So, you’re starting a gym routine or trying to spice up your old one? Since my knee surgery, I can’t run anymore. I used to participate in marathons just for fun, so this is a bummer. (Note I said “participate”. My best ever marathon time is around five hours and forty minutes, so running or racing weren’t in my realm.) I can walk (but not on a treadmill, as I’ve been learning over the last two weeks). I can use an elliptical trainer (which provides a good approximation of running or walking without the impact and stress on a knee). I can use a stationary bike. As TECH has noted in his soon-to-be-famous “endolphin” post, those upright critters try to “split me in half.” The recombinant (recumbent) bike is much more comfortable to ride, and you can get a killer workout on it (or not, I worked through OTS riding a stationary bike with little or no resistance for hours while listening to music and studying and earning fitness points–I got some benefit out of it–it was all about maximum use of my time).

The recombinant bike has been my friend since last October. The day before my knee surgery, I was doing a basic 20 minute workout on this style of bike and had worked up to Level 10 (I was awed, believe me). Since the knee surgery, I’ve had a number of things going on, and I wasn’t allowed to ride the bike for awhile, so I’ve just been back to regularly working out on it since the end of June.

I’m doing several different workouts on the bike and have gradually worked up from a level 5 (you start either where it feels right for you or where a fitness professional suggests you start–I’m no pro at this, and I don’t play one on TV) to a level 9. I vary my routine, but I really like heart rate workouts. If you can afford the most inexensive Polar Heart Rate monitor you can find (I think they’re around $40), use the chest strap, and most professional quality machines will automatically read your heart rate. If you can’t afford one, don’t worry about it, just vary your routine using some of the other suggestions.

My recent favorite is what I call heart rate sprints. I program a heart rate workout into the machine (you may go with the default or make it tougher or easier than suggested–so far, I’m telling it I’m 40, but I had been telling it I was 30 before the knee started bothering me; I’ll work back up to that, I hope). Usually, the machine will adjust resistance until your heart rate reaches a certain rate, then it will ease the resistance while your heart rate recovers. You can do this workout in a leisurely way, but if you want to do the sprint workout, see how fast you can reach the programmed maximum heart rate, then ease back until your heart rate drops to the recovery rate, then “race” back up. This is goood for relieving boredom, and I’ve also heart it’s a good way to condition your heart.

Another profile I enjoy running is the Alpine Pass. I use the heart rate monitor again to determine what level provides a good cardio workout for me. Until recently, the knee was giving out before my heart was being exercised, but I’ve beginning to overcome that. This week, level 9 is giving me a good, challenging workout. You can vary these by time as well as level. I’m currently doing 45 minutes. I plan to build to 60 minutes. I also hope to increase the level–not sure how high I can get it, but I’m beginning to think it’d be cool to max the machine.

NOTE: As with running, increase your time gradually. If you’re currently doing 20 minutes on the bike, you shouldn’t increase that total daily time more than 10% a week (or, in this example, 2 minutes). That should keep you from harming yourself.

If I want an easier day, I do the forest trail. I may do that for longer time at a lower level or a shorter time as a higher level. Usually, I do the same or longer time at a lower level. But what are your goals? Do you want to move up a level? Maybe shorter time at the new level would be good. Are you trying to increase your endurance? Longer time as a lower level might do the trick.

Not a biology fan? Recombinant DNA is DNA that has been artificially created. I’ve just walked you through an “artificially created” cycling program. Sure, you could do this on the streets on a two wheeler. But why? No helmet required. Cars won’t run you over. Pedestrians won’t get in your way. You can listen to your music or e-book of choice, watch TV, or talk to a friend. What’s not to like? And it won’t split you in half, so you don’t have to worry about mutation.