Soul Cycle and many other boutique-style indoor cycling studios have taken over all the major urban cities on both coasts. With each new diet or exercise craze that comes out, we’re so often rightfully skeptical. Many diets and workouts claim to be the most effective for weight loss and giving you an overall healthier lifestyle.
Not only do the boutique-style indoor cycling studios claim positive health benefits, but they also promote the bonus of it being enjoyable. So if you’re a fitness and health junkie that is skeptical of the indoor cycling studios, below are five benefits of taking indoor cycling classes.
1. Burn Calories
The benefits of spinning are bountiful. Whether you’re just a beginner or already a fitness enthusiast, spinning is a great way to burn calories. Studies have shown that a one-hour, moderate intensity indoor cycling workout burns approximately 420 to 622 calories at a moderate pace. The amount of calories burned does vary from person to person.
Another way to help boost the number of calories burned is to eat before class. Eating before the class gives you the energy needed to maintain the consistency and can help you burn additional calories. Also, drink enough water to keep your metabolism functioning and your body burning calories efficiently.
2. Cardio Equals Heart’s Health
With its aerobic benefits, being heart-healthy is the essential advantage of indoor cycling. Spin classes give their participants the aerobic benefits that include endurance, cardio training, and breathing. When you’re working out and learning to control breathing, it can assist with anxiety. Also, learning how to manage your breathing can lower the heart rate in other situations, when the physical activity takes the breath away.
3. Improve Your Mental Strength
In general, exercise releases endorphins into your brain that help with your mood. In addition, spinning will help build up your mental strength and self-discipline. When you consistently work through the spinning routines, it helps you learn to push through difficult situations and learn not to give up. Another way that spin classes build up mental strength is that the warm-up before class and the cool down after are great ways to relax.
4. Strengthen Your Core and Build Lean Muscle Definition
You may not see the results of taking spin classes immediately. However, the benefit of indoor cycling includes the toning of the abdominal, glutes, legs, and quad muscles. Over time, the best spin bikes will help your entire body begin to tone up. To ensure that the correct posture is being used to work out the right muscle group, consult with the instructor in the beginning to make sure your technique and posture are proper.
Also, your core will strengthen as you’ll be using the primary muscles while you ride. There are also spin classes that incorporate low-weighing free weights if you’re looking to focus on your upper body as well. By building and maintaining muscle mass, your weight loss will be easier to keep over time.
5. Low-Impact, High-Intensity
Spinning offers you what a lot of aerobic exercises don’t. You get to enjoy a high-intensity cardio exercise that’s low-impact on your joint or body. Spinning puts less pressure on your hips, knees, and your ankles. Therefore, you can get the results you’re looking for without worrying about injuries.