And alllll of the answers you've been dying to know about how to cycle for total weight-loss success are ahead. Great news, Soul Cycle and Peloton lovers. Cycling is basically just as effective as running when it comes to its cardio benefits, says Charlie Seltzer , MD, an obesity medicine physician and ACSM-certified exercise specialist. Regular cycling may help lower your blood pressure, insulin levels, and your resting heart rate if you do it frequently enough as can running , Dr.
Seltzer explains. Where cycling gives you a leg up on other forms of cardio? Your hamstrings, calves, and glutes will all feel the burn during a cycling class, especially during portions where you have the resistance turned up.
How to lose belly fat by cycling
Your leg muscles are some of the biggest in your body; so the more lower-body muscle mass and muscle in general you have means the more calories you'll burn during your workouts and at rest, Dr. Seltzer says. So if you push yourself during those sprints and hill climbs and turn that knob to the right, you may develop stronger legs by cycling than by running, Dr. Seltzer notes. Let's be honest, though, it can be easy to coast through cycling classes when you're just not in the mood to crank up the resistance.
But if you don't touch the resistance knob and push yourself, you probably won't achieve the lower-body strength benefits. Bonus alert: Cycling is much easier on your joints than running. Cycling burns calories, and that calorie deficit can help lead to weight loss if you are supplementing your physical activity with a nutritious diet.
With consistency, you'll lose weight gradually all over, just not in one specific body part at a time but you know this. Cycling also kicks your metabolism into high gear, which is helpful for weight loss.
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The takeaway: Don't take cycling classes with the expectation of shrinking your waistline. Use them as one component in your healthy lifestyle to help create a calorie deficit, boost your cardiovascular ability, and motivate you to practice other healthy habits outside of class, too.
Both Lampa and Dr. Seltzer agree that an ideal workout routine for indoor cycling class aficionados would include three or four classes per week.
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So, in theory, you could burn anywhere from 1, to 4, calories per week by taking cycling classes. Because, hey, Spinning once a week is better than not Spinning at all. Incorporating other kinds of physical activity can really crank up your weight-loss efforts, help protect your bones and joints, and even maximize the benefits of cycling.
Seltzer likes the combination of resistance training and cycling, adding that if you enjoy both of those activities, you could aim for doing each one twice per week. Lampa, too, encourages supplementing your cycling with strength training. Yoga can be a valuable compliment to cycling as well, she adds. It is important that you do not set the resistance too high when you are first starting out. You want to get a good work out, but cycling should not actually hurt, even for a beginner. If you are in continual pain while biking, it is a sign that your resistance is set too high for your fitness level.
You should also use good form when you ride a stationary bike. If you take a spin class, ask the instructor to set up the bike on your first ride. They will adjust the saddle so that your joints are protected and you are comfortable throughout the workout. If you are riding a stationary bike at home, set the saddle to a height that is roughly at the hip level. As you pedal, this height should allow your legs to extend comfortably. You shouldn't have a deep bend in your knee as your pedal and you also shouldn't be tilting your hips in the saddle or reaching down to complete each pedal stroke.
The handlebars should allow you to keep your back upright and comfortable. There is no need to set them at a level where you are reaching far forward or leaning to reach them. If you don't have preset workouts on your stationary bike, use these ideas to promote weight loss when you ride. Again, be sure that you are healthy enough for exercise before you begin and always start with a shorter, easier workout when you are a beginner. If you do your stationary bike workouts for weight loss on a regular basis, you'll notice changes in your fitness level and body in a matter of weeks.
Get exercise tips to make your workouts less work and more fun. The effect of 12 weeks of aerobic, resistance or combination exercise training on cardiovascular risk factors in the overweight and obese in a randomized trial. BMC Public Health. Table of Contents View All. Types of Bikes. Proper Form.
How to Lose Weight on a Stationary Bike
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Cycling for Weight Loss? These 14 Expert-Backed Tips Will Help
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