If you're looking for a full body workout, a dual action exercise bike could be your best bet. While many people turn to stationary bikes for a good cardiovascular workout, not everyone uses a bike that features an upper body workout. If you're using an exercise bike that has stationary handle bars, you're missing out on a complete workout because your upper body isn't doing any work.
Advantages of a Dual Action Stationary Bike
Dual action bikes are actually an excellent way to work out both the upper and lower body while protecting your joints. Because you remain seated during your exercise routine, you get a low impact workout that won't put too much stress on your ankles, knees or hips. If you have problems with arthritis, this is a definite bonus because you are more likely to continue with your fitness program if you're comfortable.
The upper body workout provided by a stationary bike with movable handle bars is gentle enough for almost anyone, but is vigorous enough to help tone your muscles and lose weight. You can trim and firm all the muscle groups in your arms because dual action exercise bikes use both a pushing and a pulling movement. You'll also be toning your upper back muscles and some neck muscles, making these bikes favorites with physical therapists looking for a gentle but effective method of strengthening the upper body. Keep in mind that you'll be conditioning and toning your arms, but you won't see a build-up of muscle bulk because the handle bars use resistance, not weight lifting.
Take care not to overdo your fitness routine when you start using a dual action exercise bike, otherwise you could strain your back or develop aching arm muscles the day after a workout. Start slowly with low resistance and a moderate speed, and then work your way up to a more strenuous workout over several days time.
Choosing Dual Action Exercise Bikes
Low-end stationary bikes generally don't have an upper body workout built in, so you'll want to look at bikes in the mid price range or higher. You can find affordable options that have movable handle bars that you pump back and forth in rhythm to your pedaling at most sporting good stores or online. Most of these will use fan resistance, which means the resistance relies on how fast you pedal, the speed of the fan, and how efficient the rowing motion of the handle bars is.
If you want the best in dual action, consider spending a bit more and going with a high-end exercise bike that uses magnetic resistance, which is the smoothest, quietest ride you'll find. Most magnetic resistance models also feature extras such as a console that monitors your distance traveled, speed, calories burned and other important information.
No matter which style of dual action exercise bikes you choose, make sure you can adjust both the pedals and the handle bars for a comfortable fit. If you have to strain to reach the handle bars, you're defeating the purpose of having a machine that works your whole body.
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