Assault air bikes have a fan blade that has infinite resistance. That means workout intensity depends on your speed and effort. As this bike works with air resistance, pedalling becomes harder the faster you go. Most air bike models also have movable handles for a full-body workout.

So, are you up for a challenging cycling workout? Keep reading to learn more about air bikes, their benefits and how you can make the most of them.

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Reasons Why Air Bike Workouts Are Hard

Air bike workouts are powerful enough to help Liz Llorente make 1,490 burpees in 1 hour! Liz is a Melbourne-based fitness trainer and the current Guinness World Record holder for the most burpees done by a woman.

That’s how tough this exercise machine is. There are two factors explaining why.

Exercise Bike with Fan Wheel

1. Air bikes have a fan blade with infinite resistance.

Most stationary bike types have a metal flywheel that rotates as you step on the pedals. This flywheel works with the adjustable resistance system of your machine.

The advantage of this mechanism is the resistance levels remain consistent. However, fixed resistance can be a limiting factor for fitness professionals and athletes. This makes air bikes ideal, albeit more intense, alternatives.

Instead of a metal flywheel, this bike type has a large fan blade encased in a metal cage. It looks like an industrial fan or the one you put on the ceiling.

There are no resistance adjustment knobs or screens with buttons for this bike. These can automatically adjust the tension for you, depending on the pedalling speed and effort you put into your workout.

When you try cycling with this bike, you’ll notice that a slow pace is smooth and easy on the legs. As you go faster, the pedals feel heavier, and you need more force to push and pull.

The reason for this is that air resistance is not linear. That means exerting four-fold effort is needed to make the fan blade spin twice as fast.

With this unique feature, users of an exercise bike with a fan wheel can naturally push themselves to the limit.

2. Air bikes have movable handles for an upper-body workout.

Unlike most exercise bikes with fixed handles, air bikes have movable ones, similar to an elliptical machine. You can use these while pedalling to make your cycling workouts more challenging.

Aside from boosting workout intensity, these movable handles add exercise variety and enhance cardio health benefits. When you involve more muscles in your workout, your heart and lungs work harder, too.

In turn, you get better circulation and aerobic fitness. Best of all, you don’t have to use or get a separate machine to target your arms and upper-body muscles.

Air Bike with Movable Handles

5 Health Benefits of Using Air Bikes

Working out on an exercise bike with a fan wheel is intense. First-timers may even find using this machine intimidating. There are plenty of reasons why you should step up to the challenge and try air cycling.

Here are 5 of them.

1. Efficient caloric burn

Indoor cycling for 30 minutes is an effective way to burn enough calories for weight loss.

However, I suggest air cycling if you want to make the most of your workout time. That’s because you exert more physical power on the fan bike, resulting in higher caloric burn within a shorter period.

Adding an upper-body exercise through the movable handles also increases the calories you burn.

2. Improved cardio fitness

Studies have concluded that outdoor or indoor cycling is good for the heart. Specifically, researchers noted that cyclists have lower risks of heart disease and other relevant conditions like hypertension and diabetes.

We can correlate these findings to the number of body muscles involved during air cycling. High muscle activity during this exercise keeps your heart rate up and uses a lot of energy.

In turn, you burn calories, lose weight and build muscle mass. All these improve your overall health status and protect you from heart disease in the long term.

3. Stronger muscles

A stationary bike targets several muscles of the lower body. With an air bike, you can also use the movable handlebars to work your shoulders, triceps and biceps.

Exercising several muscles in one go boosts caloric burn and improves your range of motion. Also, cycling keeps your joints flexible, protecting you from soreness, pain or injury.

Toned muscles help you perform daily activities with ease, too. Getting them earlier in life is one way to prepare and protect your body for old age.

Air Cycling for Strong Muscles

4. Higher endurance and stamina

Cardio exercises like swimming or rowing can help build up your strength. However, most people prefer indoor cycling as it does not require considerable time to master.

Air bikes also adjust to a person’s fitness level and support progressive training. That means you can use the same machine as a beginner until you become an experienced rider.

5. Uplifted mental health

Riding an exercise bike with a fan wheel is not all about burning calories and developing more muscles. It also has a positive effect on your psychological well-being. One study concluded that cycling improves mental fitness by 15%. Researchers linked this effect to increased blood flow during cycling.

In turn, this encourages new brain cell development, protecting you from mental health conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. All forms of exercise stimulate the production of feel-good hormones. This bodily effect significantly reduces stress and keeps you feeling happy and relaxed.

How to Make the Most of Your Air Bike Workouts

Air cycling is easy enough for beginners to learn and master. But there are ways to make your workout experience better.

So, try incorporating these tips the next time you hop on your fan bike.

  • Adjust the assault bike for comfort. Air cycling workouts are tough, but they should not make you uncomfortable. So, before you start, check the bike seat and adjust it to match your height and reach. You might also want to wear proper cycling gear to protect your butt.
  • Create a monthly workout plan. Make your weekly workout routine purposeful by assigning a goal for each. It can be in the form of calories burned, pedalling speed or muscle building. Doing so should keep you motivated and focused.
  • Do interval workouts or HIIT. When ready to step up your air cycling game, design a routine with alternating low and high intensities. Doing this on an indoor bike is safer than on a treadmill since you have complete control of your pedalling speed and resistance.
  • Cycle with a friend. Ask someone to be your cycling partner. It should make your daily workouts more fun. It’s also an effective strategy to make you stick to your fitness routine. Besides, a little competition can help you tackle a challenging workout with a positive mindset.
Air Cycling with a Friend

Conclusion

An exercise bike with a fan wheel may look like any cycling machine. But we now know that it is a highly unique fitness equipment.

While it guarantees intense workouts, it is perfect for individuals who are into progressive training. Moreover, its many health benefits make this exceptional bike a worthy addition to any home gym.

Do you think indoor cycling is for you? Why not check out my stationary bike reviews next and see which model is your best match?

1. Is walking better than riding an exercise bike with a fan wheel?

Walking and riding an air bike are good exercises for meeting your daily moderate activity needs. However, they have distinct characteristics. For instance, walking is best if you want better bone health without buying a cardio machine. On the other hand, air cycling is perfect if you prefer to burn more calories while staying indoors. Ultimately, the choice depends on your workout goals and preferences.

2. How many minutes should I work out on an air bike?

According to Harvard Health Publishing, 30 minutes of moderate stationary biking can burn 210 to 294 calories, depending on your body weight. Doing this at least five times a week allows you to burn enough calories for weight loss. And with an air bike, you can pedal faster, use the handlebars or do HIIT to boost your caloric burn.

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