Health_Fitness_UK_July_2017

SUPERCHARGE
YOUR SPINNING
Think you know how to
ride a bike? Nail your
indoor-cycling technique
to boost your calorie burn.
Here’s how to pedal
properly...
18Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk
Given the choice between a
stuffy studio and the fresh
outdoors, you’d think most
cyclists would choose to
pedal the roads. But indoor
cycling classes remain top of gym workout
lists, even in the summer, because the
tough, sweaty sessions are seriously
addictive. And you’re not imagining the
intense cardio burn either – data from the
American Council on Exercise shows that
Spinners work at 75-96 per cent of their
maximum heart rate. Impressive. The
catch? It’s easy to get the technique
wrong. After all, you’re in charge of the
resistance, bike prep and how you ride
the bike. But ignore the instructor’s cues
at your peril, as you’ll only miss out on a
whole host of body benefits if you’re not
on form. Take heed of these expert tips to
maximise on every studio cycling session.
1 ENGAGE YOUR CORE
Chances are, you’ve heard
numerous instructors shout out this bit of
advice, but what exactly does it mean?
‘It’s about being aware of your core, not
about bracing your abs and holding your
breath,’ says Anne Sinclair, Boom Cycle
instructor (boomcycle.co.uk). ‘Shoulders
back and down. Head up. Eyes forward.
On faster tracks, you should have very
little movement in your upper body,
which comes from being conscious of the
muscles you’re using.’ Think of drawing up
your pelvic floor and bringing your belly
button towards your spine. When you
stand up, it also pays to take a deep breath
and use your core muscles to get out of
the saddle, rather than pulling with your
arms. Capiche?