Maybe your friends won’t stop talking about their new love for spinning classes. Or maybe you attended a cycling class at your gym and were intrigued by the upbeat music and synchronized pedaling.
Whatever piqued your curiosity, you’re not the first to wonder East a cycling lesson, exactly?
In short, a cycling class (often called a spinning class) is an indoor group fitness session. led by a trained and certified cycling instructor. Participants ride stationary bikes designed to mimic outdoor cycling, providing a thrilling cardio workout in a fast-paced, energetic environment.
Wondering if a spinning class is right for you? We share all the details of what this cardio energy burner is to help you decide.
What Really Does this happen in a cycling class?
If you want to walk into class like a pro on your first day, we got it. Here’s what you can expect in a typical cycling class:
- Warm – You will begin with a brief warm-up which involves pedaling lightly to slowly increase your heart rate and relax your muscles.
- Intervals – Next, you’ll put the pedal to the metal for about 40 minutes in a series of cycling intervals. This may include high-intensity sprints or hills. Your instructor can also incorporate seated and standing positions to engage different muscle groups.
- Cool – After completing the main workout, your instructor will guide you through a five to 10 minute cool-down, during which you will significantly slow down your pedaling and your heart rate will return to its natural rhythm. You can also perform some light stretches to reduce post-exercise muscle soreness and improve your muscles’ range of motion.
Benefits of a spin class
If you need a little more convincing before jumping on the cycling bandwagon, that’s okay. Incorporating spinning classes into your regular workout routine has many benefits, including:
- Improve cardiovascular endurance – Cardiovascular endurance is your body’s ability to deliver oxygen to your muscles during sustained physical activity. Although you may not be able to keep up with your instructor’s pace during your first few classes, you will notice that your endurance improves over time, allowing you to keep up with the pace for longer periods of time, increasing your cardiovascular endurance .
- Strengthen leg muscles – By moving through different resistance levels and speeds, you train your entire lower body in depth. Each downstroke works your glutes, quads, and calves while the upstroke targets the hamstrings and flexor muscles.
- Burn calories – A 45-minute cycling class can burn between 350 and 600 calories or more, depending on factors like your body composition and the intensity of your workout. It’s just as effective as a 45-minute run, but with less stress on your joints.
Can a beginner take a cycle course?
Absolutely! Another benefit of spin classes is that you can choose from a variety of classes when you sign up. Often there are classes better suited to beginners, like Introduction to Cycling or Rhythm Spin (more on that below).
However, if your gym only offers one or two types of sessions per week, you can always let your instructor know that you’re new to cycling and they can help you make changes as you go.
Types of cycling classes
Not sure what type of spinning class is right for you (or what types even exist?). Some common styles of cycling classes include:
- Endurance – These classes are designed to increase your stamina and cardiovascular endurance. They maintain a consistent pace over long periods of time, making them suitable for all fitness levels.
- Rhythmic – Featuring energetic music, tempo cycling classes often incorporate upper body movements and choreography. It’s the perfect choice for those who love an electric atmosphere and want to have fun while burning calories.
- High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) – Like other HIIT workouts, this type of spinning class maximizes the amount of calories burned in a shorter period of time. Throughout the course, you will focus on periods of intense pedaling followed by short recovery periods.
- Merger – If you want to combine strength training with cardio exercises, a spin fusion class might be your style. During the class, you’ll alternate between cycling on the bike and performing weight and bodyweight exercises off the bike for a full-body workout.
Take a cycling class with Chuze Fitness
Spinning classes are a great way to change up your usual fitness routine. They help build muscle, give a cardio boost, and can keep your metabolism revving for up to 14 hours after you’re done. This looks like a win-win situation.earn.
At Chuze Fitness, we offer a range of classes and activities you’ll love, from indoor cycling and strength training to pickleball and lap swimming. No matter where you are in your fitness journey, we have the equipment, support and expertise to make every workout a victory.
Come see for yourself with a free 7 day pass.
Ready to experience Chuze for yourself? Check out our gyms in San DiegoCypress, Fontana and more! Find the location closest to you and start exploring our incredible facilities today!
Sources:
NIH. The effectiveness of post-exercise stretching in short-term and delayed recovery of strength, range of motion and delayed onset muscle soreness: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8133317/
Bike. The different types of cycling workouts and how they improve fitness. https://www.bicycling.com/training/a45416992/types-of-cycling-workouts/
Business internal. Why You Should Try Indoor Cycling: A Low-Impact Workout With Major Benefits. https://www.businessinsider.com/indoor-cycling-exercise-benefits-2018-6
NIH. A 45-minute vigorous exercise increases metabolic rate for 14 hours. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21311363/
Reviewed by:
Ani is the Vice President of Fitness at Chuze Fitness and oversees the group fitness and team training departments. She has had a career spanning over 25 years in club management, personal training, group exercise and instructor training. Ani lives with her husband and son in San Diego, California and loves hot yoga, snowboarding, and all things wellness.
