By the healthiergang writer , personal trainer with a degree in Exercise and Sports Sciences.
Spinning (Indoor Cycling)
It was back in 1994 when at the Rimini Fitness Festival, in a small stand, what would have been, still today, was presented the most great revolution (technical and economic) of fitness.
From that day on, nothing was the same, the gyms were filled with people who crowded the Spinning rooms in search of a workout that was simultaneously intense, engaging and incredibly training (I remind you that at the time only the Body Building existed, the Step and Aerobics, and the so-called General Gymnastics, the forerunner of all future toning programs); it was a revolution because this discipline it brought people to the gyms who otherwise would never have entered the gyms, in a nutshell, he created “induced”, the magic word and mantra of any marketing and sales expert today.
After the initial, unexpected success of the Spinning, other companies launched into the then profitable business of indoor cycling, creating products all somewhat similar, most of which have now ended up in oblivion, also because they produce something new on a stationary bike on which you pedal in time. music is not easy, unless we are willing to fly a lot with the imagination.
Today Spinning is a consolidated reality in fitness centers all over the world, and although it no longer enjoys the (somewhat exaggerated) mystical aura of the early days, it still enjoys excellent health; but the question at this point is:
1. What is Spinning for?
2. What kind of training is it really?
3. Can it be combined with other types of training?
4. What are the benefits it brings?
5. You can to practice at any age?
As usual, let's go in order, and answer one question at a time.
# 1 What is Spinning for?
To everything and nothing, I would say, like all disciplines it must be contextualized, trying to understand its limits and potential. Definitely useful if you practice endurance activities or if you want to make an important contribution to your cross training workouts, or if you need to intense aerobic activity to lose weight or to support a weight loss diet; it will certainly be less suitable if you practice Body Building or Power Lifting or disciplines in which you are looking for absolute strength or power, but as you well know, no discipline is optimal for all needs.
# 2 What kind of training is it?
Spinning is a workout cardio vascular of the mixed aerobic / anaerobic type (each workout can be totally aerobic, or alternate short moments of anaerobiosis with more or less long phases of aerobic work) in which the lion's share is done by lower limbs,abdomen, the buttocks and of course, thecardiovascular system.
It goes without saying that if you want to try your hand at a bodybuilding competition, indoor cycling will not be among the recommended disciplines, but if, for example, you try your hand at race, in Cycling, or even in disciplines such as the Triathlon, Spinning will become a very valid ally that will allow you to bring home intense and very targeted workouts, concentrated in a very reasonable time; this aspect that makes it very used and appreciated in many winter athletic preparations in the most disparate disciplines.
# 3 Can it be combined with other workouts?
Of course yes! Indeed, being by definition a fairly sectorial activity, it will find its ideal dimension combined with other disciplines, in which it will play an excellent preparatory role.
# 4 What are the benefits it brings?
In short: increased cardio vascular capacity, better management of breathing and therefore of fatigue, strengthening of the whole lower body and core stability, improvement of the functionality of the mitochondria in carrying oxygen inside the cells, raising of the basal metabolism.
# 5 Can you practice at any age?
Yes, with due care. Even if presented as a discipline suitable for everyone, it remains among the more intense and demanding activities that you will face in a fitness center; my advice therefore, if you decide to try your hand and if you are under 18 or over 50, or if you simply come from a certain period of inactivity, is to have a medical certificate with electrocardiogram with test under stress, it will cost you a few euros more, but it will give you a lot more security!
In conclusion
That said, unless you are a professional bodybuilder or powerlifter, I recommend (if you haven't already) to try an indoor cycling class, so maybe you will discover another face of gym training, and make your own schedule. still more varied and complete, and therefore more effective.
Also, and I'm telling you from personal experience, nothing works better against stress than a good sweat with engaging music in the background !!!
