Indoor cycling is a way for you to do a high-intensity aerobic exercise with the help of instruction and motivation from either a class instructor or an instructional tape or DVD. The level of intensity will dictate how many calories you burn during your session. However, with a high-level training regiment you can burn about 500 calories within a 40-minute indoor cycling class.
Step 1
Size your bicycle so that your feet comfortably can reach the pedals. Below the chair there should be a height adjustment nodule that allows the chair to raise or descend. Make sure the height you choose allows for full range of motion when you begin to pedal. When pedaling, your feet should at no point lose contact with the pedal during the entire movement, nor should your knees come up too high that they come in contact with the handlebar of the bicycle.
Step 2
Set the resistance on the bike to something that allows you to pedal effortlessly. Place your hands on the handle bars, lean slightly forward and begin pedaling slowly. Pedal for four to five minutes to warm up, keeping the pedaling at around 50 revolutions per minute or RPMs.
Step 3
Increase the resistance to a level that allows you to feel the pedals pushing back on your feet but not too hard that you are shifting in the seat to push the pedal down. Raise the RPMs of your pedaling to around 60 or a moderate pace that you feel you can maintain. This will be your baseline, the pace you maintain and go back down to after the more rigorous parts of the routine.
Step 4
Grasp the bicycle handle bar and raise your back side off of the seat while increasing the intensity of pedaling to a challenging pace. When you have completed five minutes, sit back down and lower your pedaling RPMs back down to your baseline for one minute to catch your breath. After one minute of slower pedaling, increase your pedaling RPMs to a challenging level and maintain it for the next five minutes.
Step 5
Repeat the routine of five minutes raised off the seat with one minute of baseline pedaling, followed by five minutes of intense pedaling while seated, followed by a minute of slower baseline pedaling until you have completed 40 minutes of pedaling in total.
Tips and Warnings
- To increase the difficulty of this routine, increase the resistance as you become accustomed to one setting.
- Drink water to stay hydrated during this routine.
Things You'll Need
- Water bottle
- Towel
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