Thursday, April 21, 2022
Indoor cycling has many mental and physical benefits. Classes are as challenging as they are exhilarating. Like many other forms of exercise, an indoor cycling class can promote weight loss, improve strength and increase muscular endurance.
Here are some reasons that indoor cycling classes are such an effective mode of exercise:
If you’re looking to get the most bang for your buck, this is the answer. Total calories burned during a 40-minute indoor cycling workout could range from 460-600 calories or more. Exercise science and research has shown that excess post oxygen consumption will keep you burning calories long after the workout is complete.
Pro tip: Purchase an exercise/workout tracker with a heart rate monitor to get a better estimate of calories burned.
This is a workout where you have complete control. Yes, there is an instructor guiding you through this journey and coaching – but you have control of the resistance you add to the bike as well as the pace you keep.
With the ability to work hard without impact, you can focus on results without discomfort. In fact, indoor cycling classes accommodate ailments, go easy on injuries, support joint and tendon health and enhance the longevity of your fitness regimen.
Core. By bracing your core throughout the workout, you will stay stable and balanced. This will keep you more efficient and prevent you from bouncing in the seat at higher speeds.
Posterior Chain. The posterior chain is a total powerhouse. It includes some of the biggest and strongest muscles in your entire body, including lats, hamstrings, calves and essentially all the muscles in the back of the body. The posterior chain is responsible for functionality in everyday movements like picking up or pulling things and sitting or standing. Having a strong posterior chain can also help prevent injuries to the hamstrings, knees and low back. Indoor cycling classes help train all the muscles of the posterior chain, which can also improve your posture.
Through aerobic and anaerobic training, you will improve your heart’s stroke volume. By increasing your stroke volume, your heart becomes more efficient with each beat. The key aspect of indoor cycling that allows this to happen is interval training; you are rarely sustaining a constant heart rate during a cycling class.
Members can sign up for a class online at movebybjc.org/Class-Schedule. For more information, call our front desk at 314.286.0525.