New to indoor cycling class? Like all fitness classes, spinning? has a few terms that you should know. Here's a cheat sheet to help you feel more comfortable before you hop on the saddle.
Spin? Class Terms
Flat Terrain: Like the outside, flat terrain means to mimic a flat road. Usually this is an easy ride, instructors may do speed drills while on a flat terrain.
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Gear Up/Gear Down: This means to add resistance or tension.
Hill/Climb: Instructors try to mimic a real road ride. Hill or climb means you add resistance to simulate an incline.
Jump: A type of drill used in an indoor spin? class. You start in your saddle and when the instructor says jump, you pedal off your saddle. Usually the instructor will do jumps to the beat of the music. So you may ride in the saddle for four beats and then out of the saddle for four, and then back on to your seat.
Resistance/Tension: Most indoor bikes have a knob or leverage that controls the bike's resistance. It's usually found at the base of the handlebars. Turn the knob to the right to add resistance, which will make pedaling harder. Turn the knob to the left to lighten the load, which will make pedaling easier.
RPM: RPM means revolutions per minute. This is the amount you can pedal in one minute.
Saddle: The bike's seat.
Sprint: This is usually incorporated in speed/interval drills. You pedal as fast as you can, pick up your RPMs.
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Stay in shape in a spin? class.
