Airdyne Triathlon

February 14, 2014, 7:29 am

≫ Next: Calibrating the Schwinn Airdyne Bike – How Consistent are they ?

Wife and I were sitting at home feeling sluggish in our Canadian winter with the temperature outside being -21 degrees Celcius. I threw down the challenge of the “Airdyne Triathlon”. It operates a little lower in the power range than I would normally like to use the Airdyne for, but it is a valid test and one that could be fun to pull some multi-sporters in to world of the Airdyne.

Here it is:

2000 meter row

300 calorie Airdyne 200 calories for the ladies.

1 mile run

for time.

The real equalizer is the airdyne calorie discrepancy. If you have one airdyne you can have the one person start on the row while the other starts on the Airdyne. The bulk of this workout is on the airdyne.

two stopwatches for airdyne workout

Airdyne seat uncomfortable? Click here on how to Fix it!

For a comprehensive list of Airdyne workouts click here

Please feel free to leave your times in the Comment section of the page. Good luck!

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Calibrating the Schwinn Airdyne Bike – How Consistent are they ?

February 20, 2014, 9:05 am

≫ Next: 1 Minute Max Effort for Calories Airdyne Hall of Fame

≪ Previous: Airdyne Triathlon

Schwinn Airdynes ready to work

It’s no secret that we really like the Airdyne bikes. We recently purchased another one and the monitor seemed to be a little out of sync with the other bikes. I checked online trying to find if there is any computer way to check the calibration of the monitors, but I was unable to find anything. I think you get what you get

when it comes to these monitors.

If we are using these pieces of equipment as a training tool then we need to know if we are getting consistent readings for work output. Otherwise we would be essentially be putting on a glorified spin class.

airdyne computer monitor ad4

I set out to test each bike to determine the accuracy of the computer monitors and if there is a discrepancy between them, if any. It should be noted that all of my bikes are AD4 large fan models and they have the exact same computer monitor.

The test:

I figured the best way to calibrate them would be a set time trial over a 5 minute period using revolutions per minute on the screen setting. I am going to hold 70 RPM while the clock on the Airdyne counts down from 5:00 minutes. After the 5 minutes are up I will switch the monitor to Calories and see what the total work output is.

Bike 1: Calorie output 94

Bike 2: Calorie output 95

Bike 3: Calorie output 93

I’d say they are pretty consistent, accurate and reliable.

For more Airdyne workouts Click here

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1 Minute Max Effort for Calories Airdyne Hall of Fame

April 19, 2014, 6:30 pm

≫ Next: 3-2-1-Go! Airdyne workout

≪ Previous: Calibrating the Schwinn Airdyne Bike – How Consistent are they ?

To all those that dared to ride the Devil’s Tricycle for one minute. Let there be a permanent online monument to commemorate those soles that were neither weak or timid.

Jack Beauregard 40
Steve E. 35
Mark Arnold 49
George Savard 48

Darcy Campbell 39 with a couple beers from Creemore Brewery in him.

New Record April 20th, 2014

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3-2-1-Go! Airdyne workout

June 18, 2014, 9:16 am

≫ Next: RowB114 Airdyne Burpee Combo

≪ Previous: 1 Minute Max Effort for Calories Airdyne Hall of Fame

how some of the ladies made out on the airdyne

I’m always concerned when I look at a workout and think to myself “that doesn’t look too bad”. This airdyne ladder interval workout certainly fits that description. Deceptively hard if you go hard as intended. I got this workout from Heather’s Gym.

What makes this workout so tough ?

The time domains are different and it starts with a long interval so pacing strategy is tough. The shorter the intervals the harder you should work.

Once you are through and pretty much fried, then you have to do it all over again. Note: you might want to do this one with a friend as you will want to walk away about halfway through. Thanks to Rob over at the Best of Collingwood for sticking it out with me on this one.

So here it is :

3 mins max effort for calories.

Full rest

2 mins max effort for calories.

Full rest

1 min max effort for calories.

Full rest

3 mins max effort for calories.

Full rest

2 mins max effort for calories.

Full rest

1 min max effort for calories.

Done.

Key to this workout is pacing and sustained effort. You don’t want your second round to be way less than your first round. As you can see in the picture I wrote down my RPMs as I feel they are the best gauge of work output on the Airdyne for pacing.

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RowB114 Airdyne Burpee Combo

June 26, 2014, 9:54 am

≫ Next: Heathers Gym Airdyne Test

≪ Previous: 3-2-1-Go! Airdyne workout

Airdynes are this cruel

rowb114 airdyne workout First of all no on likes burpees, but this one comes to you from a serious CrossFit competitor Jon Robichaud.

5 Rounds of :

80 rpm on the Airdyne for one minute

burpees for one minute

rest 2 minutes

Short and sweet.

For more Airdyne workouts click here

The post RowB114 Airdyne Burpee Combo appeared first on Mark's Gym.

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Heathers Gym Airdyne Test

July 21, 2014, 2:23 pm

≫ Next: “450” Airdyne Interval workout

≪ Previous: RowB114 Airdyne Burpee Combo

This one comes to you from HeathersGym.com some tough cookies over there in their weekly bootcamp that incorporates strength work and of course Airdyne work. Heather did those one as she tests the workouts before she has her bootcamp people ever do them. Novel idea ! If you are looking for some personal training in the Wasaga Beach or Collingwood area, Heather has a great nutrition background and is also an amazing trainer.

15 rounds of:
1 minute airdyne for calories
1 minute of rest
For 30 minutes.

Bonus points if you can do this while listening to Carrie Underwood.

The post Heathers Gym Airdyne Test appeared first on Mark's Gym.

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“450” Airdyne Interval workout

October 27, 2014, 3:44 pm

≫ Next: Should I buy an old Airdyne?

≪ Previous: Heathers Gym Airdyne Test

Intervals on the airdyne are an effective way to push the intensity.

The goal of this workout is to hit 450 calories on the airdyne.

The work to rest cycle is 1:1 with one minute intervals. A minute on and a minute off is the name of the game for this workout. You are done this workout when you get 450 calories on the air dyne. It is very similar to Heathers Gym Airdyne Test, but a touch tougher.

Finish this in as few cycles as possible. Pacing here is key because the rest cycles are relatively short and the cumulative work cycles will have you begging for a reprieve. Good luck and let me how you make out by commenting below.

Click here for a full list of all the Airdyne workouts.

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Should I buy an old Airdyne?

November 12, 2014, 7:16 pm

≫ Next: Fixing the Airdyne Bike

≪ Previous: “450” Airdyne Interval workout

gold color airdyne bike orange So you’ve scoured the classifieds and the internet and finally found a Schwinn Airdyne bike. Problem is that it was manufactured circa 1979 and it is an amazing gold orange hue. Should you buy it? Schwinn introduced the Airdyne exercise bike in 1978. It proved to be one of Schwinn’s best-selling products ever. This Airdyne above has a replacement seat because the originals are really uncomfortable and it’s a good idea to change them out.

Pros: it’s an Airdyne and will give you one hell of a workout. The older models were very durable and stood the test of time. The parts are all the same up to the AD4’s. It’s chain driven which is a plus. You can probably pick it up really cheap, because it does look old.

Cons: it’s an awful color. The monitor is old and is run with a cable. Good luck finding a replacement, if this baby goes then I guess you still essentially have a “warm up” bike.

The bones of the older Airdynes are essentially unchanged. The only real difference is the monitor. It’s up to you, but know that if that monitor goes then you are probably not going to be able to retro fit or find a replacement. Happy shopping!

Click here for more Airdyne Specific workouts.

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Fixing the Airdyne Bike

May 5, 2015, 4:57 am

≫ Next: Team Airdyne Workout for Calories

≪ Previous: Should I buy an old Airdyne?

Fixing the Airdyne Bike Bottom Bracket

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Team Airdyne Workout for Calories

May 11, 2015, 12:47 pm

≫ Next: First to 50 Airdyne Challenge #firsttofifty

≪ Previous: Fixing the Airdyne Bike

Team Airdyne Workout for Calories

Teams of 2:

For Calories each partner will alternate through the following sequence.

50-40-30-20-10 for Calories

Partner 1 does 50 calories, partner 2 does 50 calories, partner 1 does 40 calories, partner 2 does 40 calories, complete sequence until each partner completes all the way down until 10 calories.

Workout is for time, although this will vary depending on who your partner is.

This will work with teams of 3 or 4 even.

Today we had 3 bikes in the game, and there were two teams of two. The reason for the third bike, was that there was a height difference and we didn’t want to waste time by switching seat height.

The work to rest ratio on this workout is approximately 1:1 and the team dynamics allow you to push the pace and intensity beyond what you normally would do.

Give it a whirl, some numbers to shoot for from today:

Didn’t win this round on the Airdyne

Brian and Heather of (Heather’s Gym) 11:58

Mark and Rob 12:18

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First to 50 Airdyne Challenge #firsttofifty

August 12, 2015, 3:52 pm

≫ Next: Comparing the Airdyne to the Air Assault Bike

≪ Previous: Team Airdyne Workout for Calories

50 Calorie Airdyne Challenge

The first to 50 Airdyne Challenge is a big new thing that is making the social media rounds.

It’s sort of like the ice bucket challenge except more like getting hit by a train.

It’s simple. 50 Calories on the Airdyne or Air Assault Bike for time.

No Rolling starts.

The times on the Airdyne and the Air Assault bike are going to be quite different and harder on the Air Assault bike for Calories.

For more ideas on Airdyne workouts click here.

Check out #firsttofifty on Instagram and check out some of the efforts and scores.

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Comparing the Airdyne to the Air Assault Bike

November 1, 2015, 8:36 am

≫ Next: Airdyne 20 Calorie Sprints

≪ Previous: First to 50 Airdyne Challenge #firsttofifty

Comparing the Airdyne to the Air Assault Bike – Calorie Output

In doing the #first2fifty Bike challenge on the Airdyne, I noticed that across the interwebs that there was a large discrepancy between different types of Bikes. The classic Schwinn Airdyne has been the model that everyone had first started with and used forever. Over the years, the Schwinn Airdyne has made several different versions of their fan bike. The AD4 and AD6 are just two of those models. I’ve found that the power output between these two models of the same brand that the calorie output (which some workouts are based upon) is different, so it’s very difficult to compare workout times or even create a good workout if the time domains are different for the same work output.

Here at Mark’s Gym, we have AD4 model Schwinn Airdynes. I’ve checked them all in a simple calibration test and found that they were all very similar in terms of their calorie output.

I found that some heavy hitters were unable to crack a minute on the AD6 Schwinn Airdyne, and the Air Assault Bike seems to be 40 % harder in terms of calorie output according to Mike Boyle from MBSC. If you are doing a 300FY or a First2Fifty, then it really matters what machine you are using. It would be nice to develop a working guide to help people compare machines.

So here is a simple test, if you can help me out maybe we can compare machines and keep the workouts similar.

Here is all you need to do.

Start from a stopped flywheel.

10 minutes at 75 rpm.

At the end of the 10 minutes stop the bike and don’t let it run out.

Note how many calories were burned during that time.

Note the distance travelled.

Leave your comments below and I will put together a nice spreadsheet detailing the output of the bikes.

Type: Calories RPMS

Airdyne AD4 228 75

More Airdyne workouts here.

The post Comparing the Airdyne to the Air Assault Bike appeared first on Mark's Gym.

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Airdyne 20 Calorie Sprints

January 25, 2016, 9:45 am

≫ Next: 5 Rounds of Intervals Airdyne and Deadlifts

≪ Previous: Comparing the Airdyne to the Air Assault Bike

Airdyne 20 Calorie Sprints – Interval Training for the Air Bike!

max effort on the airdyne

20 Calorie Sprints on the Airdyne

20 calorie sprints on the airdyne, how hard can it be? Can you do 20 calories in less than 20 seconds? Can you do that 10 times? Give it a shot!

Set up Airdyne and have a friend with a stopwatch or set it up on the Airdyne to count down from a minute. I have done this using a partner and a stopwatch.

The goal is to maintain a very fast sprint pace for 20 calories.

Rest two minutes between rounds.

Repeat 10 times.

A very good goal to shoot for is less than 25 seconds for the 20 calories.

The goal standard is 10 rounds each less than 20 seconds.

Happy Dyning!

Click here for a list of Airdyne workouts

airdyne sprint times

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5 Rounds of Intervals Airdyne and Deadlifts

April 7, 2016, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Fixing Loose Pedals on Airdyne

≪ Previous: Airdyne 20 Calorie Sprints

5 Rounds of Intervals Airdyne and Deadlifts

Airdynes and Deadlifts Intervals

A short little workout today, It’s a tough little one that pushes you past your anaerobic threshold. The airdyne bike gets your heart rate up, and then you go lift some heavy weight quickly. Not so bad for the first couple of rounds, but then it catches up with you. We did this as a warm up for our olympic lifting today.

5 rounds of:

29/20 calories of Airdyne – 10 deadlifts at 205 lbs /135 lbs

Rest 1:00 minute and repeat five times.

Total time of workout includes rest.

Did it today in 10:37 at CrossFit Mozomo

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Fixing Loose Pedals on Airdyne

April 5, 2017, 2:57 pm

≫ Next: Heathers Gym Airdyne Test

≪ Previous: 5 Rounds of Intervals Airdyne and Deadlifts

Fixing Loose Pedals on the Airdyne

So when you pedal your Airdyne, you feel like the pedal is wobbling all around and it doesn’t feel very smooth. The problem is probably not in the pedal at all, it is probably the wedge pin that holds the crank arm on.

The wedge pin that holds the connector for the pedal gets worn down over time, and if you purchase a new pin, you can tighten up the whole pedal assembly and get back to hammering on the bike without the thought of the arm ripping off!

This piece is called a wedge pin, or may otherwise be known as a french cotter pin. They may be found at your local bike store, and if you are going there, I would take a pin out and take it with you. Remember that Airdyne bikes were made a while ago, and they used parts and pieces from bicycle manufacturing to make the original Airdynes. The old school bicycles used cottered cranks, so you may just get lucky and find the pieces you need at your local shop. Click here for a great article on cottered cranks by Sheldon Brown

You can also buy Airdyne specific wedge pins online here

A few bucks goes a long way in making sure your ride the Airdyne is smooth as butter.

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Heathers Gym Airdyne Test

July 21, 2014, 2:23 pm

≫ Next: “450” Airdyne Interval workout

≪ Previous: Fixing Loose Pedals on Airdyne

15 rounds of:
1 minute airdyne for calories
1 minute of rest
For 30 minutes.

Bonus points if you can do this while listening to Carrie Underwood.

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“450” Airdyne Interval workout

October 27, 2014, 3:44 pm

≫ Next: Should I buy an old Airdyne?

≪ Previous: Heathers Gym Airdyne Test

Intervals on the airdyne are an effective way to push the intensity.

The goal of this workout is to hit 450 calories on the airdyne.

Click here for a full list of all the Airdyne workouts.

↧

Should I buy an old Airdyne?

November 12, 2014, 7:16 pm

≫ Next: Fixing the Airdyne Bike

≪ Previous: “450” Airdyne Interval workout

Cons: it’s an awful color. The monitor is old and is run with a cable. Good luck finding a replacement, if this baby goes then I guess you still essentially have a “warm up” bike.

Click here for more Airdyne Specific workouts.

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Fixing the Airdyne Bike

May 5, 2015, 4:57 am

≫ Next: Team Airdyne Workout for Calories

≪ Previous: Should I buy an old Airdyne?

Fixing the Airdyne Bike Bottom Bracket

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Team Airdyne Workout for Calories

May 11, 2015, 12:47 pm

≫ Next: First to 50 Airdyne Challenge #first2fifty

≪ Previous: Fixing the Airdyne Bike

Team Airdyne Workout for Calories

Teams of 2:

For Calories each partner will alternate through the following sequence.

50-40-30-20-10 for Calories

Partner 1 does 50 calories, partner 2 does 50 calories, partner 1 does 40 calories, partner 2 does 40 calories, complete sequence until each partner completes all the way down until 10 calories.

Workout is for time, although this will vary depending on who your partner is.

This will work with teams of 3 or 4 even.

Today we had 3 bikes in the game, and there were two teams of two. The reason for the third bike, was that there was a height difference and we didn’t want to waste time by switching seat height.

The work to rest ratio on this workout is approximately 1:1 and the team dynamics allow you to push the pace and intensity beyond what you normally would do.

Give it a whirl, some numbers to shoot for from today:

Didn’t win this round on the Airdyne

Brian and Heather of (Heather’s Gym) 11:58

Mark and Rob 12:18

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