Though indoor cycling looks just like riding an outdoor bike, it can be more intense and fun. When you join a indoor cycling class, you will realize that the breaks are minimal.
This is different from when you are riding a bike outdoors where you have to slow down as you approach cars in motion.
Indoor cycling can help you conduct high-intensity workouts better than other forms of exercise.
Many people, however, have doubts regarding indoor cycling since it is low impact compared to other HIIT workouts such as weight training or running.
They assume that since you ride the bike while seated, it is difficult to achieve high-intensity training. Experienced cyclists that have been taking indoor cycling classes for long can disagree with this view.
Before you underestimate indoor cycling, you must learn everything about this form of training.
That is where we come in. We will give you facts regarding indoor cycling and show you how you can make it intense. Read on to learn more.
What is HIIT?
High-intensity interval training is a technique that can take your performance to a whole new level. Whether you are a beginner at indoor cycling class or not, you can gain a lot from this technique.
This type of training is considered to be one of the most effective techniques that can make you fitter and boost your health tremendously.
HIIT tends to boost your aerobic fitness and helps you burn fat easily throughout your body. You can achieve this by taking an indoor cycling class.
The form of exercise also increases your insulin resistance and allows your body to build lean mass.
If you lack some few hours to spend at the gym, taking HIIT workouts is the best since every second here counts.
Try to replace your moderate-intensity cardio workouts with HIIT training at least once a week. From this, you get to achieve the same results but at a faster rate.
Research reveals that HIIT can also boost the functioning of your brain and reduce the risk of getting numerous diseases, including cancer and diabetes.
Why is indoor cycling a great HIIT workout?
As you focus on getting cardiovascular benefits of HIIT, you need to choose a low impact option such as indoor cycling since this gives you the chance to increase the intensity of the workouts.
When you use an indoor bike to cycle, you can adjust the intensity of your cycling since the bike has a knob for this purpose.
An indoor bike can meet the specific needs of a person looking to achieve intense workouts as you protect the joints.
HIIT exercise bikes can also help you develop endurance and build strength as you ride fast and at a greater intensity. Your glutes, quads, and cores are bound to becoming stronger after a short duration.
The bike can also boost your alignment and make you better at other forms of exercise.
How can you achieve HIIT through indoor cycling?
For you to burn more calories through intense training in your indoor cycling class, you should ensure that your workouts take less than thirty minutes.
Specific programs are designed to help you achieve HIIT through indoor cycling. This includes the following.
Sprint 8
Some Vision and Matrix equipment allows you to conduct this pre-programmed workout. It is an individualized and fast program that can help you achieve the results that you desire.
Whether you are trying HIIT through indoor cycling for the first time or are an experienced cyclist, Sprint 8 can help you build lean muscle mass fast. The whole workout lasts for 20 minutes.
It is also a research-based program that has been proven to work.
Sprint interval training
You can also try this form of HIIT workout on your bike. The entire workout takes about 30 minutes. It involves alternating periods of 30 seconds of cycling at full speed with 90 seconds of resting.
As you cycle following this program, you need to vary your cadence and resistance so that you can keep the muscles guessing for you to enhance your performance and build more strength.
Your main objective as you perform sprint interval training should be to cycle as hard as you can for the shortest time possible. This is quite intense, and it helps you burn a high number of calories.
Start this training by warming up for at least 4 minutes. Maintain a light resistance at the start of your workout then start increasing the resistance.
Speed for around 6 minutes as you take 90 seconds to rest. You can engage your core and quads by pulling the handlebars of the bike.
Pedal as fast as you can for around 30 seconds then rest for a few seconds. Repeat this for two more rounds. Proceed with this until the thirty minutes are about to come to an end.
Do not forget to take a few minutes to cool off. You can do this by adjusting the knob of the bike to light resistance. By this time, you should be sweating profusely.
Customized
If you don’t have access to these preprogrammed workouts, you can still achieve HIIT through indoor cycling by customizing your workout.
Start by choosing the desired duration in which you would like to cycle and the resistance you are comfortable with.
Warm up, then pedal as fast you can as you can, alternating 1 minute of pedaling with 1 minute of resting.
Try to complete at least ten rounds as you follow this so that you cycle for at least 30 minutes. Finish your workout by cooling off for about 3 minutes.
Conclusion
Indoor cycling gives you more control since you get to choose the level of resistance you want to maintain. You can, therefore, achieve high-intensity training from using a stationary bike.
As you start HIIT bike workouts, you need to introduce them gradually. This gives the body adequate time to adjust to the high intensity and helps you maximize the benefits of the training.
When your body builds endurance, you can now start increasing the intensity. Do not forget to give your body at least a day between the workouts for it to recover.
Instead of maintaining moderate-intensity workouts, 30 minutes of HIIT through indoor cycling is more effective.
Hi, my name is Marjorie, a health and fitness expert.
Sports and fitness have always been my area of expertise since I could remember. For me, one of the greatest things I accomplished is opening my own gym as well as starting this blog on indoor bikes and fitness. Indoor bikes have brought a massive break for me and my clients, they have enabled me to look past some of my client’s many challenges during work out and achieve the best results they can. I would say that I am proud to help people understand the benefits that come with indoor bikes when it comes to fitness and health and how to find the best one for the cause.