There are two types of people: those who love to ride their bikes outdoors (but bad weather prevents them) and those who prefer indoor cycling classes. Whoever you are, spinning has something to contribute to your training.
Most gyms offer a variety of class options, even some short 20-minute ones, so we can always fit a workout routine into our busy schedule. Spinning classes are as challenging as they are exhilarating. The benefits of a class include weight loss, improved strength and stamina.
What is it?
Spinning refers to gym cycling classes on a certain type of stationary exercise bike. These bikes are big and heavy, not designed to be taken out of the gym or living room, and not suitable for riding outdoors. Spinning classes are group exercise classes focused on endurance-based intervals, heart rate training and sometimes in a full body workout.
Spinning classes are designed to be as motivating and engaging as they are effective. Although we won't have a virtual map or much of a screen to look at, it will be the instructor and classmates that will keep us motivated and pedaling. High energy music will be playing at full volume and an outgoing monitor will help push us to the limit.
We can consider spinning as a aerobic modality where, based on exercise bikes and the rhythm of music, respiratory and cardiovascular capacity are encouraged. It is clearly a cardio exercise, highly recommended for those who want to stay in shape without resorting to machines or weight lifting.
Typical classes range between 12 and 24 people seated on specialized indoor exercise bikes. Once class begins, the instructor (who will normally be riding with his students from the front of the class) leads the class on a ride uphill, downhill, and through some really crazy sprints. Classes usually last between 40 and 55 minutes and they are set up with inspirational, motivational and super fun playlists.
Also recommended on many occasions to lose weightIt is an exercise that is adapted to the needs and qualities of each person. Yes, it is true that it can be suitable for everyone, but the beginnings are hard, and more so if we are in poor physical shape.
Where is born?
Spinning is not an activity like others with too much tradition. And it is that he is already over 25 years old. The modality was born in the United States, by the hand of Jonathan Goldberg (known worldwide as Johny G), a professional cyclist who began to look for alternatives to not ride every day away from home.
It all stemmed from his preparation for a 3.100+ mile race across America, where he was nearly run over while training at night. He decided not to train at night anymore and created spinning.
Once his professional career began to come to an end, he saw a great opportunity to offer spinning as a commercial training program, and since 1992 its commercialization has had no limits.
muscles worked
Spinning is a total-body exercise that works all the major muscle groups. Mainly, these are the muscles worked when riding a bicycle:
- Abdomen We use the core to stabilize the body during class, which helps with overall balance, especially when standing.
- Upper part of the body. We will use the upper part of the body to support ourselves on the bicycle. Some classes incorporate upper body exercises with free weights or resistance bands.
- Lumbar. We will maintain a strong and stable spine throughout the class, which will help strengthen and tone the muscles of the back.
- Buttocks. We will feel how the glutes work with each pump, especially when we get up from the saddle, make an incline or increase the resistance.
- Quadriceps. The quadriceps will be the main muscles that will be used while pedaling and climbing slopes, which will allow us to have strong and toned legs.
- hamstrings Cycling helps strengthen and loosen the hamstrings, which lift the pedal with each cycle and stabilize the joints.
- Twins. We will work the calves with each pedal stroke, which helps protect the ankles and feet while cycling and during daily activities.
Services
Spin classes are remarkably challenging, which means we're likely to see results fast. To reap the full benefits, we will need to commit to going between three and six classes a week for a total of 150 minutes.
Suitable for all
Spinning is one of those things that seems a bit intimidating if you've never done it before. But as long as you have access to a gym, you can attend classes ranging from beginner to experienced, each helping to develop the major muscles used for cycling and your cardiovascular system.
Today, there are home exercise bikes that stream classes right into your living room, like Peloton, NordicTrack, or Technogym. Peloton's beginner classes, for example, teach participants proper form and technique, though most centers and instructors offer a variety of options to suit your needs or experience level.
And if you already have enough stamina to climb inclines and ride a lot outside, you're that much more ready to conquer a spin class.
It is a unique experience
It goes without saying that going to an indoor cycling class is not the same as riding outside. Although you can experience similar terrain (inclines and flat terrain), the classes can feel more like a party than a workout. Depending on the instructor, you'll find music from different decades, from classic rock to EDM, and they'll use interval training, tabata, or heart rate training, so it's still a great workout.
A lot of times when you're riding outside, it's just you and the voice in your head. That can be a good thing when you want to escape into nature and clear your mind, but it can be a bad thing when the voice tells you to go home. Being in a class changes things, especially when you have the motivation of an instructor who encourages you.
improves sociability
When you do an indoor cycling class, everyone from the instructor to the other participants is there to encourage and support you.
It can be really tricky to be alone on your bike, struggling to finish a particularly challenging ride. Sometimes your first instinct is to give up. But when there are other people around you, it makes you want to keep going and prove that you can finish what you started. That is exactly what happens in group classes.
Works the whole body
A spinning class not only benefits your muscles, from your legs to your core, but it's also a great low-impact cardio workout, improving blood flow, increasing stamina, boosting mood, and preventing chronic problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Due to this intense cardiovascular exercise, you will also burn a large number of calories. The average can be approximately 400 to 600 calories per class, although there are cyclists who can burn much more if they put more resistance and intensity into the training.
quick training option
Riding outside can take a couple of hours total, and most people don't have that time during the week. So taking an indoor cycling class is a great option for when your schedule is full and you only have an hour or less to exercise.
But don't worry: exercising in a shorter amount of time doesn't mean you won't get the same benefits as a longer workout.
Burn calories
Spinning classes are a great way to burn calories. Depending on the difficulty and duration of the class, we can burn 400 to 600 calories per class. We will need to attend classes three to six times a week to see weight loss results.
Spinning and strength training are enough to have a positive effect on endurance and strength without changing eating habits. However, it is a good idea to eat a healthy diet that includes plenty of carbohydrates and protein.
It is low impact
Indoor cycling is a low-impact exercise. It's perfect for people coming back from injury, because the hips, knees and ankles won't take a beating. This makes it a great option for those who are not yet 100% available after being injured, or for seniors looking for a way to stay active without putting extra stress on their joints.
The lower train is strengthened
There are many who consider that the hardest part to train is usually the legs and buttocks, and on many occasions finding substitutes for lifting weights is a great joy. For this reason, spinning will not only be another cardio activity, but depending on the configuration of the bike you use, you will be able to put on a hard pedal and perform the full hour, gaining strength in a more lively and less mentally hard activity.
With this we do not encourage completely replacing the gym routines that we usually have, in fact, It is not recommended to do only spinning, but the correct thing is to complement with other exercises where we also start the upper body and alternate.
You can be your own coach
It is true that spinning without a monitor indicating what to do and saying when to get off the bike and when not, becomes more monotonous, but at the same time we can control ourselves even more than in other activities, since nobody knows our body and our limit more than ourselves.
As the sessions progress, we can dare to put the intensity of the pedals harder, or on a day when we are more tired, do a lighter workout and compensate it with another day where we have more energy. It is the good thing about spinning and it is that each one decides how far they do in that training.
easy to adapt
On roads, you can't go down a mountain slope if you're not willing to go up it that day. But the beauty of a spin class is that you can customize it to your own needs.
The instructor is there to guide you, but you can always modify the training. For example, you don't have to stay on top of the bike during the part of training that tells you to if you feel safer on solid ground. It can also slow down if you need to, you don't have to worry about someone coming up behind you and pulling you down. And if the class motivates you to push yourself even harder, perhaps try competing with your partner next door. Everyone in the class is there to work out to the best of their ability, while enjoying the uplifting vibes of the group.
Possible risks
You have to be careful not to try too hard, especially at the beginning. Although we can try to keep up with the classes, we must also listen to the body. This is especially important if we have injuries or medical problems that could interfere with cycling. Taking a moderate approach is the best way to stay safe and avoid injury. It is normal to feel especially tired and sore after the first few classes, but it is possible to find that we can withstand longer and more intense periods of cycling.
we will make sure drink a lot of water before each spinning session. Drinking water in the days before and after helps us stay hydrated.
If we have a desk job and spend a lot of time sitting, we'll be sure to balance indoor cycling classes with other activities, such as stretching, strength and resistance training, and exercises that move the body through a full range. of movement.
Differences with indoor cycle
It's rare that the two worlds of indoor cycling collide: indoor cycling and spinning. Spinning is actually a registered trademark of training products and programs. It can also be described as group indoor cycling workouts, typically done in a large gym room. However, indoor cycling is a more general term that refers to riding an indoor stationary bike.
Both focus on both the virtual and the real world. In an indoor class we can connect to applications and explore thousands of different paths, worlds and workouts from the comfort of our home. Instead, spin classes emphasize the real world aspects of community and cycling. The instructor will guide us through all the intervals. The face monitor It is the biggest difference between indoor cycling and Spinning.
Indoor cycling is often the preference of those who ride in the real world, as well as virtual runners and perhaps even introverts. We will not need to do any social interaction, and we will have access to a harder and better structured trainingor compared to Spinning. Indoor cycling is mostly about power, something you won't find on most Spin bikes.
Another underappreciated aspect of indoor cycling is that the bike specifically tailored to us. In traditional Spin classes, we'll have a general bike that's used by a lot of other people (they clean them between classes, of course). Bikes come in different sizes, but they are also limited in their range of fit. In indoor cycling, we'll be able to ride our own bike, complete with the exact handlebars, saddle, reach, and position that we want.