- Spinning bikes are a type of a stationary bike. One difference between spinning and stationary bikes is the way the wheels are connected to the pedals. In a spinning bike, a flywheel is connected to the pedals, so if you stop pedaling, the wheel and the pedals will both continue to move. Regular stationary bikes are on a freewheel system in which you can stop pedaling while the wheel keeps moving and the pedals do not. Spinning bikes, designed by cyclists to be used in the "off-season," are similar to road bikes. They are more upright, pedals that you can clip your shoes into, and a seat that is more similar to a road bike. Spinning bikes allow you to both push down and pull up on the pedals, giving you a better workout than a stationary bike.
- Begin all your spinning workouts with a warm-up consisting of between five and 10 minutes at about 80 revolutions per minute (RPM) at a low to medium resistance level. Your perceived effort should not be high and your aim is to increase your heart rate slightly and steadily. Similarly, you should end your workout with a cool down that is the reverse of your warm-up.
- To increase your heart rate, begin to spin faster, up to 90 RPM. After two to three minutes have passed, slow your spin rate back down to 80 RPM. After a minute or two of "rest," increase your spin rate again. You can increase your spin rate to 95 or even 100 RPM once your fitness increases. Simply maintain this higher spin rate for two to three minutes and alternate it with a minute or two of rest between these intervals. Repeat these intervals for 20 to 30 minutes (depending on your fitness level).
- Spinning bikes allow you to simulate climbing hills by increasing the tension on the bike. Climbing hills on a spin bike should simulate riding on hills on a road bike, with climbs up followed by easy coasts down. Increase the tension on your bike while trying to maintain a steady pace (e.g., 60 RPM). Continue this for two to three minutes. Then, release the tension on the bike and spin at a higher rate (e.g., 80 RPM) as you ride down the back side of the hill you just climbed. Climb at least three hills during your workout and build up to five or six. Standing as you climb will work different muscles and help you continue your climb without tiring.
