The indoor cycling workout is a great way to build muscle, burn fat, and get in shape. The high resistance of this type of exercise creates a greater demand on your muscles than lower intensity activities. This means you can expect a greater after-burn effect as well. In fact, one University study found that participants who rode an ergometer at 85% of their maximum heart rate for 15 minutes had higher levels of lactic acid in their blood than those who cycled at 50% of their max HR for the same duration. Since lactic acid causes soreness and fatigue, the higher levels made them feel it more too. That’s not all—a separate study from the same university found that riders also experienced significant increases in serum CK (creatine kinase) and urea following the session. Both markers for muscular adaptation showed that your body was responding positively to the hard work with new muscle growth and strength being developed.
How to do the Indoor Cycling Workout?
First, warm up by pedaling for five minutes at a moderate pace. Second, crank the resistance up to a higher level while you pedal. This may be 20% of max HR or more. Third, work as hard as you can for 30 seconds and then rest for 90 seconds. Fourth, repeat the cycle twice before taking 60 seconds of easy spinning to cool down. Fifth, take it outside! You’ll want to ride outside for at least 20 minutes after your workout because that’s the best way to maximize the benefits you get from exercise.
Set up your indoor cycling workout
Set up your indoor cycling workout with these tips: -Start with two to three minutes of warm-up on the bike at a low resistance. -Once you’ve got that going, crank up the resistance to high (that means even if it’s not at 100%, crank it all the way up). -Add intervals by pedaling for 30 seconds and then coasting for 30 seconds -After every interval, give yourself a five second rest period before continuing. -After 15 minutes or so of this, do another short set of intervals.
Cycle for 20 minutes at a high resistance
Cycling at a high resistance is good for your cardiovascular system and helps to build your muscles. Cycle for 20 minutes at a high resistance, which will make you sweat more. If you want to burn more calories during the workout, increase the intensity of your ride. Consider doing intervals or other types of interval training like sprinting on the bike or spinning on an indoor stationary bike. You can also try different kinds of biking styles that work better for burning calories than others, like mountain biking or BMX riding. They’re fun and challenging too!
Finish with 5 minutes of easy spinning
If you want to work on some endurance and burn fat, a good way to do this is by spinning. Spinning is a low-impact activity that provides you with the cardiovascular benefits of an indoor cycling workout. Like any type of exercise, it has its risks too. Just remember: if your body starts to hurt or ache, take a break and then come back in two days. If you are new to spinning, start with five minutes of easy spinning before moving up to longer periods of time. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 10-15 minutes per day for novices and 30-60 minutes for experts. Spinning can also be done in conjunction with other types of workouts like running or strength training as well. You could even combine it with yoga as well!
Take a break and cool down
The high levels of lactic acid and muscle soreness mean that you should take a break and cool down after this type of workout. You’ll need time to recover so that you can continue to work out in the future without any setbacks. A good way to cool down would be to use an elliptical trainer, which is also a lower intensity exercise. If you want to lose weight, follow a diet focused on high-intensity cardio workouts like indoor cycling and running as well as strength training.
Summary
The indoor cycling workout is a great way to build muscle, burn fat, and get in shape. The high resistance of this type of exercise creates a greater demand on your muscles than lower intensity activities. This means you can expect a greater after-burn effect as well. In fact, one University study found that participants who rode an ergometer at 85% of their maximum heart rate for 15 minutes had higher levels of lactic acid in their blood than those who cycled at 50% of their max HR for the same duration. Since lactic acid causes soreness and fatigue, the higher levels made them feel it more too. That’s not all—a separate study from the same university found that riders also experienced significant increases in serum CK (creatine kinase) and urea following the session. Both markers for muscular adaptation showed that your body was responding positively to the hard work with new muscle growth and strength being developed.
