The Airdyne Bike and Assault Bike workouts are extremely intense and can get the heart rate through the roof in seconds, that’s because the Airdyne Bike is a master of resistance.
The Airdyne bike and assault bike offer a great alternative to the SMIT because it incorporates upper body exercise with the pedaling action of the feet and allows you to speed up and slow down without manipulating the settings.
This makes them ideal for HIIT enthusiasts. As you know, high intensity interval training (HIIT) is a great way to reduce fat and increase the aerobic endurance.
What is Airdyne Bike?
An Airdyne bike is a type of stationary exercise bike that uses a fan for resistance, with the intensity of the workout increasing as the user pedals faster. It typically features two moving handles for an upper body workout in addition to the lower body workout provided by pedaling. Airdyne bikes are popular for high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts due to their ability to provide a full-body workout and resistance that increases in proportion to the user’s effort.
What is Assault Bike?
An Assault Bike is a brand of stationary exercise bike that uses air resistance to provide a full-body workout. Similar to an Airdyne bike, the intensity of the workout increases as the user pedals faster due to the air resistance from a large fan at the front of the bike. The bike typically features two moving handles that can be used for upper body exercises as well. Assault Bikes are often used for high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts and are popular in CrossFit gyms and other fitness settings.
What are Airdyne Bike And Assault Bike workout?
An Airdyne bike or an Assault bike can be used for a full-body cardio workout that can be adjusted to different fitness levels. A common workout on these bikes is a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout, which involves alternating periods of all-out effort with periods of active recovery. For example, a common HIIT workout on an Airdyne or Assault bike could be to perform 20 seconds of all-out effort followed by 10 seconds of active recovery for a total of 4-8 rounds, with a brief rest period between rounds. This can be repeated for several sets to create a challenging and effective workout.
Benefits of workout
Airdyne Bike, Assault Bike and Air Bike have gained a lot of popularity over the years. Although these bike workouts are low-impact, the supramaximal intervals performed on it make for a very challenging conditioning workout.
Aerobic exercise, such as using an Airdyne bike and assault bike, is a great way to lose weight. Some estimates suggest that an Airdyne bike may burn more calories than a regular stationary bike. Using a moderate resistance level, the average person can burn 260–298 calories within 30 minutes while riding a stationary bike.
The Airdyne bike gives you the ability to promote cardio health, which lowers your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and other diseases. 1
There has been a lot of research into the relationship between exercise and lowering the risk of cancer. Researchers found that people who exercised the most had lower rates of various types of Cancer. 2
Additionally, it is believed that exercise and increased physical activity lead to a stronger immune system, lower inflammation and higher levels of natural antioxidants, all of which help reduce the risk of cancer.
Cardio workouts, such as the Airdyne bike, assault bike, upright bike and air bike, help the heart pump blood more efficiently throughout the body. It is also excellent for lung health, which makes them more efficient at delivering oxygen to the blood, muscles, and brain. Using a fan bike may also improve memory and reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Studies have shown that regular aerobic exercise such as using a fan bike can reduce stress, elevate your mood, improve sleep, and improve self-esteem. Cardio workouts release chemicals called endorphins, which trigger positive emotion. 3
There’s no better way to build leg muscles than using a fan bike. Using a fan bike can impact core-strengthening muscles like your glutes, back muscles and abdominals, as well as leg muscles including calves, quadriceps and hamstrings.
Moving the handlebars on a fan bike can build up your triceps, shoulders and biceps while you ride. Building your leg muscles this way is easy on the joints of your feet, knees and ankles without pounding so much on the pavement.
Airdyne Bike Technique and Common Mistakes
The Airdyne bike doesn’t sound that hard, it has been known to make big people cry, anyone who has used this bike knows that this piece of equipment can be especially painful when used to develop anaerobic systems could. The front wheel has a fan which provides resistance to the wind. The harder you pedal the feet and pump the arms, the higher the resistance.
The number of calories burned depends on the weight, speed, resistance and duration of the workout. According to Harvard Health Publishing, a 155-pound person can burn 260–298 calories during a 30-minute vigorous workout on a stationary bike. However, this number may actually be higher for people who use Airdyne bikes and Assault bikes as these bikes work on the upper body as well as the lower body.
Technique
Pedal the feet and move the arms as hard and fast as you can for 15 to 45 seconds. Rest completely for 45 seconds to 3 minutes between intervals.
- Leaning forward is fine because you’re performing the intense part of each interval.
- During the rest position between each work interval, you can remain on the bike or get off the bike and stand up or pace for a bit before starting the next work interval.
Common Mistakes
For the most part, how you ride an Airdyne Bike will be pretty intuitive. But using this bike is a specific skill, as is all, with a few form tips he recommends before and during the ride.
And assuming you don’t want to be put off by injury or pain, you’d be wise to learn that skill before you begin.
Be sure to adjust the seat to hip height. For most people, this is the height that allows them to pedal without placing their feet in a locked-out position or overly bent position, which is ideal.
You don’t have to look like a Hunchback of Notre Dame when carrying this cardio tool.
Once on the board, think about sitting up straight. Not only will this make it easier to get air into the body, but it will also give you more distance to push and pull the handle than if you were leaning forward.
What you do with the feet also matters here. If you try to use only your upper body during a workout, you’ll wear out faster.
Think about keeping the knees in a straight line, not letting them flare butterfly-style at the top of each rotation. This will allow you to exert maximum force on the pedal and thus increase power output.
Airdyne Bike and Assault Bike for HIIT
| Time | Speed & Recovery |
|---|---|
| 5 minutes | warm-up |
| 30 seconds | speed up |
| 30 seconds | recovery |
| 45 seconds | speed up |
| 45 seconds | recovery |
| 60 seconds | speed up |
| 60 seconds | recovery |
| 30 seconds | speed up |
| 30 seconds | recovery |
| 45 seconds | speed up |
| 45 seconds | recovery |
| 60 seconds | speed up |
| 60 seconds | recovery |
| 30 seconds | speed up |
| 30 seconds | recovery |
| 45 seconds | speed up |
| 45 seconds | recovery |
| 60 seconds | speed up |
| 60 seconds | recovery |
| 3 minutes | cool down |
Pro tips:
Here’s what you can do to use the bike effectively:
- Adjust the seat to the appropriate height and position.
- Start pedaling at a moderate pace and adjust the resistance as needed to find a challenging but sustainable level.
- Use the moving handles to engage your upper body, alternating between pushing and pulling with the handles.
- To perform a HIIT workout, alternate between periods of all-out effort and periods of active recovery, adjusting the resistance as needed.
- To perform a longer endurance workout, maintain a steady pace at a moderate intensity for a set period of time.
- Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water before, during, and after the workout.
When and how to incorporate
You can incorporate a fan bike, such as an Airdyne bike or an Assault bike, into your workout routine in a variety of ways. Here are some suggestions for when and how to use a fan bike:
- As a warm-up: Use the fan bike as a low-impact way to warm up your muscles before a weightlifting or resistance training workout. Set the resistance to a low level and pedal at a moderate pace for 5-10 minutes.
- As a standalone cardio workout: Use the fan bike as the main component of a cardio workout. Incorporate intervals of high-intensity effort followed by periods of active recovery for a challenging and effective workout that builds cardiovascular endurance and burns calories.
- As a finisher: Use the fan bike as a way to finish off a strength training or HIIT workout. Incorporate a 5-10 minute high-intensity interval at the end of your workout to finish strong and burn extra calories.
- In place of running: If running is not an option due to injury or other factors, a fan bike can provide a similar cardiovascular workout with less impact on the joints. Use the fan bike for intervals or longer endurance rides to build cardiovascular endurance and burn calories.
- Use the fan bike for active recovery: After a hard workout or on a rest day, use the fan bike for a low-intensity workout that gets your blood flowing without putting too much stress on your muscles. Pedal at a low resistance and moderate pace for 15-20 minutes.
- Incorporate strength training moves: Use the moving handles to perform upper body exercises like bicep curls, overhead presses, or lateral raises while pedaling. This adds a strength training component to your cardio workout.
- Use the fan bike as part of a circuit: Incorporate the fan bike into a full-body circuit workout that includes strength training moves and other cardio exercises like jumping jacks or jump rope. Use the fan bike for intervals in between the other exercises.
- Use the fan bike for active commuting: If you live close enough to work or school, use a fan bike to get there instead of driving or taking public transportation. This provides a low-impact cardio workout while also helping the environment.
Bottom line
When using a fan bike (such as an Airdyne Bike, Assault Bike, Upright Bike, or Air Bike), there are no rules on how long or hard you have to ride, but keep your fitness level and abilities in mind.
They can be used for high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts or longer endurance rides, and the moving handles can be used to engage the upper body muscles.
To use the bike effectively, you should adjust the seat and resistance to a comfortable and challenging level, use proper form, and stay hydrated throughout the workout. As with any workout, listen to your body and adjust the workout as needed to avoid injury and fatigue.
Along with a healthy diet, cardio exercise, such as using a fan bike, is one of the best ways to increase the overall fitness, reduce the risk of diseases, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
- Front Cardiovasc Med. 2018; 5: 135. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2018.00135. “Cardiovascular Effects and Benefits of Exercise.” Available here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6172294/.[↩]
- National Cancer Institute. “Physical Activity and Cancer.” Available here: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/obesity/physical-activity-fact-sheet.[↩]
- Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2006; 8(2): 106. doi: 10.4088/pcc.v08n0208a. “Exercise for Mental Health.” Available here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1470658/.[↩]
