How to Burn 500+ Calories in a Spinning/Cycle Class

You say you're looking to lose weight? You'd like to work up a good sweat, and you don't have a ton of time? Try a spinning or an indoor cycling class. Here are the 10 ways to have fun during a hard workout.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Sneakers (cycling shoes optional)
• Workout Wear (tank top/t-shirt, shorts, etc.)
• Water Bottle
• Small Towel
• Heart Rate Monitor (optional)

1. Locate a spinning or indoor cycling class in your area. Most gyms offer at least one class, and you can check spinning.com for a list of approved Spinning instructors.
2. Get to class early enough to stretch your arms and legs -- your instructor will most likely do some stretching at the beginning of class, but doing your own routine will really help with the soreness that comes with the first few spinning classes. To get a great upper leg stretch, put your left foot on your right knee, grab the bike handlebars for support, and do a squat. Repeat on the other side.
3. Adjust your bike. The most important things to change are the height of the handlebars, the height of the seat, and the position of the seat (or saddle). Your instructor is trained to help, but as a guide -- I'm 5'5" and I put my seat on "F," about halfway up, and my handlebars on "D" -- about 6 inches up. I like my seat all the way back, but adjust to what is comfortable for you.
4. Put your towel on your handlebars, stretched out over the horizontal frame. Put your water bottle in the holder, or in a place where you can get to it easily. If you're a big sweater, you may want to bring an extra towel so that you have a dry one for the very end of your workout.
5. Start pedaling before the start of class -- this gets your heart rate up, and eases the tension that can sometimes make it hard to get going (especially if your class is at 5:45am!) If you have a heart rate monitor, make sure that it is comfortable and is collecting data.
   
   Once class starts, make sure you pay attention to the positions that the instructor calls out. Here's a quick primer:
   
   Position 1. Seated in the saddle, with your hands in the middle of the bars. Your shoulders and arms should be loose, and your feet should be either locked in the toe cages, or snapped into the shoe clips.
   
   Position 2. Standing straight up on the bike, with hands on the horizontal part of the bars, but spread out. Your feet should be pushing down and pulling up, making complete circles without stopping.
   
   Position 3. Leaning forward on bike with hands on the forward part of the handlebars. Butt is out of the seat, and shoulders are still loose, with the head up.
   
   Position 4. Leaning forward on the bike with hands on the forward part of the handlebars. Butt is out of the seat, and pushed back to the back of the saddle, so the back is flat and head is moved toward the handlebars.
   
   **Note: As you get further up in the positions, you will find climbing easier -- so make sure you increase your resistance as you start to stand up!
6. Listen to the instructor, who will tell you when to increase your resistance, or to pedal faster/slower. But do it at your own pace. Medium resistance for you may not be the same as your triathlete neighbor, and if you push it too hard, you will hurt the next day, and you're less likely to come back. Having said that, the only way to make spinning work for you is to truly challenge yourself. Can't climb anymore? Sit down, count for 15 seconds, then stand back up. Is the sprint getting to you? Either back down on the resistance, or slow down for 15 seconds, before speeding back up.
7. Take water breaks!! I rarely take water breaks during a non-spinning workout. I don't like having to carry the bottle around, and I don't want to risk a cramp. Spinning is the exception -- I take a drink between *each song, and I towel off the sweat (you will have lots of sweat). Otherwise, by the end of the ride, I am dehydrated and disgusting. Who wants that?
8. At the end of class, stretch out ... I typically stay on the bike for an extra 2-3 minutes at a very low resistance, to get my heart rate to come down. I get off the bike and stretch out my calves and hamstrings.
9. Clean your bike and the surrounding area! Even if you just sat in the class with no resistance, at a very slow pedal, you *will sweat during a spin class, so make sure you grab a paper towel and some cleaning solution, and wipe down the handlebars, the seat, and the floor below.
10. Make plans *now to come back next week, before the pain of this session sets in. Spinning is one of the most efficient ways to burn more than 500 calories in only 45 minutes, so even if you only go once a week, it's a great bonus for your body.

Tips & Warnings

• After the first spinning class, you may be so sore that you don't ever want to go back. Try and make it to three classes before deciding whether this is an exercise for you or not.
• A heart rate monitor can really help make this an efficient workout, because it can tell you how much you are pushing your body, and how many calories you have burned.
• I make a spinning mix on my iPod that has consistent speeds of song, so that I can do my own routine if I miss class (it's good for running, too!)
• Spinning is a great way to get better at outdoor cycling, too!
• You absolutely, positively should let the instructor know if it's your first class. He/she should show you how the bike works, because each one is different, and help you with the settings for your body.
• This is a very intense workout, so if you have any problems or concerns, you should ask your doctor if you are ready for the challenge.