Indoor bike: the pedal experience in the living room (gym or home) –

the classes of indoor bike sweat a lot. The high caloric expenditure is generated thanks to the stationary bikeessential equipment for the practice that allows you to simulate a traditional cycling workout — with climbs, sprints and speed changes, among other activities.

The practitioner, on top of the bicycle, faces the instructor, imitating his commands. The modalities are many, but, in general, the intensity of the exercise tends to vary a lot, interspersing heavy periods and others that are a little calmer. In all cases, background music plays an essential role: it sets the rhythm of the turns and enlivens the room. Sometimes the colored and flashing lights are reminiscent of a ballad.

This type of activity has been common for many people for a long time — the indoor bike has always had its fans, as well as sports studios aimed exclusively at practice. A good example is the spin’n soul (@spinnsoul), a network of boutique gyms located in different cities in the state of São Paulo.

Indoor bike class: success before the pandemic (Spin N’ Soul/Disclosure)

There, the sessions are accompanied by muscle work with push-ups and free weights for upper limbs of the body. A good complement to spinning, which it demands above all from the legs and buttocks. “Indoor training can be more exhausting than road training,” says the personal trainer. Gustavo Berkhout (@berkoach), head coach at Spin’n Soul.

This is because, according to him, who performs the activity of indoor bike does not feel the variations of terrain. “During a descent, the cyclist can apply less force to the pedals. At the spinning, the person needs to push all the time for the wheels to keep moving”, he explains. Other benefits of sport are:

1 – Burns a lot of calories

“This is possibly the biggest attraction for students. After all, in just one class, it is possible to burn up to 700 calories”;

2 – Low impact

“Perfect for anyone with knee, back, or other conditions that limit exercise possibilities. As it offers minimal impact on the joints, it is an excellent aerobic option”;

3 – Health thanks you

“The health benefits of this activity are countless. Among the main ones are the strengthening of the cardiac, vascular and respiratory systems. And significant improvements in the control of cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes”;

4 – Strengthening the muscles

“The class is perfect for those who want to define and strengthen the muscles of the lower limbs, such as the buttocks and thighs”;

5 – Mental health

“Intense flow releases high amounts of hormones known as endorphins. They are analgesic biochemical substances, that is, they help relieve pain, stress and anxiety, instantly giving a feeling of pleasure, relaxation and well-being.”

How is an indoor bike workout done?

To imitate the terrain variations that we find on the street, practitioners make use of three variables: the chargeto the revolutions per minute (rpm) and the posture (standing or sitting).

The purpose of the load is to guarantee more resistance to turning. That way, it works as if we were going up a slope.

The revolutions per minute determine the pace of movement, and therefore the speed you would do if you were on the road. To imitate flat surfaces, for example, one usually decreases the charge and increase the rpm.

Finally, standing up is not very common in outdoor cycling. However, it can be an excellent tool to make the class more dynamic and manage to increase the load (this configuration is not recommended for light loads).

care

The physical education professional Carol Ramos (@carolramos_treinadora) has been giving spinning classes for 15 years. In 2019, just before the coronavirus pandemic arrived in Brazil, she had already done her research and knew that home training would be a trend. Covid-19 has only accelerated the growth of online demand for indoor bike that she expected.

– (Daily Burn/Disclosure)

So much so that, when that happened, Carol was already prepared and launched the bike burnan indoor bike video class program that simulates street situations within the digital platform Daily Burn (@queimadiaria). “There, the practitioner follows a true spreadsheet, with interval sessions, resistance, recovery… But none of them starts without first warming up for 8 to 10 minutes”, he says.

O heating, incidentally, is just one of the precautions to be taken by those who wish to venture into practice. “Although it generates less impact on the joints than sports like running, this does not mean that those who practice spinning will be free of pain at all costs. If you exaggerate the dose or perform the exercise the wrong way, you may have discomfort in your lower back, hips and even shoulders”, warns orthopedist Luciano Miller (@drlucianomiller), from Albert Einstein Hospital, in São Paulo.

To prevent problems, you’ll need to do parallel work for other body regions besides those worked on the bike. “O abdomen you have to be strong to help sustain the body in the movement of the pedal spin”, explains Carol Ramos. Also, adjusting the equipment correctly is essential. The trainer explains how to do this:

First, arrange the seat height so that he hits the hip bone; Then it’s time for handlebar. He needs to be at the same height as the bench, and at a distance from him equivalent to his forearm; Once the adjustments are made, get on the bike and fit both feet on the pedals. Place them at the same height and then check that your knees are on the same axis (facing forward).

But how to have a stationary bike at home?

Currently, there are already services that offer the rental of the instrument. At the Torq Cycle (@torqcycle), exclusive to gyms Bio Rhythm (@bioritmo), there is such a possibility. ′′ The idea came from the need that the pandemic created. On the one hand, students wanted to take the class but didn’t have the equipment. On the other hand, we saw establishments closed and unable to function”, says Carol Santos, a physical education professional and teacher at Torq.

– (Torq Cycle/Disclosure)

In the beginning, free lives were made on the brand’s social networks. Now, Torq Cycle already walks with its own legs, and has its exclusive platform of classes, which can be subscribed with or without renting a bicycle. “There, the student can find everything from programs for beginners, with shorter sessions, to the Tour de Bio, a true journey of training aimed at high mileage, as if it were a real test”, explains the teacher.

However, divisions don’t mean you can’t start with heavier classes. That’s because you’re the one who defines the intensity of the stimulus: some of the bikes offered in the rental option (and all those available within the network’s gyms) have a physical conditioning customization panel. “In them, we work with a measure called power threshold percentage (FTP is the acronym in English). It aids your training because it allows you to do your best without overdoing it. So, the class is advantageous for both beginners and experienced cyclists.”

Those who do not have this advantage can work with the perception of effort. It is a scale from 1 to 10 with some levels of exertion, tension, discomfort and/or fatigue that are experienced during physical exercises (both aerobic and strength). In an indoor bike class, for example, the practitioner intersperses some of these tracks to take advantage of the maximum intensity that a session can provide. Some experts break it down as follows:

1: Natural breathing and the possibility of having a conversation during the exercise;
2-3: Still with natural breathing, but a little more difficulty when speaking;
4-6: It is still possible to talk more slowly;
7-8: Short of breath, but it is possible to speak whole sentences;
9: You can only say one word at a time;
10: Can’t talk.

Showcase of products to have at home

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Carol explains that, in the beginning, it is normal to feel a certain discomfort when staying on the bench for a long time. The nuisance tends to decrease over time, but some people prefer to use foam or gel accessories to place on the bench. Buy here.

They are not mandatory, but they make life easier for cyclists. The sneakers guarantee more stability to the foot. Buy here.

Rita Lobo: June cover of (Panelinha Studio/)

This special is part of the June 2021 edition of ,
which features Rita Lobo on its cover.
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