How spinning keeps you healthy

SpinDoctor

Spinning is like sardines. You either love it or hate it but it’s never boring. If you’ve had enough of the usual classes, spinning can help tone the quads, hamstrings, glutes and calf muscles, while engaging and working the core muscles and being great fun.

Indoor cycling or spinning as popularly known, is basically a form of cardiovascular, butt-kicking exercise that takes you on a sweaty ride. It focuses on endurance, strength, intervals, high intensity and recovery. It primarily involves using a stationary exercise bicycle with a weighted flywheel, usually in a classroom setting. Spinning exercise keeps things cool with good music and a class atmosphere to die for.

Everything you need to know about spinning classes

• Spinning classes are fun, intense and usually   more intriguing than riding a regular bike.
• Depending on your weight and the exertion level, spinning aids weight loss by burning off between 600-900 calories in a 30 minute session.
• The intensity varies throughout the class, due to the change of upper body position, pedal speed, and resistance.
• Most spinning bikes have digital trackers to track mileage, pulse and number of calories burned, in order to record progress throughout the class.
• In some classes, the pedalling is even mixed with upper body workouts, resistant bands or a themed adventure.

Benefits of spinning

• Spinning can be maintained for a long period of time without your leg muscles getting too tired, even though the burn will be felt. It also provides the heart and lungs with solid workout, which is excellent for improving your cardiovascular fitness levels.
• It improves your cardiovascular system and causes a more efficient transportation of oxygen around the body, which is the key to a high level of fitness. This also helps your resting pulse rate to decrease as well as your blood fat levels and blood pressure. These combined will reduce one’s risk of a heart disease.
• Also, cycling for about 30 minutes, two to three times a week will help with all other aerobic exercises as well and speed up your weight loss process.
• Studies have also shown that indoor cycling can help shed off unnecessary weight and potentially ward off migraines, while keeping impact on the joints at barest minimum. All that pedalling is no joke! It tones up muscles and that’s a winner!

A few tips for a successful joyride

• Kit up appropriately: While spinning, you’re     going to break a sweat, so you may want to consider throwing on moisture-wicking clothes to keep you cool and dry (most preferably made of polyester and/or lycra blends). Normal athletic kicks or cycling shoes will work fine for your feet. Dos and Don’ts of spinning

• Create a perfect balance on the bike: Adjust your seat and position yourself properly on the bike to attain good balance and comfort. The right height on the seat is when one leg is at a 30-degree angle at the bottom of the pedal stroke.
• The seat should be adjustable to slide forward or back depending on what works best for you.

Spinning is the bomb when coupled with good music, just right to keep you in an elated mood, control over resistance, speed, and the overall intensity. So, if you’re seeking to explore more fun ways to enjoy exercising, sign up for spinning classes and hop in to the next scheduled class. There are a few of them located in Lagos as well as Abuja.