Indoor cycling is a group of cycling exercises performed on a stationary bike. During these classes, the instructor is the one to simulate the ride and give all the necessary instructions. Whether you’re “cycling” on flat roads or climbing hills, you just have to keep riding despite the outside real weather conditions. Your biggest motivators, when in indoor cycling class, are your instructor, people around you and the good music! Well, we’re not completely sure about the last one actually…
Cycling is one of the greatest types of workouts. No one can ever doubt this. But, let’s be real here, no one really wants to go out and keep riding in a pouring rain, high temperatures or freezing weather. That’s is why people that don’t want to get out of their comfort zones but still want to be in shape, have invented the Indoors Cycling classes. It counts as a real cycling activity while having fun and staying safe.
Just imagine a room, filled of people ready to sweat their calories off. Then, the room goes dark and the music starts. Everyone starts pedaling and pedaling faster and faster while hearing the instructor’s voice giving your instructions once in a while. Indoors spinning classes are meant to make you have fun while getting in shape. They are supposed to make you achieve all of your fitness goals in an intensive and easy way without needed to go out and face all kinds of terrains and risks the roads might have.
Experts view indoor cycling as an intense workout which might be highly effective if it’s well performed. It counts as a cardio and strength training too. Unlike running, cycling is a more low-impact type of exercise. When performed indoors, it gives you the possibility to choose and determine how hard you’re going to work, the terrain and other training specifications while making muscle injuries almost impossible to happen.
While working your glutes, calves, quads and hamstrings you can burn up to 650 calories only by performing a 45 minutes high intensity indoors cycling routine. Pretty impressive right?
Benefits of Indoor cycling
Indoors cycling is related to many health benefits. One of the first noticeable exercises has to do with our cardiovascular health. ACSM strongly recommends that adults should at least get a 150-minute physical activity per week. An indoor cycling training keeps our heart strong, while lowering the risk of coronary artery disease. It allows us to adjust the speed, bike endurance and terrain according to our program and goals. Indoors cycling is a moderate cardio activity which doesn’t force our heart too much while still keeping it in the best shape possible.
Also, indoor cycling significantly increases our muscle endurance. By the term “muscular endurance” we should all understand it has to do with the ability of our muscles to continually and rapidly exert force and strength over an extended amount of time. When we pedal against resistance in indoor cycling, we build the perfect amount of endurance our muscles need to be fit and strong. Our hamstrings, quadriceps, gluteus etc., are just some of the main muscles which get more quickly in shape while cycling indoors.
Indoor cycling is considered to work for anyone, despite their fitness level. When deciding to start indoor cycling, let an expert evaluate your fitness level. Then choose the perfect class for you. Remember, you don’t have to keep up with all the other people in your class. Try to focus on your own workout and body movements. Fortunately, indoor cycling makes you spent no money on equipment. Gyms already have professional stationary bikes. You just need to bring a good pair of shoes and a towel, because you’re going to sweat a lot! That’s for sure.
