How to Warm Up and Cool Down with Recumbent Bikes or Ellipticals

If you are using an elliptical machine or recumbent bike, you should still do a proper warm up and cool down to ensure your muscles get the best possible workout with the least possible chance of injury.

Importance of Warm Up and Cool Down

Warm ups are designed to prepare your body for your aerobic activity, kick-starting your cardiovascular system by increasing your temperature and your blood flow to your muscles so that you can reduce your soreness and risk of injury.

Cool downs are used to gradually reduce your heart rate and blood pressure oh, and it also helps you better regulate your blood flow which can decrease muscle stiffness and soreness.

Before Using the Elliptical or Recumbent bike

 Before you hop on the bike or elliptical make warming up part of your routine. Warm-ups should focus first on the larger muscle groups and if you’re on the elliptical, this includes your hamstrings.

With regular activity at a low, slow pace which you gradually increase in speed and intensity you will start to feel the body warming up, you might even sweat a little, but you won’t be exhausted. Examples of good warm ups before an elliptical or recumbent bike workout include:

• A brisk walk for 5 or 10 minutes around your neighborhood
• A brisk job, very slowly, for 5 or 10 minutes around your neighborhood

After the Workout

After you are done don’t just flop back down on the couch. You’re cool down needs to be somewhat similar to your warm up in that you should tack on an extra 5 or 10 minutes at a slower pace and a lower level of intensity at the end of your workout.

Examples of a good cool down after exercise on the elliptical include:

• A brisk walk for 5 or 10 minutes around your neighborhood
• Light stretching or yogic balance poses for 5 to 10 minutes
• A brisk job, very slowly, for 5 or 10 minutes around your neighborhood

Where does stretching come into play?

It’s important to stretch your big muscles, the larger leg muscles especially if you are using the elliptical, every time you workout. Stretching is best done right after your warm up or after your cool down.