untitled

Photograph by Sunstreak Productions, Inc.

For bikes with arm handles, adjust the seat height as you would with a regu-

lar bike, and set the arm handles at shoulder height. Coordinating upper- and

lower-body motions can take some getting used to. Start by focusing on your

legs and then gradually add in more arm resistance. If you find that exercising

your arms and your legs at the same time is too tiring, alternate arm and leg

movements until you build more stamina. As long as you keep moving, you’re

still getting an aerobic workout. (For a definition of aerobic, see Chapter 8.)

Keep in mind that even if you use a dual-action bike regularly, you still need

to do upper-body strength training. The resistance on the bike is too low to

build significant strength in your upper body.

Stair-climber .......................................................................................

The most common type of stair-climber is the pedal stepper, which many

exercisers refer to as the StairMaster. In fact, StairMaster is a specific brand —

just one of many excellent makes that you find in health clubs and home

Figure 9-3:
A recum-
bent bike
with arm
handles.

Chapter 9: Using Cardio Machines 139