Why spinning is good for you

Look into a dance class or Zumba. Want to turn off your brain? Drop in on a bootcamp. After all, as spin class teaches you, success is all about keeping up the rotation.

Follow Redbook on Facebook. Type keyword s to search. Getty Images. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses.

You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. Forget all the advice to stand up straight, as this can injure your knees and back. Bend at your hips to bring your upper body in front of your hips. At the same time, draw your shoulders away from you ears to prevent yourself from tensing up and hunching over.

Be careful not to push yourself too hard, especially in the beginning. While you can try to keep up with the class, you also have to listen to your own body. This is especially important if you have any injuries or medical concerns that could interfere with cycling. Make sure to drink plenty of water leading up to each cycling session.

Drinking water in the days before and after helps you stay hydrated. If you have a desk job and already spend a lot of time sitting, make sure to balance indoor cycling classes with other activities, like stretching, strength and resistance training, and exercises where you move your body through your full range of motion.

Taking a moderate approach is the best way to stay safe and avoid injury. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns. Indoor cycling can improve your overall physical fitness by building strength and cardiovascular endurance.

Classes can also help boost your mood and provide you with a healthy, enjoyable activity. Indoor cycling classes can be on the expensive side, especially if you choose a class with a popular instructor and special equipment, but the benefits can make the cost worth it. To see results, commit to doing three to six classes per week for a period of several months. Keep up with the classes in order to continue reaping the benefits. How many calories do you burn when biking? Is cycling or running more beneficial for your health?

Well, it depends on your training goals. Now, as a year-old whose gym habit has dropped to a sporadic bi-weekly visit, my first week back was somewhat different.

I still loved the music and the lights — the total disconnect from the dreary winter street outside — and the high five at the end of the class from the instructor akin to being patted on the shoulder by your school teacher. However everything in between was different — and it was hard.

My legs felt like lead and I struggled to keep on the beat in the first class. I left feeling like the next few weeks were going to be much more of a mountain then I had anticipated but after a bout of illness it felt good to get my body moving again. By the end of week one I was a bit broken, but so proud of myself.

I almost felt teary as the last song came on Blinded by your Grace by Stormzy and we stretched out our aching bodies. I felt smug and buoyant for the rest of the day — I even booked my own exercise class for Saturday to keep the momentum going.

But the others went ahead without me and fed back their shock and horror afterwards. The general consensus being that we were all drastically unfit, and this was going to be no easy ride. I found my first class pretty difficult.

My desire to keep up with the rest of class was overruled by my fear of going too hard and passing out again, so when the instructor yelled to turn up our resistance dials, I just left mine where it was most of the time.

By the end of week one I notice my sleep has improved drastically. I feel great. The fitness Gods are clearly not in my favour. However, not one to quit easily read: stubborn I force myself back onto the bike and proceed to teeter on the edge of death for the full 45 minutes.

It felt harder than any exercise class ever has. I left in awe that my body managed it and in need of a very large hot honey and lemon. I know this because in my notes afterward I simply wrote, "eugh". I had to lower my resistance right down in order to stay on the beat and, if I took my eyes off the mirror for a moment, I noticed that I was significantly slower than everyone else when I looked up.

I gave myself a pep talk afterward and vowed to fuel properly that evening to give my body what it needed for the rest of the week. And it worked — I felt invincible, truly invincible and empowered as I bobbed my way through the class.

I stayed on the beat for the majority of it and the sense of achievement only helped me feel stronger as the class went on rather than tiring. This is because exercise produces endorphins which interact with receptors in your brain and trigger positive feelings in your body. That is why staying active can help so many people combat depression and other negative mental and physical health conditions including stress.

Spinning is perfect if you are recently recovering from an injury or surgery or just need to take things a little more gently. It also means you can focus on what really matters in class, working towards your fitness goals. If you are unsure whether a Spin class would be suitable for you, get in touch with us, and we can answer any queries you may have.

Be sure to arrive early to your first class so that instructor can set you up on the bike safely. Cardiovascular fitness is the ability of the heart, blood cells and lungs to provide oxygenated blood to our muscles allowing them to produce energy so we can move. Basically the more cardiovascular fitness you have the easier it will be for you to move and stay active.

It will also lessen your chances of getting Coronary Heart Disease and other cardiovascular health problems.