Exercise Motivation

Indoor cycling is great exercise and very challenging at the same time.  There will be times of lack in confidence to finish a ride, exercise, or song.  Motivation is the X factor and it comes from many sources.  The energy source is usually the instructor, their music, or the energy of the whole class.  I have also experience the opposite of a student stops riding and that reaction breaks the concentration of the people around them.   My advice is to surround yourself with strong students that will inspire you throughout the class.  I have seen students in great shape struggle in a class and my retired senior student mentally have a mental breakthrough.   I have notice the biggest motivation for indoor cycling is the quality and effectiveness of the workout versus the amount of time in the gym.  My indoor cycling classes promote motivation from within.

Using Real Ryder bikes during indoor cycling classes

The first time riding the Real Ryder was a like riding a bull, I was all over the place.    I finally received some basic tips from David, a fellow instructor and the ride became natural.  After riding a stationary bike for ten plus year, it is a pleasant surprise to see the evolution of indoor cycling bikes.  This bike was designed to duplicate the real movement of outdoor cycling.   The most interesting reaction after training in a 45-minute class was no body soreness.  I felt the flexibility of the movement and it translated into less stress on my muscles and joints.  I would have never realized the benefits of natural movement unless I started riding the Real Ryder.  I also teach on stationary bikes and the difference is night and day.  The core training moving the bike left to right and holding the position is a great training feature.  I once remembered in the past manufacturers attempted to incorporate movement on stationary bike and failed.  Real Ryder is a success!

Spinning music that helps indoor cycling workouts

Music is an important ingredient for an indoor cycling program.  It sets the mood and cadence of the class for difference exercises.  Sprinting is usually associated with fast songs and climbing with slow songs.  This is a general assumption because different resistance and cadence counts works with all types of music.  The cadence is one and two and the counts are multiples of eight, sixteen, twenty-four and etc.  There are different types of music used in my class tailored to an instructor personality and style.  I am motivated by the music setting the vibe of the class by positive messages in the words or the electronic beats.  It is my responsible to relate my music to every sprint or climb in my program.  I may use a song for the sole purpose to motivate my students for an exercise such as a standing sprint.  Visualization is a great tool to assist defining a ride with your music.  Remember music is a great tool for indoor cycling but the motivation truly comes from inside you.

Inspirational stories from my students during indoor cycling class

Indoor cycling has produced some very pleasant and unpleasant surprises over the years.  I like to introduce myself before class and always ask for about any injuries or challenges to be aware.  At the beginning of class is the best time to assess incorrect alignment.  A safe class is the most important aspect of indoor cycling for me.  There are some characteristics guaranteed to appear in every indoor cycling class. The first example is when students become tired during a climb; they tend to loss alignment and start swing their hips back and forth.  One surprise was a man participating in my class only days after bypass surgery.  Now this is a good reason not to have the endurance to finish a climb or a pregnant woman in their last term will not attempt to climb at all.   A student once told me, she looks forward to afternoon indoor cycling because she is a recovering alcoholic and the class is her “Happy Hour”.  I realized, everyone has a personal story and I am pleasantly surprised every time.

How to increase Endurance and Strength during indoor cycling class

Indoor cycling promotes muscle endurance using muscles repetitively over long periods of time.  Sprinting outside on the flat roads for hours is a great way to increase your endurance.  Indoor cycling sprints are on average three to six minutes depending on the song.  Standing sprints is the next exercise to increase muscle endurance.  The best way to increase your strength during a standing sprint is maintaining good body alignment keep your weight over your hips.  The repetition of sprinting and standing sprints are called “Jumps”.   Jumping is a very challenging movement for indoor cycling and muscle endurance is important.   When muscle endurance is maintained, increasing resistance will build strength.  Good resistance sprinting builds muscle strength.  Increasing resistance and standing up produces strong muscles and a powerful climb.  The best way to build muscle strength for indoor cycling is challenging resistance and good body alignment.

Popularity

Indoor cycling begin in the early nineties in California.  I remember working at Fisher Island Spa in the mid-nineties and the Spa purchased eleven bikes.  The staff and member were very excited and looking forward to this new exercise craze.  It was a small room designed for spinning and every class was full.  The class was so full that a couple of years later the room had to be expanded.  By the late nineties all gym offered indoor cycling.  There have been many new exercise programs over the many years such as Jane Fonda’s step aerobics or Billy Blank’s box aerobics that have come and gone.  Indoor is more popular than ever almost twenty years later.  The evolution of the stationary bike design is getting better and better.  The incorporation of movement for the stationary bike design to resemble outdoor cycling such as the Real Ryder has increased the popularity even more.  Bon Jovi, Jennifer Aniston, and Nicole Kidman all enjoy indoor cycling.

Burning Calories and Weight loss during spinning class

Indoor cycling is consider one of the top calorie burning exercises in the world.  The amount of time and energy used in a forty-five minutes session compares to not many other exercise classes.  The first class is a game breaker because a good class is a big confidence builder.  I always focus on getting the student through the first class and make adjustments to make the second class better.  Legs are the largest muscle group on the body and it takes more energy to exercise but it also burns the most calories.  It is important to fuel and hydrate your body one hour prior to class.  The average amount of calories burned during an indoor cycling is 300 to 500 depending on your weight, body fat, and food intake.  Carbohydrates like pasta or a nutritional bar is good fuel before training.  A drink with electrolytes or protein is also good before class.  The amount of classes per week and a balance diet will help burn the most calories for indoor cycling.

Mental focus while spinning

Indoor cycling is not only physically challenging but also mentally.  Being mentally focused will make all the difference between a great workout and a stressful workout.  What do I mean by “stressful workout”?  Good form is created by mental repetition until the discipline become second nature.  I always remind my class to keep your upper and lower body aligned.  Once a section of your body is not aligned, it produces stress in another area of your body.  An example is keeping your arms straight and not bending your elbows down creates stress in your neck.  Pedaling with your toes pointed down decreases the power from your legs.  Staying focus and concentrating on the instructor takes good discipline.  A five-minute sprint maintains a consistent pace from start to finish without a mental distraction is tough.  I have seen the look on a student’s face zoning out mentally and their form breaking down.  My answer to losing focus is taking a break, regroup, and get back into the game.

Miami Indoor Cycling trainer explains climbing

At some point during a cycling journey, the surface will incline, and this is called “The Climb”.  This situation will require more power to finish at the top.  An outdoor cyclist has different types of climbs, such as a hill, bridge, or mountain.  At some point you will have to standup to maximize your power.  The difference for an outdoor cyclist climbing is the gear change is lowered.  Indoor cycling is completely the opposite.   We have to increase the gear change or resistance to start a powerful climb.  There are two types of climbs for indoor and outdoor cycling.  First, you can sit down in the seat and maximizing the power in the lower body.  The second type of climb is standing up and power works through the upper body.  The height of the hill outside will determine the gear best suited to finish the climb.  An indoor instructor requires excellent leadership to set the cadence of the pace, good motivation and a great imagination.

Indoor Cycling Trainer covers safety

Safety is the first and most important goal during indoor cycling training.

The handlebars, seat, and petals should be fully adjusted and tight.  Your hands are always firmly placed on top of the handlebars.  It is important to hold on for upper body stability.  Keep your knees inward pedaling and always keep minimal resistance on to control your legs.  Do not petal with your knees outward to prevent stress or injury on the knees joints.  You will have better control with your knees inward, when you start increasing your speed.  When you want to stop pedaling, press the red resistance knob down and you will slow down.    A climb is harder resistance and keeping your knees straight, decreases the strain on the knee joints.  The best footwear for indoor cycling is cycling shoes because they can clip into the petals.  The seat adjustment is important to avoid stress on the knees and lower back.  Always keep your body tight and enjoy your ride.