A 40-minute indoor cycling session is a 400-600 calorie burner, but it’s important to do it right,
said Rachel Buschert Vaziralli, a Schwinn Master Trainer, Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach.
Vaziralli has been teaching for over 10 years and shared some of her big rules when it comes to indoor cycling:
- Don’t pedal at 133 RPMs when your instructor says pedal at 90. There is a reason he or she says 90.
- Don’t pedal with your arms crossed or behind your back. Leave ‘core strengthening’ or other upper-body exercises for the the weight room. At best, you’ll get a mediocre workout if you’re doing them on the bike. At worst, it’s dangerous.
- Don’t stand on the pedals with a vertical spine. It’s a knee-cartilage crusher, compresses lower vertebrae and reduces your power. Instead, lean forward slightly from the hips.
- Don’t pedal backwards. It provides next to no benefit.
- Don’t post, phone, chat, text, email or listen to your own music. An indoor cycle class is a team event. Your instructor has created a presentation, so follow it. If you want to cycle to your own routine, choose a bike outside the room.
