A training method above all
Spinning is not a simple bike, but a real training method, deposited and disseminated in thousands of fitness and fitness centers. It is practiced in groups under the direction of a coach on rhythmic music that dictates the cadence.
Approved in 2009 by Professor Shaulov and his team, music does not encourage more work and does not increase any physiological variables, but it gives athletes the impression of working less hard than they actually do.
Several studies like that of Caria and her team have shown that spinning can be inappropriate for novices. Some authors have noted that during some phases, oxygen consumption (VO2) was higher than maximum oxygen consumption (VO2Max). Studies also show that a high proportion of beginners perceive a lower intensity than it actually is.
The heart rate would reach approximately 72% of the maximum heart rate in novice subjects and up to 83% in subjects with 6 months of experience.
Benefits of Spinning
It is a particularly demanding aerobic exercise that solicits a large group of muscles in the lower limbs while having a low impact on the joints and resulting in a large energy expenditure. It is probably this property that most encourage sedentary people to try Spinning.
Bianco and his team showed in 2010 that it caused weight loss without any restrictions or decreases in food consumption. It has also been shown to be effective in increasing cardiorespiratory fitness, reducing body fat, and preventing cardiovascular disease.
Tips for the practice of spinning
Stay motivated! The first spinning sessions are often very trying. Generally, it only takes 3 or 4 sessions to get your bearings, and really enjoy the effort.
Take the time to learn how to properly adjust your bike during the first session. You must be able to stretch your leg completely without making any effort to reach the pedal.
Also, keep in mind your knees should always be located higher than your pedal strokes. If not, adjust the distance between the seat and the handlebars.
Drink water throughout the effort, ideally supplemented with salt in case of intense cyclical activity, long duration, or accompanied by high heat. Ideally, the water temperature should be between 12 and 15°C for optimal efficiency.
During exercise, rehydration is only partial (about 50%) due to the limited capacity of the stomach. It is therefore necessary to drink after the exercise little by little for several minutes the same salt water, sparkling water, or an energy drink recovery.
During the next hour, consume a sugary drink to restore carbohydrate reserves. Rest assured, these carbohydrates will not turn into fat during this time.
Most spinning practitioners don’t drink enough. This leads to repeated dehydration which, in the long term, sneakily results in decreased endurance capacity, decreased muscle strength, muscle and tendon pain, and an increased risk of cramps, aches, and strains, … Either the opposite of the expected results! In the short term, dehydration is mainly felt beyond a 4% loss of body weight: the risk of “heat stroke” is then very important.
Opt for sessions of at least 30 minutes with a few minutes of warm-up to gradually raise body temperature and heart rate and a few minutes of “calm down” at the end of the session to promote blood circulation. Let yourself be guided if the session is led by an educator, but do not forget to listen to your body first!
Space your sessions for at least one day to give the muscles time to recover. If you are just starting out, you can even opt for a 2-day rest between sessions.
Plan your workouts with numerical objectives and record your times, your difficulties, and your impressions in a journal provided for this purpose. This is the best way to quickly see your progress and increase motivation.
Before you start, you need to determine your maximum heart rate (HRax) which is roughly obtained by subtracting its age from 220. For a 40-year-old, it will be 220 – 40 = 180 beats per minute. This FCMax is important for building and training a workout.
Workout ideas
Session Improvement of general endurance
This 45-minute session is ideal for replacing jogging with a more varied and less traumatic exercise for the joints.
| Duration (mn) | % Maximum heart rate | |
| 10 | 40 | Heating |
| 30 | 70 | Gradually reach 70% by adjusting the resistance |
| 5 | 50 | Return to 60% (rest) |
Muscle Strength Improvement Session
Spinning helps to strengthen the muscles of the legs in a complete way. For this, it is better to opt for an increasingly important resistance while maintaining a good pedaling quality. Here is a 41-minute session suitable for intermediate practitioners.
| Duration (mn) | % Maximum heart rate | |
| 10 | 40 | Heating |
| 6 | 80 | Gradually reach 80% by adjusting the resistance |
| 4 | 50 | Return to 50% (rest) |
| 6 | 80 | Gradually reach 80% by adjusting the resistance |
| 4 | 50 | Return to 50% (rest) |
| 6 | 80 | Gradually reach 80% by adjusting the resistance |
| 5 | 40 | Return to calm |
Session Improvement of muscle tone
This 35-minute session is ideal for toning the muscles, provided you keep a fixed position, and the abdominals tight.
| Duration (mn) | % Maximum heart rate | |
| 10 | 40 | Heating |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by increasing resistance |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by keeping resistance to a minimum and pedaling as fast as possible |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by increasing resistance |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by keeping resistance to a minimum and pedaling as fast as possible |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by increasing resistance |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by keeping resistance to a minimum and pedaling as fast as possible |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by increasing resistance |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by keeping resistance to a minimum and pedaling as fast as possible |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by increasing resistance |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by keeping resistance to a minimum and pedaling as fast as possible |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by increasing resistance |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by keeping resistance to a minimum and pedaling as fast as possible |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by increasing resistance |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by keeping resistance to a minimum and pedaling as fast as possible |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by increasing resistance |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by keeping resistance to a minimum and pedaling as fast as possible |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by increasing resistance |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by keeping resistance to a minimum and pedaling as fast as possible |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by increasing resistance |
| 1 | 70 | Reach 70% by keeping resistance to a minimum and pedaling as fast as possible |
| 5 | 40 | Return to calm |
Image Credit : Image by Freepik
