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With summer fast approaching (we hope), it’s time to buckle down and do something about those layers upon layers we’ve been hiding under our winter coats and fleecy jumpers. The obvious thing to do would be to hit the gym. Personal trainers are a great professional way to lose some weight and get in shape, and London based experts Livefit are there to offer their expertise and help you along the way.
If the gym’s not for you, here’s another idea. What better way to get into shape and feel proud to show off our perfect bikini bodies as we’re walking down the sunny sands of Spain, than by trying something new – spinning workouts!
Spin classes are an excellent way to exercise and have fun at the same time – who’d have thought it! Burn away the calories and relieve your stress while you peddle away listening to pump up music in a room full of disco lights. Seems crazy, we know.
The spin workout itself uses a stationary bike with various tension levels so that everyone can adapt the session to suit their specificity and fitness goals. The spin bike tracks your progress as you go, helping you feel more motivated to continue accomplishing your fitness targets.
There are so many benefits to a spin workout, but here are some of the best reasons you should sign up for a class.
Burn those calories
A typical spin class lasts from about 45minutes to an hour. In that time, on average most spinners burn around 500 calories. While this might not seem like very much, it is a fair amount if you were to compare how many calories you’d work off during other forms of exercise. If you feel like you want to be burning off a bit more throughout the workout, it’s easy – all you need to do is simply adjust the intensity of your workout on your bike and you’ll be sweating everything out in no time.
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Increase your cardio
Like a lot of exercise classes, the more regularly you attend the better your cardiovascular endurance will become. Unlike a lot of exercise classes however, spinning is a far more enjoyable way of getting fit. You won’t need to force yourself outside for a run in extreme temperatures or grey, rainy days, or likewise in the blistering heat. The beauty of spinning is that you can participate all year round so there is no excuse as to why your cardio shouldn’t be improving.
Tone everything up
A great benefit of a spin class is that it doesn’t just focus on one area of the body, but in fact works all different muscle groups. The workout focuses on core muscles to ensure you look great in your favourite swimwear, but it also works the legs and buttocks too. The most obvious way of working your legs in a spin class is of course from pedalling. The faster you pedal, the more your legs burn (that is a great feeling), and the more your legs burn, the more muscle you are building up. While you pedal away, if you are maintaining the correct form on the bike you will also feel your abdominal muscles working – that’s the start of you gaining a flatter stomach.
Lower risk of injury
Because spinning is a low impact activity in comparison to other exercises such as running and jogging, it doesn’t put as much pressure on our knees and joints, and therefore is less likely to cause injury. Spin classes are also recommended for people who suffer from arthritis and similar joint problems, as it has proven to provide relief for the areas involved.
Feel energised throughout
With the music pumping, lights flashing and your instructor full of encouragement while you pedal like you’re competing in the Tour De France, it’s hard to not feel energised throughout a spin workout. The more the blood rushes through your body and your adrenaline at an all time high, you’ll be wondering where the hour class went. It’s actually true that spinners have entered their spin class feeling tired, but left the workouts feeling alive.