Hands Bike
Chasing chest thickness through a full range? Hands Bike uses straightforward equipment demands to get there.
How to do Hands Bike
- Adjust the seat height and handlebar position to a comfortable level.
- Sit on the ergometer with your back straight and feet on the pedals.
- Grasp the handles with your hands and position your arms at a 90-degree angle.
- Start pedaling with your hands, pushing and pulling the handles in a controlled motion.
- Continue pedaling for the desired duration or number of repetitions.
Hands Bike Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 6-8 reps at your hardest clean leverage, resting 2-3 minutes. Stop the set at the last rep that still looks like the first.
Hypertrophy
4 sets of 12-18 reps with 60 seconds of rest. Change one variable a week and let the rest stay put.
Endurance
3 sets of 25-30 reps with 30-45 seconds of rest. Add reps before you add load, and keep every rep the same shape.
Common Hands Bike Mistakes
Letting the return phase happen on its own
Control the way back with the same effort you spend on the way out.
Flaring the elbows straight out to the sides
Keep the upper arms nearer 45 degrees from the torso.
Letting the last set decay into a different exercise
End the set when the pattern changes, not when the reps run out.
Easier and Harder Than Hands Bike
Swap Hands Bike For
Hands Bike — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Hands Bike?
Adjust the seat height and handlebar position to a comfortable level. Sit on the ergometer with your back straight and feet on the pedals. Grasp the handles with your hands and position your arms at a 90-degree angle. Use upper Body Ergometer and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Hands Bike work?
The Hands Bike primarily targets the pectorals. It is classified as a chest exercise and is performed with upper Body Ergometer.
How many sets and reps of the Hands Bike should I do?
For muscle growth: 4 sets of 12-18 reps with 60 seconds of rest. Change one variable a week and let the rest stay put. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Hands Bike good for beginners?
It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic chest patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.
What can I do instead of the Hands Bike?
Try the Dumbbell Incline Fly, Smith Machine Reverse Decline Close Grip Bench Press or the Barbell Decline Bench Press. Each trains the pectorals with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
