Seat Adjustment
To maximize the number of calories burned in a recumbent cycling session, adjust the seat so that you have a slight bend in the knee when your leg reaches the bottom of the stroke. This set-up allows the gluteals and quadriceps to reach a full range of motion and will ultimately aid in burning calories.
Calories Burned
According to the American Council on Exercise's Physical Activity Calculator, a 150-pound person burns 136 calories cycling at 5.5 mph. The same person increases calories expended in the same amount of time to 272 at 12 to 13 mph or 408 racing at 16 to 19 mph. Higher body weight increases the number of calories burned during an exercise session with the same parameters. A 200-pound person expends 181, 363, or 544 calories for 5.5 mph, 12 to 13 mph,and 16 to 19 mph, respectively.
Adapting to Cycling
If you are new to stationary cycling, you may find that your legs become fatigued after only five to 10 minutes, even if you can run or swim at high intensities. This can be frustrating, especially if your overall goal is to burn calories. Be patient. Your body needs time, sometimes two to three months, to build muscular endurance in your cycling muscles. With training, you will be able to pedal at higher miles per hour for longer periods of time.
Burn More Calories
Once you are able to pedal on the recumbent bike for 30 minutes or more consecutively, practice interval training to burn more calories. Interval training means alternating between work intervals, which are bouts of intense cycling, and rest intervals, which allow the body to recover. Your work intervals can entail cycling at higher mph or riding at the same speed with more resistance. If you are just starting out, try a 1:2 work-to-rest ratio. As you progress in your training, extend the length of your work interval or decrease the length of your recovery period.
