You walk every morning, maybe even do Pilates and yoga, the desire and persistence to lose weight is higher than ever, it’s time for you to enter the world of spinning. Lately the term spinning has been making a lot of noise and headlines, it’s time to understand exactly what ‘spinning’ really is, how useful it is, the advantages and disadvantages.

When it comes to fat loss, there are many options, but one very prominent option is spinning training. This article will help you understand why exactly this training is one of the best to burn calories and reduce fat percentage.

What is spinning?

Training performed on a stationary bicycle in a dedicated studio and under the guidance of a qualified instructor, the advantage of spinning training is that it is a training that does not cause shocks to the skeletal system and joints and can be adapted to many age groups and different levels of physical fitness.

The activity is called indoor cycling and is usually done in a studio with music led by an instructor.
There is a ‘load selector’ on the bike that allows the rider to control the degrees of difficulty and effort during the activity. With its help and with the help of pedaling speed, diverse training programs are built.

So what is the difference between the spinning bike and the regular exercise bike?

Mainly the wheel, which weighs 18 kg and is connected to the pedals, which causes effective resistance and as long as the wheel rotates, the legs rotate with it, in addition, the foot is ‘connected’ to the pedal with a strap that allows it to be pulled.

Who is spinning suitable for?

This sports activity is suitable for almost all people, both young and old, who want to burn calories quickly and lose weight.

People of different ages and fitness levels can benefit from a spinning workout. Spinning is considered a workout without a strong impact on the joints; Does not burden the skeletal system and joints, however, riding in the wrong position can cause damage and wear, especially in the knee joint.

Unlike most sports, spinning is not a competitive activity, so people of different age ranges and different fitness levels can train in one group. However, the training atmosphere and the high motivation of the trainees may push them to too far limits that can sometimes be dangerous.

In the worst case – the workout simply won’t be effective and won’t meet the goals of the exerciser, but beyond all that the thing that most people are interested in is of course to burn calories and reduce fat percentage.

How many calories are burned during exercise?

Although it’s hard to say because each workout is individual, there are more intense workouts and there are less, but studies have shown that an average spinning workout that lasts about an hour burns 500-600 calories!

This is an amazing number of calories and is excellent for those who want to burn calories but are short on time. The amount of calories burned by each exerciser obviously depends on the intensity of the workout and the length of the workout.

Before you run to the spinning halls, let’s bust some myths.

1. The myth: Spinning destroys the knees.

The truth: today we know that pedaling actually helps to recover from knee surgeries.
Pedaling strengthens the muscles, ligaments and tendons – when the bicycle seat is customized for the rider in terms of height and distance.
It is also important to always ride with a load, as riding without a load will cause the legs to ‘run’ after the pedals and create excess pressure on the joints.

2. The myth: prolonged standing riding is strengthening.

The truth: in riding there are two standing positions, the first is on the level with a medium load and the hands hold the wide part of the handlebars, and the second is when climbing uphill when the load is very high and the hands are holding the end of the handlebars.

In standing positions we use our body weight to handle high loads.
But riding while sitting, when the muscles do most of the work without the help of body weight, brings better results.

As a general rule, it is not advisable to ride standing for more than three minutes in a row, and even that only with the appropriate load, because prolonged standing damages the joints.

3. The myth: Spinning is only for advanced people.

The truth: any healthy person who can exercise can do spinning.

It is important to take introductory classes to acquire the safety knowledge and the ability to train effectively, after which you can join any regular spinning class.

4. The myth: when pedaling you have to push the pedal down.

The truth: exactly the opposite. Especially in spinning, it is necessary to pull the pedal and not push it, in order to balance the action of the muscles and not to overload the knees.

The moment when the pedal comes down should be quick to feel the pull moment as quickly as possible. The use of riding shoes that are attached to the pedals allows for particularly efficient traction.

5. The myth: Spinning training does not require a heart rate monitor.

The truth: a heart rate monitor is very important in spinning training, because this is the only way to make sure that the effort we are making is correct, effective and safe.

The feeling in relation to heart rate is influenced by endorphins that the body secretes during activity and is not real. Only a heart rate monitor can direct the exercisers to find the effort that suits them personally.

6. The myth: interval training is the most effective.

The truth: Interval training is a break training that combines high effort after recovery, it is a fun and stimulating training, but not always effective.

Moreover multiple interval training will cause exhaustion and inability to improve.
It is important to know that interval training can only be done on the basis of strong cardiopulmonary endurance.

At the beginning of the spinning training, one must persist for at least two months in cardiopulmonary endurance training at a constant heart rate of 75% of the maximum effort, these trainings last about 45 minutes and maintain a constant effort and a constant heart rate.

Later on you can diversify with interval training, but even then at least 80% of the training should be endurance training and only 20% interval training.

7. The myth: for a successful spinning lesson, you mainly need good music.

The truth: a spinning class is first of all a safe, effective and fun riding training. The music does add interest and fun to the lesson, but it in itself is not enough and cannot cover an unplanned and improvised lesson. The spinning instructor should always come with a pre-planned workout and set carefully calculated goals for the trainees.

An unplanned lesson will bring the trainee to unbalanced and even dangerous efforts, not to mention the boredom.

8. The myth: Spinning class is more interesting when the instructor is creative.

The truth: in spinning there are only five riding positions and three hand positions, so the variety is relatively limited. A good spinning workout must be simple, friendly and fun, just like riding a bike outside. Too creative situations will be dangerous to the joints and will not give any results.

9. The myth: Spinning is done in a closed and dark room.

The truth: absolutely not. What is important in spinning is the group that trains together under the guidance of an instructor. Any pleasant and ventilated place, which can accommodate at least ten pairs of spinning bikes, can be suitable for training. The music gives the atmosphere and it should also be adapted to the situation, the place and the audience of the trainees.

Advantages and disadvantages of spinning training.

Benefits of training:

1. Spinning training performed according to the correct training principles can contribute to improving the aerobic fitness of the trainee. During the training, the trainee activates large muscle groups, including the calf muscles, the thigh muscles (front and back) and the abdominal muscles.
2. Since the spinning training is not a competitive activity, each of the trainees can regulate the intensity of the training according to their physical fitness. The regulation is done using the handle on the bike or according to the amount of effort invested on the part of the exerciser.
3. For those who want to enjoy the riding experience throughout the whole year, spinning training is an excellent solution. Since the training is carried out in the hall, the weather conditions prevailing outside have no meaning. Even professional cyclists often find themselves pedaling on top of the trainer.
4. The spinning training does not require learning complicated movements as the participants of the aerobics classes sometimes encounter. However, it is very important to place the height of the chair and the position of the handlebar according to the measurements of each exerciser.

Disadvantages of training:

1. Spinning may cause discomfort in the buttock area as a result of sitting on the bike seat. The problem can be solved by using a chair made of gel or by wearing cycling shorts.
2. The lack of continuity and planning – unlike personal aerobic training, where each trainee determines the training frequency, duration and intensity, spinning training is not like that. The duration of the training is fixed and its content does not always correspond to the principle of gradualness and the principle of threshold loading. The training in most cases stands on its own and is not related to a developing training program.

In conclusion.

spinning has a lot of advantages over its disadvantages, it is suitable for anyone who is physically fit for a bicycle.
You can use this workout as muscle strength, muscle endurance and cardiopulmonary endurance training. It all depends on how exactly the training system is built.
If you are tired of regular aerobics, consider adding spinning to your program.