Indoor cycling on an exercise bike may have been around for decades, but it’s more important now than ever. With more and more people working remotely and the increasing need to stay home, indoor exercise has become an important part of fitness and overall health (physical and mental health). But is indoor cycling good for you?
The popularity of indoor cycling is sure to justify its adoption in recent years. That all changed as services like Peloton and Zwift gamified the family bike by adding a big screen and the ability to ride with other people from around the world.
As the expert’s points out: Research shows that, in terms of energy expenditure (if the intensity is similar), 1 hour of cycling indoors is equivalent to 90 minutes of cycling outdoors.” Now, exercising at home doesn’t necessarily mean getting into that alone painful cave. It also doesn’t mean you have to force yourself to just have the willpower to show up and stay on the bike – the trainer will take care of the rest. Read some tips about exercise bikes in this article below;
Which indoor bike is the best?
The big question is, if you decide to use an indoor bike, is it in your best interest? The two main categories that are starting to narrow down are stationary exercise bikes or turbo trainers that attach to road bikes. Next, indoor bikes are divided into upright, recumbent, studio and smart bikes. The benefits of the turbo combo are pretty obvious: you get a real-world bike for a sunny day and an indoor system when you want to punch miles in front of Netflix. On the other hand, a fixed indoor cycle will keep you away from this option, keeping you indoors even on sunny days.
We’d like to say that the price reflects this stark difference, but it doesn’t. A high-end indoor Peloton bike will cost you a few thousand dollars, a decent road bike combined with a high-end turbo trainer. Of course, in both cases, there are more affordable options. A study found that indoor cycling is actually better for your health than regular outdoor cycling. But, of course, this is based on a high-intensity spinning class, which isn’t always the case with indoor riding after a long day.
High-end turbo trainers require you to take the rear wheel off the bike, which means you drive the flywheel directly for resistance. A cheaper option will simply attach to your tires and act as a beautifying brake. The reason a flywheel system is better is that it will provide a great degree of resistance control, making it more like a real ride. These are also usually digitally smart, meaning they can link to the screen and adjust the ride based on what you see – creating the feel of real hills, or even the slopes you see on screen.
How does indoor cycling affect your body?
The basics here are pretty simple. You hop on any type of indoor bike and turn your legs. This means you are working out your legs. Less obvious are all the other systems and muscles you can exercise. Your legs are a great place to start because they’ve been shown to be high in calories and can help you burn fat, build muscle, and improve your cardiovascular fitness. But if you have the right bike, you can do so much more.
Roller trainers use rollers that are balanced on the back of the bike and are also a great way to work your upper body, since it requires balance. This means you’ll be working your core muscles, oblique’s, and even your arms and shoulders to stay upright while riding the bike.
Cardiovascular health already mentioned deserves additional comment. It’s basically your blood flow – how your body gets its energy from oxygenated blood. When it works well, your organs are less stressed and work better. That means a lower risk of heart disease, infection and organ failure, but it also means better balance or hormones like serotonin — the happy hormone. So yes, indoor cycling is good for your mind and body.
Is Indoor Cycling Good for Injury Recovery?
As mentioned, indoor cycling is very good for cardiovascular health. Know some more best magnetic indoor cycling bike reviews and comparison. But unlike other cardio exercises like running, it doesn’t put too much stress on the joints. As Starks Fitness personal trainer Olivia Neely points out, “Indoor cycling is low impact and manageable with effort.”
The knees, in particular, remain in an even position, which means there is less risk of impact injuries, as can occur with regular and drastic directional changes such as football or tennis.
Apex trainer Duncan Leighton said: “Indoor cycling is great for injury recovery – as a physiotherapist, I recommend it to many of my clients. Once you settle in, your lower extremities follow a Pretty linear path with minimal impact – unlike running, unless you have enough frame, the chance of an existing or old injury breaking out is very high.”
Therefore, cycling is a great injury recovery exercise that will reduce weight in your legs while allowing you to build and build your muscles for strength.
Is indoor cycling bad for your health?
The flip side of any exercise that strains your body is that it can be risky. Of course, this really only applies to endurance athletes or those with a pre-existing medical history. But by pushing your heart to work hard on a regular basis, it’s bound to get stronger, just like your leg muscles. This growth has been shown to cause scarring, also known as cardiac fibrosis, which can lead to arrhythmias, which are irregular heartbeats. To be clear, this is a very extreme situation for an athlete who trains at a high level.
