Cycle workout. What is it, what muscles work, benefit, harm, technique

"Cycle" or "cycling" is a modern direction of group training, aimed at training the cardiovascular system, reducing the amount of subcutaneous fat, and strengthening muscle mass in the lower body... Such training is considered highly intense, which means it is suitable for people aged 25-35 years.

What is cycling

Cycle training is a group (in some cases, individual) exercise on stationary bikes under the guidance of a qualified instructor. Such cardio training is usually accompanied by rhythmic loud music, which encourages athletes as they work on their own bodies.

The pace of scrolling the simulator's pedals, as well as the level of load, is determined by the trainer, focusing on the current state and general physical fitness members of a particular group. A distinctive feature of cycling is the extreme intensity of loads, which not every person's body can regularly withstand.

It is for this reason that it is recommended to determine the appropriateness of starting such classes in each case together with a therapist who has a complete understanding of the health status of a particular athlete.

How did the Cycle workout come about?

The history of Cycle training begins in 1979. During this period, the then famous American cyclist Johnny Goldberg opened the first fitness studio in Santa Monica, the bulk of the classes in which was carried out using stationary stationary bicycles.

With his deep knowledge of human physiology, Goldberg soon begins to understand the need to improve conventional simulators. A few years later, he will be able to carry out his plans, thanks to the participation of John Baudwin, and as a result of cooperation, the athlete will receive a stationary simulator, identical to a real bicycle.

In 1994, Goldberg, in collaboration with Schwinn, developed the Spinning program (a set of exercises on a stationary bike with a specific level of load and intensity), which formed the basis of modern Cycle training in fitness centers.

Varieties and directions

Cycling, as the direction of modern group training in the gym, is classified into 2 types:

• workouts conducted while sitting on a stationary bike. Such a lesson consists of several cycles, differing in the level of load. The criteria in this case are the speed of rotation of the simulator's pedals, the set resistance, the position of the body, the position of the arms and the use of additional weights. A properly organized lesson involves alternating cycles of varying intensity to maintain the desired pulse range.The heart rate is determined by the goal of a specific group of athletes;
• standing workouts. This type of exercise means that most of the time the athlete does strength exercises while standing near the simulator. The gaps between sets in the main part of the complex should be filled with a stationary bike ride at a moderate pace and with minimal resistance.

The benefits of stationary bike training

Cycle training is an activity, the main advantages of which are:

• high rate of fat burning (for 1 workout, the duration of which does not exceed 40-50 minutes, athletes get rid of 500-600 Kcal, which is 1.5 times more than the volume of calories burned during other group exercises);
• the ability to individually select not only the pedaling speed, but also the total load. To do this, each exercise bike is equipped with a pedal resistance regulator. The higher this indicator, the more effort the athlete is forced to apply to scroll the pedals;
• the vast majority of programs for which Cycle training is carried out are interval (considered the most effective for fat burning and training the heart muscle);
• the ability to increase the overall endurance of the body;
• versatility (cycling is suitable for people of any gender and, theoretically, any age);
• accelerating the growth of muscle mass (achieved by improving blood circulation and increasing the rate of oxygen supply to the worked out muscle groups).

What muscles work

With a correctly organized Cycle training, an athlete takes 40-60 minutes. will work:

• leg muscles (and not only the biceps of the thigh, but also the calf muscles, which are difficult to strengthen and make more prominent);
• abdominal muscles (it becomes possible due to the fact that the athlete must keep the abdomen as pulled in as possible throughout the session);
• back muscles (it becomes possible due to the fact that the athlete must control his posture throughout the session. Even if the exercise involves tilting the body forward, the back should be as straight as possible - without bending or stooping);

• arm muscles (regardless of whether additional equipment was used during the lesson or not).

disadvantages

The objective disadvantages of Cycle training include:

• the risk of injury during classes by beginners and people with low physical fitness, as well as poor health;
• the risk of damage to the knee joints (it increases with prolonged regular loads only in one direction of fitness, as well as with improper exercise);
• discomfort in the buttock area after the first few cycling sessions (arises from an unusual position (sitting on a hard seat) in which the athlete needs to perform exercises);
• the need to consult with a therapist before starting attending group classes of the type in question (if this recommendation is not followed, the athlete may aggravate his health after cycling).

Indications for exercise

Cycle training is a direction of fitness, the indications for which are:

• the need to lose weight in the shortest possible time (the first result from the classes can be achieved after 3-4 weeks of regular training);
• increasing endurance and strengthening the protective properties of the body;
• training of the respiratory system;
• increase in muscle mass;
• the creation of a relief body ("drying" the body without general weight loss);
• training of the cardiovascular system;
• the need to increase the speed of metabolic processes (it becomes possible only if a special nutrition plan is followed during the period of sports).

Contraindications

Among the main contraindications for Cycle training are called:

• diseases of the cardiovascular system, regardless of whether they are chronic or in an acute form (for example, tachycardia, angina pectoris, and so on);
• cardiac asthma;
• the presence of edema in the lower extremities (often the accumulation of excessive amounts of fluid indicates kidney problems);
• thrombophlebitis or thrombosis;
• benign or malignant neoplasms;
• diseases or recent injuries of the knee joints;
• obesity 2 and 3 degrees;
• diabetes;
• ARVI and ARI;
• increased body temperature, regardless of the reasons for its occurrence;
• exacerbation of chronic diseases (especially for exacerbation of chronic pathologies of the respiratory system).

Features of classes for various diseases and conditions

If the doctor, despite the presence of a number of diseases or health conditions of a particular person, has allowed him to attend Cycle training, the athlete should follow the precautions and recommendations of the therapist, as well as the fitness instructor.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding

Cycling is recommended for girls who are planning pregnancy. With the help of such training, expectant mothers will be able to accelerate the lymph flow and blood flow, helping to improve the functioning of the pelvic organs.

In case of conception that has already occurred, active exercise on exercise bikes can provoke the risk of a threat of termination of pregnancy (in the 1st or 2nd trimester) or premature labor (2nd and 3rd trimester). When carrying a child, the girl is advised to abandon the sport in question.

When breastfeeding, a cycling girl may change the quality of her milk, thus causing the newborn to abandon breast. Therefore, practicing active training during lactation, a young mother must strictly control the load, and also listen to the recommendations of a fitness instructor.

With sore knees

Despite the fact that moderate loads on an exercise bike are prescribed for people in the initial stages of joint diseases (arthrosis, arthritis, and so on), it is highly discouraged to attend group Cycle workouts under such circumstances.

The high rate of pedaling, as well as the additional stress assumed by the standard Cycle program, can aggravate the condition of the bone tissue, as well as provoke an inflammatory process in the soft.

The best option for sore knees will be individual training with a fitness instructor, in which the load will be adjusted to a specific athlete, as well as timely adjusted during classes.

With varicose veins

Attending group Cycle training for varicose veins is allowed only in the initial stages of the disease provided there is no vascular network on the lower limbs. The determining factor in whether high-intensity exercise is safe for an individual is how his body responds to it.

Fitness instructors recommend practicing a lightweight program for the first 2-3 weeks, after which, in the absence of negative changes in the athlete's health, switch to more complex complexes. There is a categorical ban on cycling only for elderly people (over 55 years old) with varicose veins, regardless of the actual degree of the disease.

For back pain

The decision on the advisability of attending Cycle workouts for a person with a number of back diseases should be made not only by the therapist, but also by the fitness instructor.

In the vast majority of cases, the determining factors will be:

• training type (it is allowed to perform exercises while sitting, since when the back is in a static position, the load is almost completely removed from it);
• the complexity of the exercises performed within the cycle of training should be minimal (static loads help to strengthen the muscles of the back and have a positive effect on the health of the injured back);
• actual degree of disease (It is allowed to practice on exercise bikes for people in the initial stages of back diseases, for example, with scoliosis of 1 or 2 degrees).

For other diseases

Athletes require careful attention to themselves during Cycle training with:

• fibroids (in this disease, the load on the lower body is generally best limited in order to minimize the risk of an increase in education in size due to an improvement in local blood circulation);
• hypertension (at high pressure, it is recommended to start any sports activities with minimal loads, increasing them gradually);

  

• diagnosed VSD;
• endocrine system diseases;
• pathologies of the respiratory system (regardless of whether they are chronic or in an exacerbation stage);
• endometriosis (with this disease, a woman is not recommended to attend Cycle training during menstruation and 1-2 days before and after it).

How often you should and can do cycling

Cycle training is a group type of sports, which means that the frequency of classes depends on the staffing schedule of the fitness club visited by a person. It is considered optimal to engage in exercise bikes at least 3-4 times a week if the goal of the training is to lose weight or increase body relief.

If you want to increase muscle mass using cycling as a supplement to strength training, the frequency of training should be no more than 2-3 times a week.

It is not recommended to attend Cycle training more than 4 times a week, regardless of the athlete's physical fitness. Excessive stress can not only aggravate a person's health, but also slow down the process of achieving a result in transforming his figure (due to overtraining of the body).

What the training consists of

Cycle training consists of the main stages:

1. Warm up. For example, riding a stationary bike at a slow pace and then accelerating.
2. The main part of the lesson... This part includes both normal cycling at a fast pace and doing a series of exercises (in both positions).
3. Hitch... As a final complex, it is recommended to use a stationary bike ride at a fast pace, followed by a gradual decrease in speed, as well as breathing exercises and stretching.

Is it possible to cycle at home

Cycling at home, although exercise bikes are available, is not recommended. An athlete who does not have a sufficient amount of knowledge about human physiology, as well as the principles of compiling high-intensity workouts, will not be able to correctly draw up a training program.

If the load is not properly distributed, the exercise technique is not followed or contraindications are ignored, a person exercising on an exercise bike at home can harm their health or get injured.

If you do not want to attend group classes, you can use the personal training service, additionally paying for it according to the price list of a particular fitness club.

Equipment for training

For Cycle workouts conducted within the fitness club, the athlete does not need to worry about having the necessary equipment.

The sports institution provides its clients for appropriate training:

• stationary exercise bike;
• gymnastic foam mats;
• dumbbells;
• weights;
• elastic sports elastic bands.

The athlete needs to take with him only:

• sports uniform;
• sports shoes (clients without sports shoes are not allowed to Cycle trainings);
• towel;
• a bottle of water (given the high intensity of this type of training, it is extremely important to replenish fluid losses in order to avoid dehydration).

The best home exercise equipment. Review of models, prices

Training according to the Cycle system (this applies to all types of the considered training) for its implementation requires not only adherence to the technique of performing exercises, but also the availability of a high-quality stationary simulator.

The list of the best includes:

• spin bike BH FITNESS SB6, from 32,000 rubles.(the package includes an LCD display showing time, speed, rpm, distance, odometer, calories and heart rate; resistance adjustment lever);
• spin bike DFC B3302, from 25,000 rubles. (vertical mechanical spin bike with pedal straps for comfortable fixation of the legs, as well as a display showing time, speed, distance, calories, heart rate);

• exercise bike Lifespan C15W, from 16,000 rubles. (a budget bike, the design of which allows you to adjust the sitting position, monitor the athlete's pulse, measure his physical activity and choose a training program from 24 automatic).

How to set up your bike

It is recommended to set up the exercise bike before each session if the spin bike is in public use.

This should be done according to the instructions, paying attention to the key points:

• seat height;
• resistance of pedals during their rotation;
• enabling / disabling the automatic program (depending on the recommendations of the fitness instructor).

What regime contributes to weight loss

For effective weight loss during Cycle workouts, you must set the appropriate automatic mode on the exercise bike, and also make sure that the pulse range during exercise ranges from 120 to 140 beats per minute.

Do I need to warm up before training

The warm-up complex, which should be performed before the main part of the Cycle training, is a mandatory component of the training type in question. It helps to prevent an athlete from getting injured, to prepare his body for further stress, as well as to accelerate metabolic processes, thus increasing the final efficiency of the training.

A set of exercises without weights

A set of exercises as part of a Cycle training without resistance may look like this:

Breathing during exercise should be rhythmic and deep. If necessary, it is permissible to pause between exercises, the duration of which should be no more than 1 minute.

Dumbbell Interval Workout

Interval Cycle dumbbell workout involves performing the following set 3 times. It is permissible to take a break between circles - 3-4 minutes. Resting between exercises within the same complex is not recommended, since after it additional time will be required to re-accelerate metabolic processes and pulse.

Execution order:

1. Warm up - 10 min. Cycling with gradual acceleration can be used as a warm-up.
2. Rotation of the pedals at a fast pace with simultaneous lifting of dumbbells for biceps - 5 min.
3. Reverse pedaling at an average pace with simultaneous stretching of the arms back with dumbbells due to triceps - 5 minutes.
4. Pedaling forward at an average pace with parallel lifting of straight arms with dumbbells to chest level - 10 minutes.
5. Cool down - 10 min. Cycling with gradual deceleration can be used as a cool-down.

Cycle workout effect

In one Cycle workout, an athlete can burn up to 600 Kcal, subject to the exercise technique. The visible result from the classes will be noticeable after 3-4 weeks of regular attending group training.

The speed of achieving the result in this case is influenced by:

• the age of the athlete;
• initial physical parameters of a person;
• physical training;
• health status;
• regularity of classes.

Cycle workouts are suitable for people looking to lose weight and those who play sports to increase muscle mass.

This is achieved by adjusting the resistance of the exercise bike's pedaling, as well as the ability to adjust the load (speed of exercise, the weight of the dumbbells used, and so on) in each case.

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