Indoor cycling
Indoor cycling is a group cardio class on stationary bikes. The instructor leads the ride to music — steady climbs, fast sprints, riding seated and standing — and you set the resistance on your own bike. Many people call it spinning, although Spinning is itself the brand name of one programme.
What it is for
Section titled “What it is for”- Cardio and endurance, at an intensity you choose.
- Stronger legs and buttocks.
- Low impact: there are no jumps and no landings, so the knees and ankles take less shock than in running.
- A hard workout in a group, with music and the energy of the room, while each person works at their own level.
Equipment
Section titled “Equipment”- Close-fitting sports clothes, so nothing catches on the bike. Many riders wear padded cycling shorts.
- Training shoes with a stiff sole. Some bikes also take cycling shoes with cleats — ask the studio which pedals it has.
- A towel and a large bottle of water: you sweat a lot.
- The studio provides the bikes. Many show your cadence or power on a small display.
How a class goes
Section titled “How a class goes”- Usually 45–60 minutes; some studios also run 30-minute rides.
- Come a few minutes early to your first class: the instructor helps you set the saddle height and position and the handlebars. A bad set-up is uncomfortable and can strain the knees.
- A warm-up at an easy pace, then the main ride: intervals, climbs with more resistance, sprints, and riding out of the saddle.
- The instructor calls out the pace and the resistance, but the resistance knob is yours — you can always turn it down.
- A slow cool-down on the bike, then stretching off it.
- A sore seat after the first rides is common and eases as you get used to the saddle; padded shorts help.
Who it suits best
Section titled “Who it suits best”- People who want intense cardio without impact on the joints.
- Beginners: everybody rides in the same room, but each person sets their own resistance.
- Runners and cyclists who train indoors in winter.
- People who like music and a group atmosphere. For interval work off the bike, see HIIT.
- It suits less anybody with heart problems or high blood pressure, or with back or knee problems that cycling makes worse — ask your doctor and tell the instructor. For something gentler, see Aqua aerobics.