Cardiovascular exercise should be a part of your workout routine every week. This type of exercise helps you increase the strength of your heart and lungs, as well as improve endurance during your workouts. Cardiovascular exercise or ‘cardio’—as it is more commonly referred to—is the fastest way to burn calories and lose weight.
Spinning is a great way to get a cardio workout into your day. You may have heard of SoulCycle or Fly Wheel. Both spin-class schools are extremely popular and seats are reserved sometimes weeks in advance. So take a peek at some spin schools in your area and get a class on your schedule. You might really like it.
In the meantime, here are seven reasons you should start spinning:
1. Solid Source of Motivation
In a spin classes teachers are highly motivational. If you are someone that doesn’t really like working out and sometimes dreads going to the gym, the extra motivation from a teacher is what you might need to keep you in a one hour class. All around spinning is a great way to get motivated.
Spinners are also a very tight knit community, so after going to classes for a while, you may find that you will have made some new friends. Making friends in these classes will give you another reason to go back, and will add to the enjoyment factor. And that’s before we mention the great music, high energy, and the amazing workout waiting for you at each class!
2. Interval Training
Many teachers incorporate interval training during spin classes. Meaning they will have you sprint for a certain amount of time on heavy resistance, and then rest on lighter resistance. This is what makes you ‘feel the burn,’ so to speak. During interval training your heart rate will increase and you will burn more calories in a short amount of time. An average spinning class can help you burn almost 500 calories. For one hour a day, that’s a sizeable aid to any diet and exercise regime.
3. Full-Body Workout
Many people think you are only working your legs when you take a spin class, but this isn’t true.A lot of spin classes incorporate weights, resistance bands, and medicine balls. While spinning, teachers will have individuals lift weights to activate shoulder and arm muscles. Bouncing balls on the sides of the bikes also works your core and oblique muscles. Make no mistake, a spin class will give you a full body workout.
4. Define Your Legs Without The Bulk
Many people who start a new workout routine are afraid they are going to get bulky legs if they lift weights or hit the gym too hard. Spinning is a great source of cardio that gives you lean muscle mass while maintaining toned legs.
5. Low Impact Workout
Cardio machines such as the stair-stepper, treadmill, and elliptical can have a painful affect on your knees if you overuse them or use them incorrectly. The spin bike removes a lot of pressure from both your knees and feet. Individuals who suffer from arthritis or have injuries where high impact cardio workouts affects them negatively, often turn to spinning as it avoids these problem areas while allowing them to get a great workout.
6. Mental Strength
Getting into a spin routine, means you are probably doing a class multiple times a week. Spin class is a great way to set the mood for your day. More often than not, you will feel amazing after a class, knowing you put all your effort in to becoming the best version of you for that day. Other days you won’t be as satisfied with your effort, but with a constant routine you will find it’s easier to push through these difficult times. Getting through challenging classes, and continuing to go each week will build your self-discipline, confidence, and give you a more positive attitude.
7. Abdominal Workout
Technique and posture are two main points teachers continue to reiterate in spin classes. Knowing the correct posture will allow you to engage different muscle groups throughout a class. Being in a slightly bent position and moving from side-to-side works your central abdominal muscles as well as the side of your abdomen.
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