Variety is the spice that keeps fitness passion alive. Runners, this is for you. Banish boredom, rid yourself of the doldrums and start Spinning®. Indoor cycling offers outrageous benefits and is a sure-fire way to enhance your running performance.
If you want to run farther, faster and more safely, mix up your routine. Bravely step out of your comfort zone and into the indoor cycling room. You'll wonder what took you so long.
More: What Is Spinning®?
Uphill, downhill, fast, slow, indoors or out, running works a particular set of muscles. The longer you run and the more miles you cover, progress will follow— this much is inevitable. However, you increase your risk for both injury and burnout by sticking with the same movement day in and day out.
When you choose an indoor cycling class over running on occasion, you reduce your risk of injury in two ways. First, you are substituting a high-impact with a no-impact workout, giving your joints a break from the wear and tear. Second, the muscles worked on the bike vary from those used while running. Strengthening different (weaker) muscles in your body will provide greater muscular balance, resulting in reduced chance of running-related injury.
More: Prevent Running Overuse Injuries in 6 Steps
How Spinning® Increases Fitness
So, how exactly does Spinning® help runners outshine their competition? In each class, you will see a mixture of movement (three simple positions) and cadence (rate of pedal stroke).
The good news: there is no fancy choreography to learn. If you don't see outdoor cyclists doing it, you won't see it in an indoor cycling class. With flats and easier hills completed at an aerobic-level heart rate, your slow-twitch (slow to fatigue) muscle fibers are developed, giving you endurance for long-distance running.
More: How to Improve Endurance Without Injury
As you push yourself on fast flats and steeper hills, you move to a more anaerobic heart rate and your fast-twitch (quick to fatigue) muscle fibers are trained, providing a top-rate sprinting advantage. Whether your goal is a 5K or a marathon, you will improve.
More: Train for Your Muscle-Fiber Type
As athletes, we know races can be won or lost on mental strength alone. Spinning® supports the mind-body connection essential for success. Because you're in a predictable environment without the perils of the road, you learn to relax into a meditative and focused state despite physical challenge. Training your mind to be strong in the face of adversity allows you to go full-force more easily, no matter what you're doing.
