Exercise bike how to do it right. Exercise "bike": technique and video. More difficult option

A bicycle is not only the most “sporty” transport. This is the name of physical exercise, which is equally useful for women and men: the first one will return slender forms, the second one will improve potency.

Execution technique

when doing a bike, the buttocks are well loaded

It is believed that the bike more than other physical exercises helps to form "cubes" on the stomach, because it loads the rectus muscle well. According to the results of the studies, such muscle activity was established when performing different:

twisting on the floor (direct) - 100%, reverse - 109%;
lifting the knees from the hanging position on the uneven bars - 212%;
"bike" - 248%.

Working muscles

When performing the exercise, the following muscles are included in the work:

and abdomen, stabilizing the position of the ridge;
flexion and extension of the leg in the hip joint;
additionally - bending the leg at the knee, ankle, shoulder, reducing the shoulder blades.

Classic variant

perform movements slowly, without jerking

The classic “bicycle” technique is different from that used by most beginner athletes. This is a difficult exercise. Here's how it's done.

Starting position (then - I.P.): lying on the floor. The legs, straightened at the knees, are raised so that they form an angle of 60 degrees or so with the floor surface. The pelvis is torn off the floor, palms are substituted, the back is slightly bent in the spine (reminiscent of the “birch” pose). The feet should be above the head. One leg is taken away from you in order to form a straight line with the line of the body.

On inspiration, the leg directed away from you is bent at the knee, trying to bring the heel closer to the buttock.
On exhalation, the knee of the bent leg is pulled to the chest, straightened at the knee, at the same time the straight leg above the head is tilted away from you.
Repeat the movement for the second leg.
Repeat the movement for each leg 5 times (total - 10 times).
The legs are brought together above the head, the lower body is lowered to the floor.

The movements made should resemble pedaling. Making movements with the legs, the torso is left motionless. The shoulder blades are reduced, the shoulders are kept straightened.

There are other variations of this exercise.

"Bicycle" lying down

in no case do you need to pull your head with your hands

In this case, fewer muscles are involved, mainly the press (the main ones are the front part, the additional ones are oblique), the lower back.

I.P .: lying on your back, put your hands under your head with your palms. The legs are raised and bent at the knees so as to form an angle of 45 degrees. The upper body is torn off the floor

They repeat the movements of cycling: they try to reach the knee of the left leg to the elbow of the right hand. The other leg is straightened at the knee, holding on weight at an angle of 30–40 degrees to the floor. Repeat the movement for the other side of the arm and leg. Perform at a fast pace.

To increase the load on the press, reduce the angle with the floor, increase the amplitude, speed.

Technique:

Bicycle on the back

In this case, the abdominal muscles, hip flexors, core work.

I.P .: lying on your back, the legs are bent at the knees, forming an angle of 120 degrees, hands are placed on the mat along the body or under the buttocks.

On exhalation, the right leg is straightened, remains in this position for a second, then returns to I.P., change sides.

We train sitting

I.P .: sitting on the floor, legs are raised above the floor at an angle of 20-30 degrees, arms in front of you.

The legs are alternately pulled to the chest and straightened at the knees, imitating cycling.

How many repetitions?

Lightweight variations of the exercise, except for the classic one, are repeated 15–25 times for each leg.

They start with 1 set, when the muscles get stronger, the number of sets is increased.

For a larger load use.

while straightening your leg, be sure to keep it in the air

In order for the training to bring results, you should learn the correct technique for performing the exercise.

Feet do not lower to the floor - they must remain on weight.
The abdominal muscles are kept tense.
Movements are performed at an average pace.
With lower back pain, the legs are raised higher to relieve tension.
Muscles are worked out more actively if the first and third approaches are performed slowly, the second - quickly.

Who benefits and why?

Exercise has other effects on the body besides strengthening muscles and. Therefore, it is included in the complex of physiotherapy exercises for disorders of the sexual sphere of men and women.

For men

the effect will be noticeable after a few days of training

Doctors from the USA assure that the exercise in the variation lying on the back should be included in the men's training plan for potency. It turns out that the movement of the legs activates the flow of blood to the genitals. But riding a real bike or a simulator can even hurt.

Exercise "bike" helps to form the press. But it is important to remember that without dietary nutrition, you will not be able to burn calories and gain an athletic physique. Therefore, before “drawing” the relief and obtaining the desired “cubes”, first of all they get rid of extra pounds.

For women

Such movements also have a positive effect on women's health. They help strengthen the pubococcygeal muscles and prevent uterine prolapse. And they also get rid of cellulite, as they improve blood circulation in the femoral part.

With varicose veins

exercise is necessary for people leading a sedentary lifestyle

Exercise strengthens the musculo-venous apparatus, therefore it is useful for varicose veins. To reduce the load on the veins, perform it from a sitting position on a chair or lying down.

After childbirth

Include a "bike" (lying on your back) in the plan of physiotherapy exercises for women after the birth of a child. But before training, you should empty the intestines and bladder, and perform movements slowly, measuredly. Start with a few repetitions, but only under the supervision and permission of the doctor.

This is one of the most famous abdominal exercises. Reviews about the exercise "Bicycle" are usually very positive, because, firstly, both men and women can do it, and, secondly, no additional equipment is needed to perform it. In today's article, we will analyze in detail his technique, show the existing varieties, and also talk about the benefits of this movement.

Muscles involved

Before proceeding to the description of the exercise "Bicycle", you need to know what muscles work during its execution. The oblique muscles of the abdomen receive the main load. The lumbar muscles, hip flexors and rectus abdominis are actively involved in the work (the very cubes that many athletes dream of so much).

How to remove fat "Bicycle"?

This question, as a rule, is of interest to beginners who do not have the right idea about weight loss and fat burning. Such people naively believe that they will be able to reduce the big stomach if they perform the exercise "Bicycle" on the back and dozens of other exercises for the press. If you also adhere to this point of view, then we are forced to upset you. In fact, abdominal exercises will not help you lose belly fat in any way. Your abdominal muscles will certainly become stronger and stronger, but if you continue to eat junk food, then you can forget about beautiful cubes forever. In order to get rid of the fat layer, you must first change your diet. And now we are not talking about banal diets, but about a complete revision of your diet. We think we should not say that a large amount of fatty foods, starchy foods and sweets can cause catastrophic harm to your figure. To get a good nutrition program that suits your body and takes into account all the characteristics of your body, it is best to seek the help of a specialist in this field.

Exercise "Bicycle" on the back: benefits

"Bicycle" is best done in combination with other abdominal exercises. Active work of the rectus and oblique abdominal muscles will not only make them aesthetically more attractive, but will also allow you to improve the performance of basic basic exercises (bench press, push-ups, deadlift, etc.).

Contraindications

When you talk about the benefits of the "Bicycle" exercise, you can't help but talk about who better not to do it. Despite the fact that it does not have particularly serious contraindications, some people should still refuse to perform it. These include:

Pregnant women and women who have just given birth.
Men and women with lumbar spine injuries.
People suffering from problems with the cardiovascular system and from inflammatory processes in the body.

Execution technique. Option for beginners

Sit on a horizontal surface (it is best to do the exercise on the floor). In order not to experience discomfort during execution, it is recommended to lay a special mat or towel under your back.
Press your lower back to the floor, relax your arms (if you wish, you can put them behind your head) and spread your elbows to the sides.
Contracting the abdominal muscles (keep your lower back pressed to the floor), raise your legs so that the thighs make a right angle with respect to the horizontal surface, and the shins are parallel to it.
While pressing your lumbar back, begin to rotate your legs as if you are pedaling an imaginary bicycle.

Try to do the exercise smoothly, feeling tension in the abdominal muscles. In total, you need to do 3 approaches.

Execution technique. Option for experienced athletes

You already know how to do the exercise "Bicycle" for beginners. Now we want to bring to your attention a version for more advanced athletes.

Take the same initial position as in the previous version.
As you rotate your legs, rotate your body so that your left elbow touches your right knee and your right elbow touches your left knee.

To understand how both of these versions of the exercise "Bicycle" are performed live, we recommend that you check out the video below.

How many sets and reps to do?

Many people think that the faster and more intense they do the exercise, the better their abs will “pump”. In fact, more is not always better. As a rule, the faster people do this or that exercise for the abdominal muscles, the more their technique suffers. Because of this, the press does not receive the proper load and most of the training goes down the drain. There are two important things to remember when doing the Bicycle exercise while lying on your back:

Do everything as technically as possible, feeling the tension in the press area during execution.
Try to do the exercise in such a way that the abdominal muscles are under load for 20 to 30 seconds. That is how long it takes for muscle hypertrophy.

If your general training program for the press consists of 2-3 exercises, then 3-4 sets will be enough to complete the "Bicycle".

How much rest do you need?

Unlike large muscle groups (like the chest or back), the abdominal muscles recover quickly enough. That is why between sets in all exercises for the abdominal muscles you need to rest no more than 60-90 seconds.

What to combine?

"Bicycle" is recommended to be done in combination with exercises such as classical and hanging leg raises. Their implementation will strengthen your abdominal muscles, as well as give you beautiful and embossed cubes in this area. You can see the technique below.

Twisting:

Sit on the floor. Bend your knees at a right angle. For better fixation, ask a partner to hold your feet. Put your hands behind your head (but do not keep them on your neck), keep your elbows at your sides. The loin should be pressed.
On exhalation, it is necessary to raise the body in such a way as to feel a contraction in the abdominal muscles.
On an inhale, lower yourself to the starting position.

If at a certain point it becomes too easy for you to perform this exercise, then you can do it with additional weight (for example, with a small dumbbell or barbell plate). For a more detailed introduction to the technique, watch the video below.

Hanging leg raise:

Grasp the horizontal bar with a direct grip at shoulder level. The legs must be kept straight.
As you exhale, raise your lower limbs so that at the top point they form an angle of 90 degrees. In this position, you need to pause for 1-2 seconds.
On an inhale, return to the starting position.

If it is still very difficult for you to perform this exercise with straight legs, then at the initial stage you can do it with bent legs. You can learn about how hanging leg raises are performed live and how else you can pump up the press on the horizontal bar from the video below.

Major Mistakes

When it comes to the exercise "Bicycle", it is necessary to talk about the most important mistakes that many novice (and not only) athletes make. At best, they can lead to no results, at worst, serious injury. So, what not to do when doing a bike:

Do not strain the side muscles. Quite often, people, in order to make their work easier, begin to stretch their neck. They do not even realize that, firstly, they greatly harm it and, secondly, significantly reduce the effectiveness of the exercise being performed. When you do "Bicycle", try to focus on the work of the abdominal muscles, not including the arms, shoulders and other muscles of our body.
When changing legs, do not make sudden movements and do not shake your pelvis. The fact is that such an incorrect technique significantly reduces the intensity of the exercise, due to which the load on the main muscles becomes several times less.
Don't hold your breath. Another serious mistake is improper breathing. When a person holds his breath during the exercise, his pressure instantly rises. Because of this, the athlete's strength indicators are rapidly falling and the effectiveness of the "Bicycle" is significantly reduced.
Do not hurry! As we said earlier, fast execution can greatly harm the technique. You will achieve much greater results if you do the exercise slowly and under control.

You already know about many of the subtleties and nuances of the exercise "Bicycle" for the press. Now, in the end, we would like to give you some important tips regarding sports. Guided by them, you will not only improve your result, but also protect yourself from injury.

Don't train your abs too often. Another common myth among beginners is the myth of frequent workouts. Many believe that if they pump the press several times a day, then thanks to this, it will grow faster for them. In fact, such frequent exercises will not only not increase the volume of your oblique and rectus abdominis muscles, but, on the contrary, will lead to overtraining and stagnation.
Remember safety. If during the performance of the "Bike" or any other exercise for the press you began to experience discomfort or even severe pain, then this is a clear sign that you need to change something in your training program. It is better to choose a less effective exercise, but safer!
Rest. The abdominal muscles, like all other muscles in our body, need to recover after a grueling workout. That is why it is extremely important not only to eat the right and healthy food, but also to sleep well.
Stretch qualitatively. If, in addition to training the press, you conduct full-fledged classes for all muscle groups in the gym, then you should especially pay attention to this item. The fact is that many beginners neglect the warm-up, arguing that it can take a lot of energy that could be spent on training. Often, people who follow this logic end up with serious injuries to their muscles and joints. In order to prepare your body for a hard training session, you must conduct a quality and comprehensive warm-up. After making sure that your ligaments and joints are warmed up, you can start exercising.

Your attention was given information about the exercise "Bicycle". Now you know how to do it correctly and what mistakes to avoid when doing it. We hope that this article was very useful to you, and you learned a lot of new things. We wish you success in your sports endeavors!

Modern gyms are equipped with a variety of simulators that are designed for all muscle groups, but no one is in a hurry to refuse the “bicycle”, familiar to many from school physical education lessons or sports sections. “Bicycle” is an exercise from the “cheap and cheerful” category: it does not require special sports training or good physical shape, is performed without any equipment - except, perhaps, a rug - and is extremely simple to perform.

When working with this exercise, the muscles of the hips and back are involved, as well as the press: rectus abdominis and obliques. The latter is especially valuable - thus, a chiseled thin waist is formed.

Regular performance of the "bike" with increasing loads - this is necessary for building the body, since with a constant identical load the body adapts and freezes without progress - it contributes to the drawing of a beautiful, embossed press. The abdominal muscles will practically not grow, it is unusual for them, but the quality of the body will noticeably improve. A flat toned stomach can be obtained by doing three or four days a week for only 15 minutes a day, the main thing is regularity for several months. A couple of weeks, of course, will not give any visible result, but this applies, by and large, to any exercise.
"Bicycle" has a positive effect on metabolism, bowel function and overall tone.

Another significant plus of the “bike” is that it does not cause any harm to the body, it can be performed at any age, only pregnant women should refrain. The rest of the "bike" has no restrictions. This exercise is especially advised to patients with varicose veins and prostate adenoma, as it helps to restore blood circulation in the legs and pelvic organs and tones the blood vessels.

Execution of the "bicycle"

Lie on the floor or rug, lower your lower back, pressing firmly against it; hands should be kept behind the head, not closing into the "castle"; bend your knees at a 45 degree angle. Breathing is even. Then alternately touch the left knee with the right elbow - the right one is slightly extended and remains on the weight - and vice versa. Touch the floor with your shoulder blades at the bottom. Two to three sets of ten repetitions will be enough.
You can increase the load just by slowing down the exercise.

Remember that the correct execution of the "bicycle" implies calm breathing, a back pressed to the floor - the shoulder blades rise - and shoulders that do not fall to the floor and are constantly in the air. Exactly like the legs: while the knee of one leg is bent, the other leg remains elevated.

The performance of the "Bicycle" varies slightly: if the load is not enough, you can use weights or perform it in the pool, leaning on the side - in one direction and the other. Water will have an additional effect, increasing the effectiveness of the exercise.

FitSeven has repeatedly mentioned that in order to effectively train the abdominal muscles, it is important to combine both dynamic and static exercises. An example of dynamic exercises for the press are all kinds of hanging leg raises and twists (both lying and standing), and an example of static exercises is and.

There is also an exercise "Bicycle", which is a combination of the two above types at once. The key role is played by the fact that when this exercise is performed correctly, both fast and slow muscle fibers of the press, as well as the internal muscles of the body, are included in the work. This allows you to develop and strengthen the abdominal muscles at the same time.

Exercise "Bicycle": what muscles work?

When performing the “Bicycle” exercise, the main load falls on the middle part of the rectus abdominis muscles, the secondary one - on the top of the abdominal muscles and various muscles of the body. Among other things, the muscles of the front surface of the thighs, spine and lower back are indirectly involved in the work. The gluteal muscles are also involved in the work.

It is also important that the "Bicycle" allows you to strengthen and develop the deep muscles of the abdomen, stretching towards the pubic bone - it is these muscles that are responsible for the formation of the correct sports posture, as they help maintain. In simple terms, the exercise "Bicycle" develops almost the entire body.

Description of the correct technique

There are many variations of the exercise "Bicycle", each of which, in fact, is correct. However, in order to learn how to perform this exercise as efficiently as possible for pumping the press, beginners (especially women) are advised to start with the basic variation, which is the easiest in terms of technique.

Starting position: lying on your back, the lower back is firmly pressed to the floor, the legs bent at the knees are on the ground, the hands are behind the head. Due to the tension of the abdominal muscles, lift your legs up, then lift your shoulders and upper body, and then begin to reach with your left elbow towards your right knee. Hold up. Change side.

How long to do the exercise?

Exercise "Bicycle" must be performed as slowly as possible and with a feeling of involving the press in the work - the recommended pace of execution is from 3 to 6-7 seconds for each pulling the elbow to the knee. One approach consists of 10-12 repetitions (5-6 on each side), in total 3-4 approaches are performed. Rest 30-40 seconds between sets.

Watch your breath carefully - twist and pull your elbow to your knee, unbend while inhaling. Remember that the starting point of each repetition is the lower position - in other words, before changing arms and legs, you must relax your abdominal muscles and press your shoulder blades to the floor for 1-2 seconds.

The most common mistakes

The most common mistake when performing the exercise "Bicycle" is an excessive lifting of the body up and arching the neck, which provokes an excessive load. It is important not to try to put pressure on your head, pulling it closer to your knees in this way - just lightly support your head with your palms and avoid the temptation to fasten your hands into a tight lock.

The second mistake is shifting the work of performing the exercise from the press to the muscles of the legs - however, the legs in this exercise should only play the role of a kind of counterweight. If you cannot feel the ab muscles work, do not try to straighten your legs and stretch them as far as possible.

The main secret of a relief belly is the ability to strain the abdominal muscles. All about how.

Burning in the abdominal muscles

Often, a characteristic burning sensation in the abdominal muscles is the main signal that the muscles of the press are really involved in the exercise. In addition, a slight trembling in the abdomen and front surface of the body can also become an indicator of the correct technique and the required level of involvement of the abdominal muscles.

However, if you feel a pull, this is an unequivocal characteristic of the fact that you are doing the “Bicycle” exercise incorrectly. If you cannot independently understand what kind of mistake you are making, it is best to seek advice from someone who can correct the technique.

Exercise "Bicycle" and burning fat

In conclusion, we recall that the “Bicycle”, like any other abdominal exercise, burns a negligible amount of calories - despite the fact that this exercise strengthens and develops the muscles of the body, it is impossible to lose weight and get rid of the fat layer on the abdomen solely with its help (exactly as with the help of other exercises).

If the main task of your training is to fight fat in the press, you will need an integrated approach, consisting in combination and regular. At the same time, performing exercises for the press, in fact, plays one of the most insignificant roles in the process of losing weight.

***

Exercise "Bicycle" comprehensively develops the muscle fibers of the abdominal press through a combination of static and dynamic phases of movement. This exercise can improve posture and strengthen not only the muscles of the body, but also the muscles of the lumbar back. However, technique errors can easily cause neck and back pain.

The bicycle exercise is known to everyone and everyone, but not everyone knows how to do it correctly, which muscles work when it is performed, and what kind of load it gives.

But this is one of the most effective exercises if you want to have a beautiful, toned stomach. And most importantly - you do not need a gym membership, it can be done at home on the rug.

So, the exercise bike for the press is a quick way to pump the abdominal muscles. Will the lifeline go away - the fat deposits that so often appear in this area? It all depends on how often and how correctly it is performed.

If you want visible results in a short time, include cardio exercises in your workout that will help you burn fat faster. And most importantly - eat right, otherwise all your efforts will go down the drain.

In order to properly work out the abdominal muscles, it is not at all necessary, as many people think, to “peddle” until the stomach burns and perform a large number of repetitions. On the contrary, the exercise bike on the press requires a small number of repetitions and it is useful to perform it only until you feel a slight fatigue.

If the muscles start to burn, you overdid it and next time you should reduce the number of repetitions. Doing ten repetitions in this case is much better than a hundred. The volume of the waist may not decrease, but you will pump the muscles - for sure.

Technique

Exercise bike is performed lying on the floor. Don't forget to warm up your muscles before you start doing it. Tilts and turns of the body in different directions are suitable.

Starting position:

When you lie down, the lower back should be pressed as close as possible to the mat or floor.
Clasping your hands in the lock, put them behind your head and spread your elbows as wide as possible.
Raise your hips to a 90 degree angle. The shins remain parallel to the floor. Remember, the neck muscles are as relaxed as possible. The head lies calmly in the palms.

The press exercise begins with an exhalation. Try to make your stomach as flat as possible and proceed.

Follow the basic rules:

faster does not mean better, control the movements, make them slower;
“pedal” as if with effort, as if you are really overcoming resistance;
the lower back should be constantly pressed to the floor;
it is better to do four sets of seven reps than one of a hundred;
increase the load gradually;
stop as soon as you feel a little tired.

After you learn how to do the basic exercise, you can add an element of twisting. So you are more likely to drive fat from the sides and work out the oblique muscles of the abdomen. While twisting, you do not just “push on the pedals”, but at the same time try to reach your knees with your elbow. Right - left, left - right. Remember, the lock behind the head should not be rigid. This can lead to neck injury.

Performing this exercise systematically, you will strengthen the muscular corset, and this is the prevention of many diseases of the spine, the proper functioning of internal organs and, as a result, good health and well-being.

For many, bowel function is normalized as a result. Young people, especially those who have already managed to get rid of a beer belly or have never had one, will be able to achieve spectacular cubes on their stomachs, and girls will notice how their buttocks tighten up and cellulite recedes.

So it’s not in vain that the bicycle exercise is so praised - its benefits are undeniable.