Cycling and spin classes are two of the very best low impact cardio workouts. Popularity of indoor cycling, also known as spin classes, has exploded as more and more people recognize its cardiovascular and muscle toning benefits. Let’s talk about a few ways to derive maximum benefit from cycling, either indoors or outdoors.
Whether you’re cycling to stay in shape or to lose weight, your workout should suit your needs in the most optimal manner possible. You’ve probably heard or read about the term “fat burning zone”. If you’re trying to burn fat, you’ll need to understand how your target heart rate impacts the amount of fat you’ll burn off during your workouts.
If you’re interested in spinning classes and decide to participate, you’ll go through five distinct levels (zones) of intensity during a class. These zones are warm up, endurance, strength, interval, and race. In a typical one hour class, you’ll move between the levels, which will help improve your cardiovascular fitness level.
Understanding your maximum heart rate is an important factor, because your heart rate will essentially tell you how hard you’re working and how much fat you’re burning. Calculating your maximum heart rate is easy. Just subtract your age from 220. As an example, I’m 46, so my maximum heart rate is 174 (220 – 46 = 174).
Now, back to the five intensity zones. Each of these zones has a heart rate range assigned to it, by percentage. It actually sounds more complicated than it is. We’ll use that maximum heart rate we just calculated and take a percentage of that. Let’s look at the assigned heart rate ranges for each intensity zone.
The first range is the warm up range, which is also the cool down range. During this range (at the beginning and end of class), your heart rate should be 50% to 65% of maximum. Using my maximum heart rate of 174, that means during warm up or cool down my heart rate should be between 87 and 113. I’ve written these numbers down and know them from memory, which I find helpful. Now, let’s look at the other four zones.
Endurance Range: 65% to 75% of maximum heart range (MHR)
Strength Range: 75% to 85% of MHR
Interval Range: 65% to 92% of MHR
Race (also known as Sprint) Range: 80% to 92%
Interval and race ranges are the two ranges where you’ll work the hardest. The endurance range is actually where you’ll spend most of your time during the class. Not so coincidentally, that’s the range where you’ll burn the most fat!
Lastly, the easiest way to check your heart rate while exercising is with a heart rate monitor. Barring that, you can place your index and/or middle finger on your neck artery where you can feel your pulse. Most spin instructors will do a six second heart rate check. Multiply your count by 10, and that’s your heart rate. Compare your heart rate to the range you’re at during the class, and increase or decrease your intensity accordingly. Enjoy your workout!
