What is a spin/cycling class?

Maybe your friends won’t stop talking about their newfound love for spin classes. Or maybe you took a cycling class at your gym and found yourself drawn to the upbeat music and synchronized pedaling.

Whatever piqued your curiosity, you’re not the first to wonder what is cycling course, exactly?

In a nutshell, a bike class (often called a spin class) is an indoor group fitness class led by a trained and certified cycling instructor. Participants ride stationary bikes designed to mimic outdoor cycling, providing a heart-pumping cardio workout in a fast-paced, high-energy environment.

Wondering if a spin class is right for you? We share all the details of what this energy cardio burner consists of to help you decide.

What Really Does this happen in cycling class?

If you want to walk into class like a pro on day one – we get it. Here’s what you can expect in a typical cycling class:

• Warm-up – You start with a short warm-up that includes light pedaling to slowly raise your heart rate and relax your muscles.
• Intervals – Next, you put the pedal to the metal for about 40 minutes in a series of cycling intervals. This can include high-intensity sprints or hill climbs. Your instructor may also incorporate sitting and standing positions to engage different muscle groups.
• Cooling down – After completing the main workout, your instructor will take you through a five to ten minute cool-down, where you slow down your pedaling significantly and your heart rate returns to a natural rate. You can also do light stretches to reduce muscle soreness after exercise and improve muscle range of motion.

Advantages of the Spin class

If you need a little more convincing before jumping on the cycling bandwagon, that’s okay. There are plenty of benefits that come with incorporating spin classes into your regular exercise routine, including:

• Improving cardiovascular endurance – Cardiovascular endurance is your body’s ability to deliver oxygen to your muscles during sustained physical activity. While you may not be able to keep up with your instructor during the first few sessions, you’ll notice that your stamina improves over time, allowing you to keep up for longer stretches, ultimately increasing your cardiovascular endurance.
• Strengthening leg muscles – As you maneuver through different levels of resistance and speed, you’ll thoroughly work your entire lower body. Each stroke works your glutes, quads and calves, while the upstroke targets your hamstrings and flexors.
• Burning calories – A 45-minute cycling session can burn anywhere from 350 to 600 calories – or more – depending on factors such as your body composition and the intensity of your workout. This is as effective as a 45-minute run, but with less stress on the joints.

Can a beginner take a bike course?

Absolutely! Another advantage of spin courses is that you can choose from different courses when you sign up. There are often classes more suitable for beginners, such as Intro to Cycling or Rhythmic Spin (more on that below).

However, if your gym only offers one or two types of classes per week, you can always let your instructor know that you’re new to cycling and they can help you make adjustments as you go.

Types of cycling courses

Not sure which type of spin class is right for you (or what types even exist?) Common styles of spin classes include:

• Perseverance – These classes are designed to increase your stamina and cardiovascular endurance. They maintain a steady pace for longer periods of time, making them suitable for all fitness levels.
• Rhythmic – Rhythmic cycles with high energy music often involve upper body movements and choreography. They are the perfect choice for those who like an electric atmosphere and want to have fun while burning calories.
• High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) – Like other HIIT workouts, this type of spin class maximizes the amount of calories burned in a shorter amount of time. During the class you will focus on intense bursts of pedaling followed by short recovery periods.
• Fusion – If you’re interested in combining strength training with cardio, fusion spin might just be your style. During the class, you will alternate between cycling and weight and body weight exercises off the bike for a full body workout.

Spin on the bike course with Chuze Fitness

Spin classes are a great way to change up your usual fitness routine. They help build muscle, pack a serious cardio punch, and can keep your metabolism revving for up to 14 hours after you’re done. This feels like a win-win-win.

At Chuza Fitness, we have a variety of classes and activities you’ll love, from indoor cycling and strength training to pickleball and swimming. No matter where you are on your fitness journey, we have the equipment, support and expertise to make every workout feel like a victory.

Come see for yourself 7-day ticket free.

Are you ready to experience Chuze for yourself? Check out ours gyms in san diegoCypress, Fontana and more! Find the nearest location near you and start exploring our amazing facilities today!

Resources:

NIH. Effectiveness of post-exercise stretching in short-term and delayed recovery of strength, range of motion and delayed muscle soreness: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8133317/

Cycling. Different types of cycling training and how they improve fitness. https://www.bicycling.com/training/a45416992/types-of-cycling-workouts/

Business Insider. Why you should try indoor cycling — easy exercise with great benefits. https://www.businessinsider.com/indoor-cycling-exercise-benefits-2018-6

NIH. 45 minutes of intense exercise increases the metabolic rate for 14 hours. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21311363/

Reviewed by:

Ani is the Vice President of Fitness at Chuze Fitness and oversees the Group Fitness and Team Training departments. He has over 25 years of experience in club management, personal training, group exercise and instructor training. Ani lives with her husband and son in San Diego, California and loves hot yoga, snowboarding and all things wellness.