If you've begun spinning, whether one class a week or multiple, you've no doubt noticed the way it effects your cardiovascular endurance. Spin is a low-impact (therefore great for people who can't run or recovering from injury--or just cross-training) highly aerobic form of exercise that can be tailored to individual fitness levels.
The best way to maximize your spin workout is to find an instructor (or become one) who motivates you and plays music you can rock out to. Once you've found this you'll be hooked and not even notice when the hour flies by. The instructor should begin with a gradual ~5minute warm up. You need to slowly warm up your muscles, get the blood pumping, speed up your heart rate and breath. I begin with a seated hill (sometimes standing at the end) that gradually increases in resistance.
Resistance is the "gear" or difficulty that you have to overcome on the bike. This is how you tailor it to your fitness level and goals. A great workout will incorporate different resistances in different combinations and positions throughout the workout. In the class you should do a variety of sprints, hill climbs (seated and standing), jumps (starting from an easy gear and "jumping" to a hard one). Two of my favorite routines--hoovering (pull your butt back all the over the saddle and drop your chest as low to your handlebars as possible, tighten your abs and HOLD this at a high gear), and squats (gradually increase your gear as you sit and stand every 8 seconds). All of these routines should be at varying speeds or Revolutions Per Minute (RPM).
I highly recommend finding a gym with bikes (I like Keiser bikes) that have a magnetic resistance and show RPM--this is what keeps you accountable. When you are sprinting and the goal is to maintain 120 RPM for 40 seconds, your RPM is your accountability! DO NOT SLACK OFF! You and only you can see this number, so don't cheat! Another great way to hold yourself accountable is wearing a heart rate monitor. The newest bikes will sync with your monitor and show your rate on the screen--pretty cool.
If you're mixing up speeds and gears in different increments but pushing hard the entire class you should burn from 400-900 calories. I recommend selecting songs that rock and doing a routine to it, rest at a moderate resistance at 85 RPM for 20-30 seconds in between each song then get right back in to it. Treat each song like it's the only workout your doing all day. Each routine should fatigue your muscles and send your heart rate soaring--use your rest to lower it down and catch your breath.
I highly recommend getting cycling shoes if you're serious about spinning. THese will double the impact of your workout--you can pull up on the pedal instead of just pushing down. HELLO QUADS!
I also recommend incorporating strength training into your workout. This can be done before or after but it's better to do it before. Most people are too sweaty and tired after spin to really get a good weight session in and research shows that lifting before cardio gives you max. benefit. Keep the weight amount low but do more reps (aim for 15-20 reps and 2-3 sets each) of arm, back, and core moves. I recommend doing yoga or a stretching routine AFTER spin.
Hydration and fuel are equally important. Eat 2 hours beforehand (a banana and peanut butter or oatmeal are great options) then within half an hour after spin (eat protein at this point). Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! An hour before your workout drink 16 oz. of water--it lubricates your muscles. Then small sips during class (go through an entire water bottle while in class though) and keep drinking after. After class I like to replace electrolytes because I have sweated so much. I combine a Nuun tablet with coconut water, an emergen-C packet, and a splash of apple cider vinegar for a homemade sports drink.
Hope this helps @meghandhar on twitter!
The best way to maximize your spin workout is to find an instructor (or become one) who motivates you and plays music you can rock out to. Once you've found this you'll be hooked and not even notice when the hour flies by. The instructor should begin with a gradual ~5minute warm up. You need to slowly warm up your muscles, get the blood pumping, speed up your heart rate and breath. I begin with a seated hill (sometimes standing at the end) that gradually increases in resistance.
Resistance is the "gear" or difficulty that you have to overcome on the bike. This is how you tailor it to your fitness level and goals. A great workout will incorporate different resistances in different combinations and positions throughout the workout. In the class you should do a variety of sprints, hill climbs (seated and standing), jumps (starting from an easy gear and "jumping" to a hard one). Two of my favorite routines--hoovering (pull your butt back all the over the saddle and drop your chest as low to your handlebars as possible, tighten your abs and HOLD this at a high gear), and squats (gradually increase your gear as you sit and stand every 8 seconds). All of these routines should be at varying speeds or Revolutions Per Minute (RPM).
I highly recommend finding a gym with bikes (I like Keiser bikes) that have a magnetic resistance and show RPM--this is what keeps you accountable. When you are sprinting and the goal is to maintain 120 RPM for 40 seconds, your RPM is your accountability! DO NOT SLACK OFF! You and only you can see this number, so don't cheat! Another great way to hold yourself accountable is wearing a heart rate monitor. The newest bikes will sync with your monitor and show your rate on the screen--pretty cool.
If you're mixing up speeds and gears in different increments but pushing hard the entire class you should burn from 400-900 calories. I recommend selecting songs that rock and doing a routine to it, rest at a moderate resistance at 85 RPM for 20-30 seconds in between each song then get right back in to it. Treat each song like it's the only workout your doing all day. Each routine should fatigue your muscles and send your heart rate soaring--use your rest to lower it down and catch your breath.
I highly recommend getting cycling shoes if you're serious about spinning. THese will double the impact of your workout--you can pull up on the pedal instead of just pushing down. HELLO QUADS!
I also recommend incorporating strength training into your workout. This can be done before or after but it's better to do it before. Most people are too sweaty and tired after spin to really get a good weight session in and research shows that lifting before cardio gives you max. benefit. Keep the weight amount low but do more reps (aim for 15-20 reps and 2-3 sets each) of arm, back, and core moves. I recommend doing yoga or a stretching routine AFTER spin.
Hydration and fuel are equally important. Eat 2 hours beforehand (a banana and peanut butter or oatmeal are great options) then within half an hour after spin (eat protein at this point). Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! An hour before your workout drink 16 oz. of water--it lubricates your muscles. Then small sips during class (go through an entire water bottle while in class though) and keep drinking after. After class I like to replace electrolytes because I have sweated so much. I combine a Nuun tablet with coconut water, an emergen-C packet, and a splash of apple cider vinegar for a homemade sports drink.
Hope this helps @meghandhar on twitter!
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