4 (Non-Boring) Spin Workouts That Torch Calories, Boost Your Speed, and Build Strength
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Sure, nothing compares to the feel of smooth road or bumpy gravel under your tires. But no matter how much you love riding outside, there are times when you’re going to be limited to spin workouts inside. And that’s a good thing!
“Not only is indoor cycling a constant and always available when the climate or conditions become inconsistent, but it’s also a smart way to train using metrics such as torque, RPMs, and wattage to measure intensity,” explains Jared Poulin, a NASM-certified instructor at Bowflex. “With the controlled consistency of indoor cycling, you can really strengthen your muscle fibers and overall fitness level, which will undoubtedly translate to a higher success rate on the road.”
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The goal of the workouts Poulin created below is to provide a variety of ways to improve your cardiovascular health, endurance, and overall fitness level. “They’re also great routines to burn calories and fat and increase your metabolic rate,” he adds.
But before you start spinning, make sure you’re set up for success—whether you’re on your own at-home indoor cycling bike or on a bike at the gym.
Choose Your Bike
At-home indoor cycling bikes aren’t cheap, but if you’re someone who rides straight through the winter or lives where it’s not always easy to ride outdoors, it could be a good investment. And now, many of them come with subscriptions to streaming and on-demand classes, providing a community vibe even when you’re riding solo.
Set Your Indoor Cycling Bike Up Right
Give yourself a few minutes before your ride to make sure that your bike’s properly set up for your body—that’s going to determine whether you actually get the benefits from your workout.
“A good rule of thumb when setting up your bike is to stand next to the bike and adjust the seat to hip height,” says Poulin. Once you’re clipped in and in the saddle, “make sure that when your knee is at about a 90-degree angle, the kneecap is directly over the ball of the foot or just below the toe line,” he says. When the legs are fully extended, there should be a soft bend or give in the knee, just like there should be a soft bend in the elbows when touching the handlebar. “The height of the handlebar largely depends on your preference,” says Poulin. “If you have lower back issues, I recommend keeping the bar on the higher side to alleviate pressure in the lumbar region.”
Know the Lingo
Many indoor cycling instructors reference different positions on the bike, as you’ll see below. First position is often seated in the saddle with your hands on the handlebar. Second position is usually standing tall upright—sometimes referred to as “running”—with your hands resting lightly on the bar closest to you for balance. This position emphasizes the “pulling up” portion of pedaling, similar to doing a high knees drill on solid ground. Third position is like a standing sprint: stand up out of the saddle with your hips back over the saddle and hands on the ends of the bar furthest from you.
The Indoor Spin Workout for Speed
No hills here: This 30-minute workout was designed for high accelerations at low to moderate resistance. “It’s ideal for a fantastic calorie burn,” says Poulin.
3-minute warm-up at light to moderate pace in the saddle and third position
30-second sprint followed by 30-second easy cycle; alternate for 6 minutes
3 minutes at moderate pace in saddle or third position
repeat previous 2 steps for a total of 3 rounds
3-minute cooldown at an easy pace
The Tabata Indoor Spin Workout
In this type of HIIT workout, the intervals are intense and quick with a small recovery window. “The results are geared towards maximum calorie burn and fat loss, and this 30-minute sequence is ideal for either beginners or veterans,” says Poulin.
5-minute warmup at light to moderate pace
8 x 20-second push in third position with moderate resistance followed by 10-second recovery
1-minute recovery in saddle at low to moderate resistance and speed
Repeat above intervals and recovery one more time
1-minute recovery in saddle at low to moderate resistance and speed
4 x 40-second push in saddle with light to moderate resistance, followed by 20-second recovery
1-minute recovery in saddle at low to moderate resistance and speed
Repeat above intervals and recovery one more time
60-second push at maximum effort
5-minute cooldown
The Endurance Indoor Spin Workout
Having endurance is the ability to push forward even when fatigued—so this 45-minute ride is aerobic and designed to build stamina. “Don’t think about being breathless, think about being uncomfortable while maintaining specific RPMs,” says Poulin. This one’s a little tougher, and meant for more advanced riders. For beginner riders, use the two workouts above to build up to this one.
5-minute warmup at light to moderate pace
60-second push in the saddle between 80-100 RPMs at moderate resistance (should feel like 60 percent of your max effort)
30-second recovery
90-second push in the saddle with a little more resistance than the previous interval; maintain 90 RPMs
30-second recovery
120-second push with a touch more on the resistance; maintain at least 80 RPMs
5-minute recovery
Repeat drill sequence and recovery 3 more times
5-minute cooldown
The Spin Workout for Muscular Endurance
Another challenging workout, from former Bicycling editor and certified Spinning instructor Riley Missel, features high cadence muscular endurance intervals that have you gradually increase either your cadence or the bike’s resistance. When pedaling at a higher cadence, Missel notes, try grounding yourself through your sit bones and keep your upper body quiet.
8-minute warmup at light to moderate pace
2-minute cadence increases; start at 90 RPMs and increase your cadence 5 RPMs every 20 seconds, aiming to end at 120 RPMs
6-minute resistance increases; spin at 90 RPMs and increase your resistance one level every 30 seconds (if you dip below 90 RPMs, stop increasing resistance and hold until end)
3-minute recovery
Repeat drill sequences and recovery 2 times
5-minute cooldown
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