Spinning: what it is and how training indoor cycling is

Winter is coming, we've changed the time, the days are getting shorter... do the dark and cold make you too want to go out and do sports in the open air? The solution could be spinning.

There are, in fact, many sports that can be done indoors, with benefits for health, posture, muscle strengthening: from weight training to yoga, from padel to running on a treadmill... but if you want to approach a truly super effective and training discipline, as well as very fun, you have to try spinning at least once.

Perfect spinning bike, bike and equipment

Spinning is done indoors, thanks to special "exercise bikes" without wheels, fixed, but different from traditional ones in terms of inclination and functionality, such as hardness of the flywheel and toe clips on the pedals: the spinning bike, exactly.

A sport that can be practiced in the gym, where very intense courses are held with loud music and a super-motivating instructor who "shouts" (yes, shouts!) encouragement and changes of pace to keep the attention and concentration of the class high.

Or, you can choose to buy a bike for your home, to train alone but... be careful! Music must never be missing, it's a real conditio sine qua not of the discipline.

Indeed, some latest generation spin bikes also have a monitor on which you can project the filmed route, to dream of pedaling on the hairpin bends of Pordoi!

The rest of the equipment is very simple: bike shorts, technical t-shirt, sweatband... and you can start!

Benefits of spinning (and why it's fun)

According to the inventor of spinning, the South African Johnny Goldberg who set up the philosophy of this discipline at the end of the 1980s, the idea behind spinning is to sweat, work hard, burn calories, a lot and in a relatively short time, with the aim of finishing the session regenerated.

Throw out toxins and negative thoughts, empty your mind with physical fatigue to find peace, in short. All of this, greatly helped by the motivating power of music!

Spinning, in fact, is good for the body and mind. It is said that:

• Reduces states of stress and anxiety
• Very high energy expenditure, even greater than running
• Increased cardiovascular health
• Increased breathing capacity
• Muscle toning and strengthening without hypertrophy

However, you must be careful not to overdo it, especially at the beginning, to avoid getting hurt. For example, it may not be a recommended sport for those with knee joint problems and severe sciatica.

Sources:

• https://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/spinning-vs-running.html
• https://www.melarossa.it/fitness/sport/spinning/