BECKLEY -- The stationary bike is one piece of equipment that you can ride all the way to your fitness goals without ever leaving the Fitness Center at the Beckley-Raleigh County YMCA in Beckley. Tom Hamilton, the Fitness Director at the Y in Beckley, says the benefits of a stationary bike workout are well-documented. "... It's a tremendous, tremendous exercise for the quads, for the glutes, and obviously for the cardio-respiratory system." Hamilton said.

Hamilton says there are a lot of people who avoid the stationary bike because of their knees. "... A lot of people mistakenly shy away from cycling because of the concern over the stress and tension over the knees. I would contend that if you start with RPM's first, that the knee is naturally going to get strengthened by the mechanism and action of cycling." said Hamilton.

He adds that tapping into the power of the pedals is easy, but he has witnessed some workouts where people take the hard road when it comes to the stationary bike. "... They want to get all of the fitness yesterday and that's not going to help at all." Hamilton says when it comes to cycling, it's just like being a baby in that you have to walk before you run. "... Basically, you want to start gradually and build up. The body is remarkably resilient and builds quickly if training is done carefully and cleverly. Hamilton said.

First and foremost, Hamilton says form is very important when it comes to getting the most out of a stationary bike workout. "... As I'm seated here my knees are coming very high up. The angle here is much less than 90-degrees. It's gonna strain the kneecap, especially with additional tension on the level settings. I would suggest about a 30-degree angle of bend through the knee when the leg is extended at it's maximum length." said Hamilton.

Hamilton says the stationary bike is an excellent cardio workout, but again he stresses that if you're new to cycling, start off slow, at the lower settings and gently work your way up.

Regardless of the level, a good 20 minute ride is an excellent cardio workout for the beginner and seasoned cyclist alike.