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Indoor Cycling: What Is It? What are the Benefits?

November 8, 2022/0 Comments/in Cardio, Cycling, Fitness, Indoor Cycling, Spin Class, Yoga Fever /by Shannon Austin

Indoor cycling is a workout that has become vastly popular in recent years. You may be wondering: What exactly is indoor cycling? What are the benefits of indoor cycling? And why should I choose indoor cycling over a different form of exercise? We’ll walk through all of that and more.

What Is Indoor Cycling?

To put it simply, indoor cycling is a form of cardio exercise performed on a specific style of stationary bike. Indoor cycling classes typically follow an interval style, rotating between resistance work, speed work, and combination endurance, mimicking the “hills and valleys” of an outdoor cycling experience. These classes are often characterized by their intense pace and high-energy music and atmosphere.

The Benefits of Indoor Cycling

The fun music and upbeat vibes at an indoor cycling class are sure to put you in a good mood, but the benefits don’t end there. While this type of cycling is primarily thought of as a high-intensity cardio workout, it’s also great for building lower body strength.

Alongside the obvious cardiovascular benefits of this heart-pumping workout, you’ll find that it strengthens and builds your core, calves, hamstrings, quads, and glutes. Some instructors will even incorporate upper body strength work into their classes, either body weight or with a light dumbbell or bar, making indoor cycling a full-body burn!

The Equipment Needed for Indoor Cycling

One awesome perk of indoor cycling is that there is very little equipment needed to get started. Whatever workout apparel you typically exercise in should work just fine for your indoor cycling class. However, cycling-specific shoes are the one piece special equipment you may want to invest in.

Most bikes at cycling studios and gyms will have pedals suited for either regular tennis shoes that slide into toe cages with straps, or cycling shoes that clip into the pedals.

So, unless your studio requires them, cycling shoes aren’t totally necessary—but they do have some clear advantages over regular road shoes.

Cycling shoes that clip-in securely to your bike pedals will increase your stability and power during your workout. They also decrease risk of injury by making sure your weight is evenly distributed throughout your feet, and that your feet won’t slide off the pedals mid-workout. We recommend Shimano brand for comfortability and longevity.

Why Choose Indoor Cycling?

If you’ve gotten this far and are still wondering, “why choose indoor cycling over a different type of exercise?,” there are a few unique benefits worth noting.

As previously mentioned, indoor cycling classes work in an interval style that is challenging for both your muscles and your heart. But did you know that this type of training actually gets your heart and metabolism working faster than a typical steady-state workout? That means more calories burned during your workout and even after the fact (due to higher oxygen consumption post-workout)—making indoor cycling a great choice for fat burn and weight loss.

Another benefit of indoor cycling is that it is low-impact, meaning you can expect less joint pain, lower risk of injury, and shorter recovery periods between workouts compared to an activity like running.

Last but not least, indoor cycling classes are known for their fun and encouraging atmosphere. At most studios, you can expect dimmed lights, upbeat music, and an energetic spirit that makes classes feel more like a party than a workout!

Now that you know all the basics and unique benefits of indoor cycling, it’s time to get your cycling journey started! Book your first class at Fever | Yoga Cycle Strength.

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Is Indoor Cycling a Good Workout?

May 31, 2022/0 Comments/in Cardio, Fitness, Indoor Cycling /by Shannon Austin

Indoor cycling classes are often known for their upbeat music, fast pace, and party-like atmosphere. But is indoor cycling really a good workout? Can an exercise that’s fun be effective, too? Let’s explore the strength, cardio, and weight loss benefits of indoor cycling.

The Strength Benefits of Indoor Cycling

Indoor cycling helps to build and strengthen many of the largest muscle groups in your body, including your calves, hamstrings, quads, and glutes. These core muscles power your cycling workout—and the higher you set your resistance, the harder these muscles will work.

Cycling also helps to strengthen your core, which keeps your body aligned and stable when sitting or standing on the bike. Cycling instructors may also incorporate upper body work into a class through the use of dumbbells, a weighted bar, or through push up movements on the bike.

Investing in the right indoor cycling shoes can significantly enhance your workout experience. Proper gear, like well-fitted shoes, ensures optimal foot support, reducing the risk of discomfort or injury during intense cycling sessions. When you clip into the pedals with recommended indoor cycling shoes, you gain improved power transfer and efficiency, allowing for a smoother ride and maximizing the benefits of your workout. Upgrade your gear for a more comfortable, efficient, and enjoyable indoor cycling experience.

The Cardio Benefits of Indoor Cycling

Cardio exercises, especially those that are medium to high-intensity like indoor cycling, are extremely beneficial for cardiovascular health. Regular cardio exercise helps increase the output capacity of your heart as well as your VO2 max—the ability of your heart and lungs to consume oxygen.

This improved capacity and stamina in your heart and lungs means that you’ll be able to cycle and exercise harder, faster, and for longer. And even more importantly, your heart and lungs will be healthier for your everyday activities and life.

Tip: One extra benefit of indoor cycling over other cardio activities like running is that it is low-impact and easier on your joints. That means shorter recovery times and a lessened risk of injury over time.

The Weight Loss Benefits of Indoor Cycling

The interval style of indoor cycling classes offers unique benefits for calorie burn and weight loss: most classes include a rotation of focus on high speed, high resistance, and overall endurance that causes your heart rate to rise, fall, and rise again. This style of training gets your heart pumping and metabolism burning faster than a typical steady-state workout, and also contributes to higher oxygen consumption post-workout—meaning that you’ll keep burning calories at a higher rate even after the workout is done.

If you’re looking to challenge your muscles, get your heart pumping, and leave your next workout both sweaty and smiling, indoor cycling is the perfect choice for you. Schedule a class at Fever | Yoga Cycle Strength today.

Is 30 Minutes of Indoor Cycling Enough?

April 12, 2022/0 Comments/in circuit training, cross training, Cycling, Fitness, Indoor Cycling, Spin Class, Yoga Fever /by Shannon Austin

Indoor cycling classes often range from 30 to 45 or even 60 minutes. You may see a 30 minute class and think: is 30 minutes of indoor cycling really enough to lose weight and be an effective work out?

The Ideal Length for Indoor Cycling

Leading health organizations recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, every week. That means we should be getting around 20 minutes of moderate-intensity physical exercise 7 days a week, or around 30 minutes 5 days a week.

Depending on the class and your personal output, indoor cycling could fall in either the moderate-intensity or vigorous-intensity activity category, which means 30 minutes is actually a great length for your daily workout.

Your calories burned during a 30 minute indoor cycling class will vary based on a variety of factors, including your weight, age, gender, and as mentioned, the intensity of your workout. As a general reference, though, average riders report 250-400 calories burned in one 30 minute class.

Over time, you may notice that as your stamina and endurance increase, and that your 30 minutes of indoor cycling is no longer physically challenging. If that occurs, try bumping up your cycling sessions to 45 or 60 minutes!

Maximizing Your 30 Minute Indoor Cycling Workout

It’s important to focus on the quality, rather than just the quantity, of your workout. So, when taking a 30 minute indoor cycling class, focus on giving your maximum effort from start to finish. Giving your best and challenging yourself to push for the full 30 minutes will ensure optimal results, but do be careful not to overexert yourself to the point of harm or injury. Take rest and water breaks when needed.

Whether it’s for 15, 30, or 60 minutes, indoor cycling is a great way to build your strength, increase your stamina, burn calories, and release those feel-good endorphins.

Schedule an indoor cycling class at YogaFever | Yoga Cycle Strength today!

Can You Lose Weight by Cycling Indoors?

April 9, 2022/0 Comments/in Cardio, Indoor Cycling, Nutrition, Yoga Fever /by Shannon Austin

Indoor cycling (also known as “spin” or “spinning”) has risen in popularity over the years. But you may be wondering: can a workout this fun actually help you lose weight? AND can I participate in indoor cycling as a beginner?

Short answer: YES! Like all forms of exercise, when combined with a balanced diet, indoor cycling can contribute to healthy weight loss. Here’s how.

The Weight Loss Advantages of Indoor Cycling

All cardio exercises are great for maximizing your calorie burn, but indoor cycling has some unique benefits. Indoor cycling classes typically follow an interval style, alternating between sections that focus on high speed with lower resistance, slower speeds with higher resistance, and a combination of both. This type of workout is especially great for weight loss because it gets your metabolism running faster than an even-paced, steady-state workout would.

This variation of pace and exertion also contributes to higher oxygen consumption post-workout, which means you’ll continue to burn calories even after you’ve finished your session!

Indoor cycling is also great for healthy and sustainable weight loss because it’s low-impact and easier on your joints than most other cardio activities, like running. This ensures shorter recovery times and a lessened risk of injury.

While typically seen as cardio exercise, high-resistance indoor cycling can also help build and strengthen the muscles in your lower body, including your quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes, and even your core! Not only does this help with a stronger physique, but more muscle on your body actually means more calories burned throughout your day—even when at rest.

All of these factors make indoor cycling a fun and effective workout for achieving your weight loss goals. If you’re ready to switch up your cardio routine or start building your stamina, check out the indoor cycling classes at YogaFever | Yoga Cycle Strength.

What are the Benefits of Indoor Cycling?

March 16, 2022/1 Comment/in Cardio, Fitness, Indoor Cycling /by Shannon Austin

Indoor cycling is an increasingly popular form of high-intensity exercise—but do the health benefits live up to the hype? We certainly think so! When incorporated into your fitness routine, indoor cycling can provide many benefits, including:

Heart Health and Stamina

High-intensity exercises like indoor cycling are ideal for improving your cardiovascular health. When engaging in this type of exercise regularly, you’ll notice an increase in both lung capacity and overall stamina. That means that, over time, you’ll be able to cycle harder, faster, and for longer. This increase in heart and lung capacity is beneficial not only for your workouts, but for your everyday quality of life.

Increased Strength

Indoor cycling targets many of the largest and most important muscle groups in your body, while still remaining low-impact on your joints. Your whole lower body, including your calves, hamstrings, quads, and glutes, power your cycling workout—and the higher the resistance, the harder they’ll work. Cycling also strengthens your core, which acts as a stabilizer when sitting or standing on the bike. Cycling instructors may also incorporate upper body work into a class.

Maximized Calorie Burn

Indoor cycling provides unique weight loss benefits when compared to other styles of cardio exercise, namely, the benefits of interval-style training. Cycling workouts typically include a rotation of focus on speed, resistance, and endurance. Interval-style training that allows your heart rate to rise, fall, and rise again, increases your metabolism more than a steady-state workout. This type of training also contributes to higher oxygen consumption after the workout, which means your body will keep burning calories even after you’ve finished your cycling session.

Improved Mental Health

Exercise is known for improving mental health and decreasing stress due to the release of dopamine and endorphins, and indoor cycling is no exception! Spin classes specifically are often characterized by their fun, upbeat music and pace, which can make the workouts feel more like a party than a chore.

Indoor cycling offers numerous benefits for your physical and mental health. Experience the benefits at your first YogaFever | Yoga Cycle Strength spin class!