Cycling is straightforward. It will take you places, it is fun when you do it with a few friends, but it will also improve your fitness level. Burn fat, gain some muscle, get some tone for your muscle, and benefit from a better metabolic rate. Simply put, whether you cycle outdoors or you get a stationary bike, cycling will make your life easier.
If burning fat and losing weight are your main goals, you are probably counting calories already, sticking to healthy foods, trying to burn more than what you eat, and so on. Most stationary bikes come with monitors and calculators. The classic ones do not. Now, how much cycling to burn 500 calories? No matter what type of bike you use, knowing how much to cycle will help you plan workouts better. Cycling calories calculator
You can normally find such calculators in your gym or even online. You will have to enter a few details about yourself, and you will get some specific workout details, which you can implement later on. You might need to enter the weight, minutes on the bike, distance, speed, and so on – different calculators come with different requirements.
The bad news is that most of these calculators are not perfectly accurate. Your metabolism is quite important, as well as your fitness level. Some of them will tell you how many calories you burn based on the distance and speed. But then, what if you actually want to know the time needed to burn a specific amount of calories? How many calories do cycling burn in 30 minutes?
An average individual will usually burn between 450 and 750 calories per hour on a bike – it makes no difference if it is a real bike or a stationary one. Therefore, you can burn anywhere between 225 and 375 calories within 30 minutes. Push yourself and sweat, and you may burn even more. Take it easy if you are new, and chances are you will burn less than that.
So, how much cycling to burn 500 calories? It is definitely hard to tell. Your weight is an important consideration and not the only one. It depends on how you use the bike too. Use a stationary bike for about an hour or 90 minutes and do something else in between – watch a movie or a podcast. Chances are you will burn more than 500 calories within that time frame. If you have a real bike and you use it to commute, how long does it take you to get places? How much time do you spend cycling to go to work? If you spend half an hour to get there and another half an hour to get back home, you are probably burning more than 500 calories a day. A real bike will burn more because you also need to engage your core and maintain a good balance. Steady slow vs. intense fast
Bike at a normal speed and maintain a steady speed. There is not a lot of resistance either. At this point, you will use the aerobic metabolism system. In other words, you work on your lungs and heart, but you also help the body use glucose in a more efficient manner. This is the type of recreational biking – good for your health and fitness condition, but not to burn hundreds of calories.
Then, you have the other option. You bike at a higher speed. If you use a stationary bike, you increase the resistance. You also try to maintain consistency. You will use the anaerobic metabolism system more than normal. Obviously, you cannot maintain this temp for too long, but cycling harder will bring in a new demand – your muscle fibers will need to adapt, and calories will end up melting in no time. The idea is fairly simple to understand. Go faster on a bike, and you will burn more calories. Your body needs more energy to maintain that speed, and getting energy implies burning fat for fuel. Biking at around 13MPH will cause a regular individual to burn around 300 calories in half an hour. To keep it safe, exercise for an hour, and you should burn more than 500 calories. Stationary biking vs. outdoor biking
So, how much cycling to burn approx. 500 calories? Normally, around an hour at a moderate intensity will do. The calorie burning capabilities of your body will also depend on the type of bike you use. Biking outside is different from jumping on a stationary bike. Here are a few aspects to take in consideration before deciding.
Biking outdoors will demand more. It is a more dynamic activity. You must be aware of the surroundings. There will be more variety in your outdoor experience – more terrains, obstacles, people, roads, paths, traffic lights, and so on. Wind resistance will also add to the experience, not to mention varying intensity – hills or going down a road. With these thoughts in mind, exercising outdoors will burn more calories. Obviously, it depends on your weight. The heavier you are, the more calories you will burn. While different challenges imply adjusting your cycling experience, try to maintain moderate speeds all the time – anywhere over 12MPH will do for your fat-burning capacity. Even when going outside, there are more types of bikes you can use. Mountain biking is a more intense activity if you do it right – no random breaks or spending seconds for a move. Instead, you will need to go over rocky terrains and engage your body even more. The results will bring in even more calories burnt at the end of the day. More than just calories
Cycling is not all about burning calories. Adding some tone to your muscles will inevitably burn fat too. Your muscular system will thank you – you will get better looking more and more muscular legs. Your cardiovascular function will be dramatically improved too.
Should you choose to bike outdoors, you will clearly use biking for transportation as well – exercise while getting to work. How convenient is that? You do two things at once, so you basically save yourself a bit of time. Finally, biking is also handy if you have weak joints or you have just been injured. The activity is considered low impact – better than walking, jogging, running, or jumping. Your feet are not meant to leave the pedals, hence the low impact profile. Find someone else to cycle with, and you will also have lots of fun while exploring new paths, parks, or terrains. Final conclusion
As a short final conclusion, how much cycling to burn 500 calories? It depends on more factors. It depends on how heavy you are, as well as your current fitness condition. It depends on what kind of speed you can maintain, just like it also depends on whether you cycle indoors or outdoors.
The overall idea is to challenge yourself a little and maintain a consistent moderate speed. At this point, you should easily burn over 500 calories within an hour. If you get a stationary bike, most of them come with monitors that track the calories you burn, as well as the distance, speed, and other metrics. They are not perfectly accurate, but they give you a fairly decent idea about your workout.
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The gym can be fun and exciting, but it takes a while to get into it. They say you need to do something daily for 21 days to turn it into a habit. Going to the gym so often can be challenging. Even after it becomes an actual habit, there will still be some days off – you will have days when you just want to say enough. If only you could have a quick workout at home and still manage to get toned…
The good news is there is such a thing. A lazy girl workout will give you great results within minutes only. Such workouts are basic and mild. Obviously, they are not as efficient asrunning on a treadmill for an hour or lifting weights for 45 minutes. But at the end of the day, you do something rather than nothing, so you can still get some tone. So, what options do you have? Lazy girl workout ideas
So, you only have five or 10 minutes. It is not a lot, so you better make this quick workout count.
Tabata workout
The Tabata workout is pretty straightforward. Do it in front of your TV or your backyard. It is quite intense, but it will not last forever, so you can get a bit of extra work. The workout implies 20-second sets and 10-second breaks. The sets include burpees, jumping jacks, pushups, high knees, squats, butt kicks, lunges, planks, bicycle crunches, and mountain climbers. Done!
One song workout
One song workouts are also worth some attention. Such a workout will take around five minutes to complete. You need to exercise as hard as you can throughout this song. There are lots of songs out there – it could be your favorite song or something new. Longer songs are better. You will do jumping jacks, biking, lunges, and crunches only for the duration of the song.
Five-minute abs workout
Five-minute abs workouts go in the same category. If you mostly want to focus on the tummy, pick a list of about 50 exercises. Choose the most complicated 10 exercises today. Do 25 seconds of each exercise. Forget about breaks. You will have about five seconds, but that is mostly what you need to change the position anyway. Pick 10 other exercises tomorrow and get five workouts a week – all different.
Leg workout
Believe it or not, you can get a lazy girl workout for your legs as well. Again, you do not have to spend too much time in the gym. Do jumping jacks for a minute, split jumps for another minute, squat jumps for another minute, butt kicks for another minute, and jump rope exercises for the last minute. As you can tell, you have a few exercises for your legs, as well as a bit of work on your cardio condition.
If these few minutes a day still seem like a lot, you can take this venture even further. Indeed, you can get a lazy girl workout in bed, as soon as you wake up. If you hate waking up stiff in the morning, a quick workout will give you a bit of motivation to get up and smash your day. Here are some great ideas for bed workouts. Lazy girl workout in bed
The pillow toss is excellent – lie face up on your bed, bend your knees, and keep the soles on the bed. Hold a pillow, toss it towards the ceiling and raise your abs a little as you catch it. The pillow pass is another great exercise. Grab a pillow between your hands. Bring your hands closer to your feet while keeping both arms and legs straight, then pass the pillow to your feet. Go back to the starting position and pass it back to your hands then.
The pillow crossover is a great idea as well. Grab a pillow, sit on the bed with your knees bent at 45 degrees and move the pillow from your left side to the right side by twisting your body from the middle. How about your favorite exercise as a kid? Jumping in bed! Exactly. Stand on the bed and drive the right arm and left knee up. Do the same for the other side – pretty much like a jumping dance. The plank shoulder tap can easily complete a lazy girl workout in bed. You are not warm and your cardio function is blasting. Go in a plank position, but do not stay still. Touch the left shoulder with the right hand, then touch the right shoulder with the left hand – all of these without losing the plank position. Lazy girl workout apps
If you feel like you need motivation and you would rather have an instructor – or a mobile app – push you from behind, your options are countless. Here are some of the best apps for your lazy girl workout:
Lazy girl workout abs
There are six major exercises that can make the difference when interested in a lazy girl workout abs. Basically, you want to do some combo exercises and cover as many fibers as possible. You want to burn fat and gain some definition – in other words, do not expect these exercises to be simple:
Now, how do you mix these exercises up? Stick to about 25 reps at high intensity. You should feel the burn after about 15 to 20 reps – do a few more until you reach 25 and move on. Repeat the same strategy and do not take any breaks between exercises. You need the heart rate up in order to burn as many calories as possible. Stick to the plank for anywhere between 30 seconds and two minutes, depending on your experience. Once you are done, you can count a round. Do four full sets with a couple of minutes between each round. Take this venture further and perform five rounds. Lazy girl workouts at home
A lazy girl workout can go in more directions, based on what you hope to achieve. Here are some easy examples:
Conclusion
The lazy girl workout can go in more directions. There are plenty of choices out there, and it mostly depends on what your goals are. All in all, five to 10 minutes a day are more than enough to get toned without sweating in a gym.
Hanging leg raises are brutal – no doubt. You might have seen such workouts or guides over the Internet. No matter what you work on, chances are they will affect pretty much every part of your body, including your legs or arms. Most commonly, such exercises are meant for a killer core – you will get incredible abs, strong arms, and a good-looking back.
The brutal core exercise is extremely efficient and provides killer workouts, but it also works on the grip and hip flexor system. The bad news is you cannot have full workouts based on hanging leg raises – at least not until you gain lots of experience to handle them by the book. Luckily, you do not have to search too long to find an alternative to hanging leg raises – here is everything you need to know. What are the best alternatives to hanging leg raises
There are more options if you do not want to do leg raises for one reason or another. Which one is the best alternative to hanging leg raises? Hard to tell. What works for some people will not work for everyone else. You can try more options and figure out yourself what works better for you – plus, a bit of variety works wonders.
Roman chair leg raises
The Roman chair leg raises are extremely similar. However, you have some support for the upper body. You can perform such exercises on the arm rests, meaning you no longer feel like your grip is killing you. The exercise is suitable for intermediate users, while newbies can bend their knees for an easier approach. Roman chair leg raises do everything hanging leg raises do, apart from strengthening your grip.
V ups
V ups hit more muscles in the core, so this exercise makes an amazing addition to your workouts. It is challenging and requires a stable spine. Go on the floor in a full-body extension, then move into a V shape by hinging around the hips. Raise the core and the legs towards each other, but without bending knees.
Bench leg and hip raises
Bench leg and hip raises are recommended to those with a bit of experience. The movement is similar, yet you need to lie down. You must grip the bench behind the head so you have some extra support. Start with an extended body, lift your legs up and come up with a 90-degree angle by the hips before raising your hips too.
Fit ball knee tucks
Fit ball knee tucks are just as handy – great for both beginners and advanced users. Keep your feet on a ball and everything else straight – your arms must be straight. You need a good balance – arms on the floor and feet on a ball. You must stabilize your spine first. Roll the ball towards you by tucking the knees in. Roll it away from you by becoming straight again.
L sit
The L sit is another alternative to hanging leg raises recommended to more experienced fitness people. It is quite brutal as well and definitely not suitable for beginners. The operating principle is different – you need to maintain a position, rather than perform repetitions. Support yourself on extended arms and come up with a 90-degree angle at the hip – no parts of the body touch the floor.
Double crunch
Finally, think about the double crunch too – suitable for everyone. Lie back, then drive the chest towards the knees – use your abs and hip flexors only. Avoid bending the knees in the process. This exercise is also a good starting point for those who struggle to do V ups. To help, try to keep the spine neutral throughout the movement.
What muscles do hanging leg raises work?
The best part about hanging leg raises the fact that you can get a pretty general workout. You will definitely improve your core in the process, but your hips will also get stronger, not to mention your arms and grip. With all these, there are a few main reasons wherefore so many people rely on hanging leg raises.
Rectus abdominis is the main muscle worked in the process, whether you stick to the actual leg raise or you find an alternative to hanging leg raises. There are more variations that can target this muscle, but most people do it with all sorts of knee raises. Hip flexors are also commonly targeted in such exercises. You will feel the pressure and muscle pain in the areas on the sides of your hips. Such muscles may seem irrelevant at first, but they actually have some specific roles. First, they support rectus abdominis. Second, they help with the hip flexion. Other than that, more and more people turn to leg raises and other similar exercises in order to target the obliques. These muscles are extremely attractive and good-looking, but it takes a while to reveal them. Both the internal and external obliques are revealed with such exercises. Apart from the impressive appearance, the muscles also support the movement and can stabilize your hips and spine. Last, but not least, try out a few leg raises, and you will notice some discomfort and pain in the forearms as well. This is one of the most common reasons wherefore people seek alternatives. Forearms are under great stress because they need to stabilize in order to keep the body in the perfect position. Hanging leg raise variations
The hanging pelvic tilt is one of the most common variations of hanging leg raises. It adds some variety and provides an easier workout. Go hang from the bar, bend your knees and bring the feet back behind your body. Tuck your knees forward and up while the lower back is slightly round. The point is to tuck the hips forward – this movement engages the abdominal muscles.
Hanging knees to elbows exercises are just as popular. Hang from a bar, draw shoulder blades down and tuck your knees towards the elbows. Your lats will seriously engage as you bring the knees up. Lower legs back down, but do it with a controlled move. Hanging knee circles require a bit of experience and plenty of strength in your arms. Bend the knees to 90 degrees. Move them across to the left, then go to the right. You can also go up and down at the same time for even more challenging results. Alternative to lying leg raises
Lying leg raises provide similar results. While seeking alternatives, the point is to find exercises that work on the exact same muscle groups, even if these exercises are completely different. Here are a few good options:
Such exercises will burn fat, strengthen your core and give your abs a good definition. Final thoughts
As a short final conclusion, deciding on the right alternative to hanging leg raises is difficult because there are plenty of options out there. The idea is to target the same muscles – mostly around your core. Cover this general rule and you are on the right path – some of these exercises imply using nothing but your body weight, while others may require being in a gym.
The more physically active you are, the better. It makes no difference what kind of physical activity you get engaged with. It could be walking for miles in the middle of nowhere. You might be jogging every morning in your neighborhood, or perhaps you like to hit the gym. The benefits of physical activity outweigh all the risks. However, this is not always the best idea.
Knowing when to stop working out can prevent all sorts of issues or medical complications. Normally, no matter what you suffer from or what your fitness condition is, physical activity is a must. On the same note, the intensity of your workouts requires more attention because exaggerating or pushing yourself too much can cause more harm than good. As a general rule of thumb, always make sure you listen to your body and take potential messages for real. Four signs you should stop working out immediatelyChest pain and discomfort
This is the last sign you want to experience when it comes to stopping. Most other signs are fine and easy to deal with, but this one is more dangerous. While heart attacks during exercise are not too common, such issues may describe a potential heart affection. Most people are not aware of such problems until they become quite severe.
Such signs mean you need to stop working out but also get yourself checked out by a specialist doctor. Signs may also come with nausea, headaches, coughing, or discomfort in the jaw. These signs are trying to warn you that something deadly might happen, so always take them seriously and seek medical attention. Persisting pain
Persisting pain that could indicate a problem is different from the pain and tenderness associated with a good workout. This type of pain hits in completely different spots.
For example, you will feel pain and tenderness around your liver while working on your legs or back. They are not related. This is one of the stops to pay attention to when not sure when to stop working out. Even if such pains occur in parts that you actually train on, you should still stop to avoid overusing a bone or a ligament. Take a break, even if it implies staying away from the gym for more than just a few days. You should not restart training until the pain and tenderness are completely gone – just a matter of health and safety. Sore and stiff muscles
Sore and stiff muscles will occur as you exercise or soon after you are done. Normally, such pains will take up to 24 hours to arise. When they happen, you need to exercise at a much lower intensity until the pain is gone. Ideally, you should stick to a completely different muscle group. However, you can also work on the same muscles but opt for mild exercise.
Swelling in joints
Sometimes, you do not necessarily have to stop when dealing with minor pain. Joint pain is a different kettle of fish, though. Swelling means there is acute damage to the respective tissue. The pain may sometimes come by itself – swelling occurs later on. You do not have to wait until you see swelling, though. Take a break and wait until the pain is gone, or you risk serious damage.
Not sure when to stop working out? Here are a few other signs to take into consideration: When to stop working out – Other signs
How to know when to stop working out a muscle
Soreness is a fairly good sign that you have worked for a particular muscle group by the book. While you can feel soreness and burning during your workout, this soreness is usually more common hours after you have finished the workout – up to 24 hours later.
A good muscle pump is another good sign – your muscles will look bigger than normally. The same rule applies at night – if you have a good sleep, you know you have done your workout right. Hunger soon after the workout is another good sign. If you need some earlier signs, pay attention to the burning sensation. It does not mean that you have to finish the workout – instead, it means you need to take it easy until you no longer feel it. Muscle fatigue, on the other hand, is a pretty good sign. When light exercising seems difficult, you are done. When should I stop exercising before bed?
A good workout can help before going to sleep, but not all workouts are equal. This is why you need to choose the right activity if you want to exercise in the evening – otherwise, you may end up getting the opposite effect.
If you are about to do a heavy lifting workout and you need to push yourself, give yourself at least two or three hours before going to bed. The adrenaline pump and energy will keep you awake for a while – such workouts are better in the morning or afternoon. Lighter activities are better and may include stretching, walking, yoga, swimming, and even lifting weights, but at a light or moderate level. Such activities can be done about 90 minutes before going to sleep. Come home, take a shower and give yourself an hour to get in a relaxing mood and fall asleep. Is it OK to stop in the middle of a workout?
What happens if you experience some unpleasant signs or discomfort throughout your workout?
It is perfectly normal to take a break during your workout. In fact, it might be even better – some personal trainers actually recommend it. They believe you can metabolize even more fat than having a continuous workout. You can use the break to hydrate yourself, perhaps have a protein-rich snack – make sure you do not go for a full meal, or you may not feel like exercising anymore. If you go to the gym, you may have noticed different bodybuilders taking breaks as they exercise – it is perfectly normal, and they actually do it with a purpose. They gather their strengths before starting another intensive workout. Wrapping up
It is difficult to determine when to stop working out because it depends on why you need to stop. Some issues related to your health can be risky and dangerous, so you need to stop and actually get yourself checked. Other times, you may not want to work on your muscles more than you need, not to mention stopping early before actually going to sleep.
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