We’ve got some good news. Spring is right around the corner, and it’s time to start shedding the winter layers and prepping for your favorite outdoor activities. Want to get to Inspiration Point without huffing and puffing or plan to hit the beach on the first sunny day of spring? Indoor cycling—also known as spinning—may be your secret training weapon.
With energy-infused music and motivating instructors, spin elevates indoor cycling from a one-note workout into a complete mind-body experience. It’s so popular that 34.7 million people are in on the trend, averaging at least one spin class each week, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. From building strength and improving your cardio fitness to building confidence and lean muscle, spinning your way into spring will help you bring the benefits of indoor cycling outside.
Get a low impact, high-intensity workout
In a spin class, you get the benefits of sprinting without the impact of running. You get the challenge of cycling without worrying about traffic, flat tires, or dodging pedestrians. And you get to “climb” hills without coasting on the way down. All of these factors together make indoor cycling an ideal workout for building speed, endurance, and cardiac fitness.
Keep your workouts fresh
Have you been faithfully logging miles on the treadmill since the weather first turned? Or grinding through your favorite HIIT routines? If so, spin might be just what you need to shake up the routine and add some intensity to your workouts. Depending on your fitness goals, experts suggest you switch up your exercise routine every two to five weeks to avoid an exercise plateau.
Here at Swell, we offer a variety of indoor cycling classes— from the full-body workout of Integrative Spin to the heart-pumping basics of our classic Spinning sessions. Plus, you’ll never have the same ride twice because each instructor choreographs their own “routes.” One day you might chip away at a high-resistance “mountain,” the next you can push it to the limit with low-resistance sprints. And with an instructor guiding your intensity, you are more likely to continue to push yourself than if you were riding solo.
Make leg day more fun
If you hike, bike, run, or surf, then you know to never skip leg day. Strength means stability, which means you can get outside this spring and do more of what you love, safely. Strong legs stabilize your hips and knees and can improve your balance while navigating difficult terrain. But what if we told you there’s a better way to strengthen than endless squats and lunges? In the average one-hour spin class, you’ll work and tone your calves, hamstrings, and quads. Plus, in certain types of spin class, you’ll also get an excellent workout for your core, back, and glutes.
Get a strong start with indoor cycling
Ready to hit the ground running this spring? The benefits of indoor cycling may be just what you need. Now, it’s time to get in the saddle.