Any ideas for workouts?
I can never seem to get in a decent position on those things. Is just sitting there turning legs over doing me any good?
Go run!
Go for a run or do yoga or tale a rest day. I’ve never got any kind of decent workout on hotel bikes
Any ideas for workouts?
I can never seem to get in a decent position on those things. Is just sitting there turning legs over doing me any good?
Join the club. I have been battling that for 4 years. I spend 180 days a year on the road. All Hilton properties on some moron’s advice have eliminated all normal bikes for recumbent junk. I am having really hard time finding normal stationary bike when hard bike workout is due. It is becoming all too comon. I depend on those to a good extent. Yes, I do run more on those weeks but still need at least once or twice a week to just plant my ass on one of those and get it done.
Yeah, I already did that, but I’m stuck here for a week and would like to get some kind of bike work done.
Might not help you this trip but I used to travel a lot.
A) Find a health club nearby (Many Y’s you can sneak into, just walk past the desk with a group, or say you are a member in another city but forgot the card)
B) Buy a cheap bike at the Goodwill then donate it back.
Personally, I only book hotels that have a set of rollers…
"Is just sitting there turning legs over doing me any good? "
Does it raise your heart rate?
Instead of sneaking in, why not join the Y. It gives you access to all the Y’s nationwide.
In 3 or 4 years I only used that option 5 -6 times. joining would end up being over $100 a workout.
My coach has me do some 20 and 30 minute workouts on those during the week, and if I do them right, my heart rate is up there and I leave puddles of sweat on the floor. You can definitely get to a level that challenges you. If you are on the Cybex that goes up to level 21, try doing 10-13-16-19-10, for 4 minutes each, keep your cadence 80. Or try 3 minute-2 minute intervals, 10-13, 16-13, 16-13, 16-13, 16-10, again with cadence over 80. You can always change the starting point and wind up at a higher level if that is too easy, or make your cadence higher, but on that particular bike (which I see everywhere) that is a very challenging workout.
Might not help you this trip but I used to travel a lot.
A) Find a health club nearby.
x2. I’ve found that some clubs will offer a 1 week membership for free or at least cheap.
The Y and almost every other gym has a day pass option. Any decent hotel front desk clerk or bellman can give you directions or even a van ride to the nearest gym. A lot of them offer a free day pass if you show a hotel room key as well.
Run!
Some of my best and most interesting runs have been when traveling for business or for pleasure - I am in a new and strange place and I just head out for a run. Great fun. Great exploration.
Take the “advice” from concierges or people at the front desk with a grain of salt. They often discourage you from running outside or recommend the treadmill in the gym. Boring.
I’ve found eliptical machines to be much better than most hotel “bikes”. I have no real information to back this up- but recumbent bikes seem to be a set up for disaster. The odd positioning, the different knee angles, the compressed (and pressed against) lower back. It just seemed like I would risk injury if I tried to do any real work on those things.
If I have to do some “bike” work on the road, I’ll go for the adjustable eliptical. Precor has a pretty good one. Take the ramp to the highest level (20 I think) and adjust resistance as required (8, 9, 10). Don’t use the swingy arms- just hold onto the grips in the middle that don’t move. If you do this then have a look in the mirror you should see your angles are all much closer to riding- and supporting your own body weight is always good.
Then of course, as others have said, you can always just stay with run. I travel for a living and rarely can ride more than three times a week- but if you are fit, then you’re fit.
-Jared
“Is just sitting there turning legs over doing me any good?”
Huh? Crank it up and ride!! Is it as “good” as an upright stationary bike–no. Is it 95% as good and able to get you through a week with no bike, hell yes. Quit whining, do your normal ride and you’ll be fine. I’ve done lots of interval training on hotel bikes. One great workout on a hotel bike is a set of Tabita (I’e never been able to spell that but that’s my best guess) intervals. 30 seconds on full bore–I mean full bore you can’t pedal any harder and if it lasted 5 more seconds you would collapse alternating with 4:30 easy. Do a set of those and you will not be complaining about the lack of an upright bike and you can do those on a recumbent, no prob.
BTW, couldn’t agree more on all the advice to get out and run. Or even walk if you don’t/can’t run. Or if the weather is ok, rent a bike. I did that on my last business trip to SF and had a great week riding.
Business travel sucks. It couldn’t suck any more. But a hotel bike isn’t that bad IMO. Now those 1 foot thick comforters on the bed in every Marriott on the planet? That’s a real problem!