduce the level of bad cholesterol in the blood, strengthen the heart muscle, and lower blood pressure. That is why, it is important for you to do cardio training first in order to give your body a warm up before starting the next exercise session.

So, before you go cycling, some of the following things can be your consideration in deciding to ride a stationary bike or ride a regular bicycle.

1. Calories burned

According to Harvard Medical School, some exercise done in the gym provides better calorie burn if you can maintain a stagnant tempo. A 70 kilogram man can burn 260 calories in 30 minutes by riding a stationary bicycle using moderate intensity and about 391 calories in 30 minutes by pedaling a high-intensity bicycle.

Meanwhile, the number of calories you can burn while riding your bicycle outside depends on the speed at which you ride the bike. A 70 kilogram man can burn 372 calories at a speed of 14 to 16 mph. Meanwhile, when the man was cycling at speeds between 16 and 19 mph for 30 minutes, he was able to burn 446 calories.

2. Level of fitness

A study shows that stationary bikes can maximize heart rate by 75-95 percent, this shows that static bikes are good enough to improve fitness. But the disadvantage is that there is less variation in muscle movement due to the variety of conveniences making the hamstring muscles the only muscles that work the hardest.

Whereas for athletes or those who really have a hobby, cycling outdoors can make your heart rate reach 100 percent. However, because they are usually not accompanied by an instructor, cycling which is just for fun will actually give less than optimal results. This is because you are doing more variations of movement in almost all leg muscles.

3. Difficulty level

The main difficulty when riding a stationary bike is overcoming boredom, the reason is that the movements are just the same, without inclines or derivatives, let alone scenery. However, this can be remedied with appropriate music, or a fun practice partner.

Meanwhile, in general, an ordinary bicycle to ride outside is easier and more fun because you can choose your own track. If you want a higher level of difficulty, you need certain techniques and of course a more challenging track.

4. Comfort level

In terms of comfort, a stationary bike is far superior because it can be ridden in an air-conditioned room, you can do it while watching TV or listening to music. The only thing that makes it uncomfortable for those who don't have their own equipment is that they have to come to the gym first.

If you want to be healthy, cycling, especially in big cities, is a bit of a hassle. Must wear appropriate clothing if you do not want to be burned by the sun, wear a helmet and mask to avoid collisions and pollution and must fight for roads with motorized vehicles. In addition, cycling outdoors also increases the risk of injury from falling from a bicycle.

Conclusion

If you live in an environment with heavy traffic and lots of pollution, a stationary bike is the best choice. However, if you live in an environment that is still beautiful and you have mastered various cycling sports techniques, then an ordinary bicycle can have the maximum effect for you.

Even so, this will come back to your own choice for cycling. Because everyone has a different level of comfort, making it difficult to determine the best thing. Most importantly, as long as you are actively moving and exercising - whether by riding a stationary bicycle or riding a regular bicycle, this is already a good thing for health.