Why am I having a hard time riding a bike

[allygirl234]

Hi i am a runner and have been running since i was 15. Now I run 8-10 miles a day daily. However I have decided to switch up my cardio exercises to running every other day and riding the stationary bike at the gym. I hate doing cardio inside but since i have no bike yet that is where i am starting. However I realized the 1st time i did this that it was difficult for me to ride the bike. I felt like i have not exercised in years. Is this because my body is using other mucles when i ride a bike? The farthest I could go was around 6 miles but on levels 1-3. Is this normal? Or is it a mental thing because I usually do not do cardio inside? Also i barely burned any calories according to the machine is the machine busted or is bicicling a low calorie burner? Sorry 4 all the questions =)

[allygirl234]

Thanks for the advice

[Dr Vinod]

Hello!

1) With running your quadriceps, calf and foot muscles are involved mostly with very little of hip and hamstrings. With cycling you have hip, hamstrings, ankle joint which come into play as well as elbows as you bend and finally your spine is also coming into action. So there is always a case of body adaptability with change to a new form of exercise.

2) There is nothing to worry as you can easily cross level 10 with practice and over a period of time, continue cycling.

3) With stationary cycling in levels 1-3 you hardly burn anything and you have to increase the levels and resistance to burn more.

4) There is no hard and fast rule that you have to do cycling to stay fit. You can do other forms of cardio like cross trainer, skipping, swimming or anything else.

Take care!