Arm Bike Benefits

You don't have to skip a cardio workout just because your legs feel like lead or your knees are creaking. The arm bike, also called an upper-body ergometer, gets your heart pumping while giving your legs a rest. Once found mostly in rehab centers, arm bikes are showing up more regularly in standard fitness centers because they are a solid cross-training alternative that adds variety to any fitness routine.

According to Diet & Fitness Today, a 163-pound female will burn 104 calories in 30 minutes on the arm bike. That number jumps to 121 calories for a 190-pound male. Although more calories are burned by the large muscles in your legs during regular cycling, the arm bike offers an effective alternative for blasting calories and boosting your heart rate. Some machines provide cycling for both the arms and the legs, for a total body workout.

You participate in cardio to strengthen your heart and respiratory system, burn calories and build stamina. Most cardio workouts involve the large muscles of the legs. If you have a leg injury or are confined to a wheelchair, even low-impact options such as swimming or traditional cycling are off limits. The arm bike keeps you off the sidelines.

A study published in April 2015 issue of ​Human Kinetics Journals​ found that the upper-body ergometer was as effective at measuring physical fitness as a traditional treadmill protocol. This means that people who have lower-body or other disabilities can evaluate their physical fitness level without a treadmill.

​Read more:​ Upper Body Cardio Workout With a Broken Ankle

Cross-training helps athletes prevent overuse injuries while still training to achieve a high-level of fitness. People who participate in a sport that requires a lot of work from the legs — such as cycling or running — have few options for cross training that provides aerobic conditioning but rests the legs. The arm bike offers true cross-training because it enables you to use your arms to build cardio endurance and improve your oxygen usage during exercise.

​Read more:​ Ankle-Friendly Cardio

An arm bike works your chest, shoulders, back, arms and core muscles without the use of free weights or weight machines. Instead of having to do a separate cardio and strength workout, you can get them both done simultaneously on the arm bike. This saves time at the gym without compromising your results.

Doing the same workout every day leads to boredom and diminishing results as your body becomes efficient. The arm bike offers an alternative to the health club standard-issue treadmills, stationary bicycles and elliptical trainers. Because most people aren't accustomed to pedaling with their arms, a workout on an arm bike can be more challenging than a slog on the treadmill. You don't have to possess a lot of coordination to join a class that features arm bikes — but can still benefit from the motivation of an instructor and group environment.