Bicycle, bicycle

The regular workouts I did through the first three months of the year fell by the wayside in April and May. Part of the drop-off was due to being busy; part was because of physical issues. There was/is some thigh numbness due to a pinched nerve, and there was a week where my left knee was bothering me. The habit was broken, and with trying to stay on top of everything else, exercise fell out of the routine.

Yesterday I began the process of reestablishing the habit, but I cut the session short of my usual duration. I didn't feel like I had the energy. Granted, I didn't get a good night's sleep the prior evening, and it did seem awfully muggy in the gym.

I thought it might be time to mix things up a bit. I've used the treadmill exclusively and have ignored its features other than adjusting the speed. About a month ago I started incorporating the vertical angle option the machine has, but then my routine shut down.

Tonight I decided to give one of the recumbent stationary bikes a whirl. Maybe it would take less of a toll on my legs. At minimum it would probably work out muscles perhaps not as well served by walking or running. Variety is the spice of life, right?

Taking it at a comfortable speed--and with no resistance--I found that I burned more calories than I would have by hopping on the treadmill. Interesting. All that pedaling was boring, especially since I didn't have a TV to keep me distracted, but looking at the workout summary, I accomplished more on this machine. Verdict: add this to the regimen, perhaps for half of a week's workouts.