Cardio exercise
Stationary BikeHow to do it, with form in numbers
- Also works
- Calves, Glutes
- Equipment
- Cardio machine
- Level
- Beginner
How to do it
How do you do the Stationary Bike?
- Set the seat level with your hip bone when you stand beside the bike.
- Sit on and check your knee keeps a slight bend with the pedal at the bottom.
- Place the balls of your feet on the pedals and rest your hands lightly on the bars.
- Pedal in smooth circles at a steady pace, keeping your upper body relaxed.
Cues
- Slight knee bend at the bottom.
- Knees track straight over your feet.
- Shoulders down, grip light.
Common mistakes
- Seat too high, hips rocking: lower it until your hips stay still.
- Seat too low, knees bunching up: raise it a notch.
- Hunching over the bars: sit tall with a light hinge at the hips.
Form in detail
What does good form look like?
The version in our demo
Seated pedalling on an upright exercise bike at a steady, moderate cadence, hands resting on the handlebars, upright trunk. Standing climbs and spin-bike race positions are not shown.
Starting position
Seat set level with the hip bone when standing beside the bike (HSS). On the bike, with a pedal at the bottom, the knee keeps a small bend; with the cranks level (3 and 9 o'clock), the front kneecap sits over the ball of the foot and the pedal centre (HSS, Cleveland Clinic). Ball of each foot over the pedal centre, strap snug. Handlebars at a height that lets the spine stay neutral with a slight forward hinge. Hands rest lightly, elbows slightly bent, shoulders down away from the ears, chest open.
The movement
The legs drive the pedals in smooth circles, pushing down from 12 to 6 o'clock and drawing the foot back and up through the bottom. Knees track straight up and down in line with the hips and feet. The pelvis stays still on the saddle (no rocking), the upper body stays quiet and relaxed, and the ankles stay close to level, dropping the heel slightly over the top and pointing slightly at the bottom.
Breathing
Steady, rhythmic breathing; able to talk in short sentences.
Form in numbers
What are the angles and distances?
- Trunk leans about 15–25° forward of vertical, spine neutral.
- Elbows bent 10–20°; knees stay hip-width apart, within about 3 cm of a straight line over the foot.
- Cadence about 75 revolutions a minute (judgement for a moderate beginner pace).
The targets our 3D demo was built to, from the references below. Bodies differ, so treat the ranges as a guide for your own build.
For coaches
Use this demo in your clients’ programs
The Stationary Bike is in Trainaq’s exercise library. Add it to a workout, and your client sees this demo in the free Trainaq app above the sets they log.
Sources
