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Stationary Exercise Bikes - Still A Top Choice For Overall Fitness

In all the craze over new fangled fitness equipment, the exercise bike often gets overlooked. Stationary exercise bikes have been around for many years, which can lead some people to think they are outdated or not as effective as newer types of equipment. But for many people, exercise bikes provide a fun, consistent, reasonable means of exercising, improving cardio functions, and losing weight.

Stationary exercise bikes provide all the benefits of riding a bicycle. They provide good cardio workouts, have much less impact on knees, hips and other joints than walking or running, and can be used at any time its convenient. Most stationary bikes have manual or computerized controls to allow you to adjust resistance and speed. Many also come with heart monitors and cardio workouts already programmed in. There is a huge selection of price and style, and stationary bikes tend to be the most affordable cardio exercise machine. Plus, with a stationary bike, you dont have to worry about traffic, dogs, or bad weather. You can exercise in the convenience of your own home and even watch television or read a book while you bike. Try doing that on the bike path at the park!

Types of Stationary Bikes

Standard, upright stationary bikes come in single or dual action models. Dual action bikes have handles or levers to work the upper body and have been shown to provide more effective cardio workouts, burn more calories, and also improve overall body tone more efficiently than single action bikes. Dual action bikes work well for those with hip or leg injuries who need to exercise but also need to go easy on their legs. The dual action allows the arms to work harder to operate the machine, thus requiring less work from the legs.

A recumbent bicycle, sometimes called a bent, is a type of stationary bike that is more laid backliterally. It places the body in a semi or fully reclining position, taking pressure off the back area. Some people feel the position is difficult to adapt to at first, but many who choose recumbent bikes say they are very easy and comfortable to ride. They usually come with a larger seat, which often means you will stay on the machine longer or not have discomfort later.

Because of the reclining position, a recumbent bike works the abdominal muscles more and also creates more hamstring action. The lower center of gravity makes for better balance as well. Doctors feel they are better for those with back problems or with cerebral palsy and related diseases. The recumbent bikes also bring your feet more closely in line with your heart, keeping blood pressure low and providing for a safer overall workout.

Popular Models & Prices

Most stationary bikes come with ways to assess your speed and distance. Economy models have a tachometer/odometer combination and a design that utilizes a flywheel to provide resistance. These models are not programmable and provide the least effective workout, but are at under $200 can be an inexpensive way for a beginner or someone on a tight budget to get some exercise. They can be purchased at many department stores.

Standard models usually come with more features such as a programmable consul that calculates heart rate or allows you to pick a heart rate and then adjust the resistance accordingly. These bikes may use flywheels, fan blades, or magnetic resistance, depending on the quality. Magnetic resistance is usually the best method as it operates more smoothly and is quieter. These models can range from $200 up to $1500 and provide the broadest range of selection for the average person. Some popular models include Tunturi F520 (recumbent), Vision Fitness R2000, and several models from Schwinn, the popular bike manufacturer.

More expensive stationary bikes often use magnetic resistance and typically need to be plugged in to an outlet. They come with all the bells and whistles, including extended warranties, more varied programming features, and comfort options such as built in fans. They typically cost over $1500. Lifecycle 5500HR and 5500RHR (recumbent) are popular choices among those who are serious about their workout or have a healthy budget. Other popular manufacturers of exercise bikes include Nordic Track, Reebok, Weslo, Keys, Fitness Quest, and Edge.

Compared To Other Equipment

All types of stationary bikes provide a low impact workout that many feel is an advantage over treadmill exercise. The force on the knees, ankles, feet and other body parts that occurs with walking or running can cause swelling or discomfort in the joints. It can irritate old injuries or sometimes even produce new problems. A stationary bike provides non-weight bearing exercise that reduces impact on these areas.

In the health and fitness industries, and among customers, there is an extensive debate over which machines burn more calories and give a better cardio workout. There is evidence on both sides of the issue, but many people agree that a stationary bike should have dual action to optimize weight loss and heart health. The pumping of the arms has a significant impact of the effectiveness of any workout, and a treadmill is less effective as well if you hold onto the hand supports rather than letting your arms swing or pumping them in rhythm to your motion.

Elliptical trainers are another exercise option that provides a low impact workout, but many feel they do not provide the same cardio benefits. Rowing machines are boring, more difficult to use, and can be hard on the back. Other equipment has disadvantages as well, making stationary bikes a good choice for overall effectiveness and satisfaction. Consumer buying shows that exercise bikes continue to rank as a top choice for exercise and fitness training.

In the ever expanding world of health and fitness equipment, there have been some true advances as well as a bunch of gimmicks. A stationary bike is an old standard that has been a proven exercise tool for years, and that continues to improve and adapt through new technology. The overall effectiveness, ease of use and variety of designs and prices makes a stationary exercise bike an excellent choice for beginners and advanced enthusiasts alike.

About the Author:
C.J. Gustafson is a successful writer for Best-Home-Gyms.com, providing consumer information on the best discount home gyms. Read our elliptical trainer reviews, exercise bike and treadmill reviews for great ideas on equipping your gym.

Copyright 2005 Best-Home-Gyms.com

Permission is granted to publish this article on your site only if the author's byline is included and all links are hyperlinked.

voip is among the new watchwords in communication technology. These services were popularised by famous companies like vonage and Skype. For the sheer economy, it is now becoming popular with millions of customers around the world. In fact, most net users are seriously considering this revolutionary means of telecommunication which is available at unbelievable rates.

This service has come about to be, thanks to the ever-broadening broadband internet service. voip means voice over internet protocol, as it makes use of the internet lines to send voice-signals across to the other end. Your voice is sent through the internet in a digital signal form and is converted into a regular telephone signal when it reaches the person you are calling. It is due to this protocol that making and receiving long-distance calls all around the world at minimal rates is not an impossibility any more. Dispensing with the need to pay for a phone line and paying only for your hi-speed internet connection, you make your international calls at the cheapest rates!

To avail to this facility, all you require is a broadband internet connection, and a special VoIP phone, which can be a traditional phone connected to an adapter. You can also make use of a microphone, though not really required. If you have a high need to make international calls, you can find many providers more than willing to offer you special discount schemes for this service.

Despite the obvious benefits of this technology, it is also true that security is still a strong concern. hacking and eavesdropping are the obvious problems to contend with. Other problems encountered is the lack of an adequate infrastructure, and since it is dependent on internet connection, any slackening in the connection such as during power interruption, affects the VoIP service simultaneously. However, all these hassles are expected to be taken care in the near future, such as with maturing technologies like SSL (Secure socket Layer) in place, your calling line should be safer.

Dennis Jaylon is a renowned business writer who has years of experience in writing technical reviews, product descriptions and product feature analysis of technical gadgets and gizmos. He has won appreciation especially for enlightening people about the latest communication gizmos...the VoIP

The big question about Calcium, exactly what is Calcium and why is Calcium so important to you and I?

What is Calcium?

Calcium is one of the most abundant micro-nutrient found in our body. 99% of our bodys total calcium is stores in the bones and teeth. The remaining 1% of calcium is then found throughout our body in blood, muscles, and the fluid in between cells. Calcium is also needed for muscle contraction and the secretion of hormones and enzymes. There are much more usage of Calcium, but to put simply, Calcium is important for Bone repair/formations and the contraction of muscles. Calcium is also the answer to strong and dense bones.

Different Types of Calcium, Which is Best?

Calcium is an element and it comes in various forms. Theres Calcium citrate, Calcium phosphate, Calcium Gluconate, Calcium Carbonate, and e.t.c. The list can go on and on, but which is the most common one that is best absorbed by the body?

There is something called the elemental weight. Calcium phosphate has an elemental weight of 31-38% whilst Calcium carbonate has an elemental weight of 40%. Lets use Calcium Carbonate (Most common form of Calcium found in the market) as an example, if you take 500mg of Calcium carbonate, only 200mg of elemental Calcium is available for absorption. Ill make things simpler by giving you an analogy; lets presume that youre now going down to the fuel station to pump some petrol for your car. There are 2 types of Petrol and both are mixed with water. For every liter of petrol, Petrol X contains 20% petrol whilst Petrol Y contains 40% petrol. We do know that cars require petrol to move and not water. So the obvious choice will be Petrol Y. The same goes to us, our body can only utilize elemental Calcium, and therefore, Calcium Carbonate is one of the better choices of Calcium supplements to take.

Vitamin D & Calcium Absorption
Taking Calcium alone is not as effective taking calcium with a good dose of Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps improve Calcium absorption. To put things simply, lets imagine things this way. Before calcium is absorbed by our body, it needs go through a door which is locked and requires a key to open it. Vitamin D is the key to opening this door to allow calcium into your body and from there allows the body to utilize the Calcium.

What NOT to Consume Calcium With
We should not be consuming Calcium with Zinc and Iron. This is so as our body prioritizes Calcium over the other two minerals. I advise you to take Zinc and Iron at a time when your body has little Calcium, preferably 30mins-60mins after drinking your milk. When purchasing multivitamins, do also look at the Nutrition fact sheet to see if any of this minerals are stashed together.

How much Calcium is Needed?
If youre just an average adult, I would recommend taking anything from 800mg 1200mg of Calcium a day. However, if youre an athlete or bodybuilder, you should be taking up to 2000mg 2300mg of Calcium a day. Good sources of protein include Milk, yoghurt, cheese. Taking more than 2500mg of Calcium may cause you to get wet stools.

Benefits
Calcium will help you maintain a healthy bone mass, delay the onset of osteoporosis and recent research articles have also shown that Calcium aids weight loss.

Reference
Hartman TJ, Albert PS, Snyder K, et al. The association of calcium and vitamin d with risk of colorectal adenomas. J Nutr. 2005 Feb;135(2):252-9.

Shi H, Dirienzo D, Zemel MB. Effects of dietary calcium on adipocyte lipid metabolism and body weight regulation in energy-restricted aP2-agouti transgenic mice. FASEB J 2001; 15:291-293.

Zemel MB, Thompson W, Milstead A, Morris K, Campbell P. Calcium and dairy acceleration of weight and fat loss during energy restriction in obese adults. Obes Res. 2004 Apr;12(4):582-90.

dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/calcium.asp#h7

Darcy is currently studying and researching into Sports and Exercise Sciences. He Co-Owns http://www.Supplementtracker.com Contact: Darcy[at] http://www.Supplementtracker.com
"Our body is like a delicate piece of art, every portion and every detail has to be sculpt carefully and patiently to get what we want" -Darcy