- Engage your core: You need to keep your abs working even when you're sitting and pedaling. Ease up your grip on the handles and stabilize your torso by pulling your abs toward your spine. Working your core while riding will not only improves your posture but it helps you ride more efficiently, which can lead to bigger calorie burn.
- Increase your resistance: Sculpt your lower body by turning up the resistance and imagine your are climbing one long hill (be mindful of your knees though). When pedaling, keep your foot parallel with the ground and emphasize pushing through your heel to fire up the muscles on the back of your legs.
- Pull the pedals:: The quads tend to dominate when pushing the pedal down. To get the back of the leg to work, work on pulling up on the pedals, too. Focus on pushing with one leg while pulling with the other to keep your power output constant.
- Stand up: Take advantage of the stability of a stationary bike and pedal while standing. You can stand straight up, so it feels more like you're running, or lean out over the handle bars keeping your bum off the seat. No matter what pedaling posture your take, make sure to engage your core. When pedaling standing, make sure you have enough resistance that you are in control of the spinning motion of your pedals — try to decrease the bounce.
Check out this 30-minute ride that plays with speed and cadence; get ready to sprint.