Indoor Cycling Classes

When the weather outside threatens to upset your fitness program, indoor cycling classes can save the day. They're a great way to stay in shape, even while your mountain or road bike is tucked safely away in the garage.

Indoor cycling classes are a great way to stay in shape all year round

Cycling classes were invented by a world-class cyclist in the late 1980s as a way to enhance his training. The classes were so popular that he opened the first spinning center in Santa Monica, California and trained other instructors how to teach classes.

Indoor cycling is performed on specially designed indoor cycles that resemble outdoor racing bikes. Built more like stationary exercise bikes, indoor cycling rigs feature large, weighted flywheels in the front, low-slung racing handlebars and skinny racing seats to emulate the feeling of flying downhill on a road bike. Each bike has a resistance knob that allows the rider to adjust the tension against the flywheel, making it easier or harder to pedal. While indoor cycling bikes can be ridden solo, most are ridden in classes that are led by trained instructors.

During a typical 45 to 60 minute indoor cycle class, the instructor will guide each participant through a series of moves that are designed to increase their heart rate, burn fat and increase muscle strength. After a five to ten minute warm-up, the instructor will begin challenging the class by climbing hills, pedaling on flat roads and other moves designed to improve fitness and burn calories.

Sometimes students will be sitting. Sometimes they'll be standing, out of the saddle, climbing steep hills. Depending on the individual and how hard he exercises, most students can burn between 450 to 600 calories per class.

Devoted exercise enthusiasts enjoy indoor cycling for a number of reasons:

• It's easy to do and doesn't require much coordination
• There's no need to buy an expensive bicycle
• It can be done all year round, in all types of weather
• It's a great way to meet other people
• Being part of a group can help you to stick with your exercise program

On the other hand, there are a number of drawbacks to indoor cycling:

• It's usually done indoors
• There's not much to look at
• It's not the same workout you'd get on a traditional road bike
• It's usually done in large groups, in crowded, stuffy rooms
• The high repetitions can cause overuse injuries

The best indoor cycling classes are led by trained instructors with a background in health and fitness, personal training or exercise physiology. Qualified instructors understand how to conduct a good class and how the body reacts to being physically challenged. Although these classes are just that – classes – a good instructor can help tailor workouts to the individual's needs by making suggestions on how to control the intensity and duration of each part of the class. They'll also mix things up by constantly testing students with different terrain, exercise intensity intervals and routines.

If you've never tried indoor cycling, there are a few things to keep in mind before you start. First, be sure to get your doctor's clearance before enrolling in a class. If you're over 50 and haven't exercised in a while, you may want to get a complete physical examination, including a resting EKG and blood chemistry test. Next, go to your local cycle shop and buy an inexpensive pair of cycling shorts. Besides looking cool, cycling shorts support your legs, provide the added comfort of a padded crotch and won't get hung up on the end of the bicycle seat when you stand up out of the seat. Most bikes accommodate either traditional running shoes or clipless cycling shoes. Cycling shoes are preferred because their stiff soles allow you to exert more pressure on the pedals without experiencing sore feet or hot spots on the bottom of your feet. Finally, be sure to bring several bottles of water to drink during class. Nutritionists recommend that people who exercise consume at least one liter of water per hour. And, if your club doesn't provide towels, be sure to bring two utility grade towels for your workout: one to cushion the handlebars and one to wipe off your sweat.

Cycling classes are a great way to lose weight and maintain your fitness program when the weather outside isn't conducive to exercising. By participating in regularly scheduled classes, you'll not only adhere to your fitness program, you'll also meet new friends!

Written by Allen Smith

• Pictures of People Exercising
• Women Fitness Models
• Male Fitness Model

• Breast Lifting Exercise
• Contour Abs
• Naked Exercise
• Naked Pilates
• Hula Hoop Exercises