When the temperature heats up outside in the middle of the summer, your workout routine may need to adapt. If you’re accustomed to outdoor exercise, the sweltering heat may have an adverse effect, making you more likely to overheat or get dehydrated faster. Perhaps you gradually acclimate yourself to exercising in the heat by shortening your outdoor workouts when it gets hotter. You may also get to the point of trying to avoid exercising outside altogether during the summer, opting for the cooler temperatures inside your favorite EōS Fitness. Group cycling is just one of the ways you can beat the heat this summer at EōS.
Benefits of a Group Cycling Workout
If you’ve never tried a group cycling workout, you’re missing out on a great experience and many benefits.
Perhaps you’re already a cyclist with endless outdoor miles under your belt, or maybe you’d consider yourself more of a recreational bike-rider, taking shorter trips around the block with the family. Either way, indoor group cycling will help you beat the heat in a more controlled environment, lessening the chance of injury caused by dehydration.
When you get your heart rate pumping during a group cycling class or other cardiovascular workout, you’re giving your metabolism a boost and burning some serious calories and fat at the same time. Regular cycling also stimulates and improves function of your heart, lungs, and circulation, which helps to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases like stroke, high blood pressure, and heart attack.
Group cycling helps strengthen muscles and build lean muscle mass, particularly in the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calf muscles. In addition to helping your body appear more toned, building muscle also helps you burn more calories at rest. While a lot of different factors contribute to your metabolism, it’s estimated that every pound of muscle burns about three times as many calories as a pound of fat does.
The physical demands of group cycling are variable, meaning the intensity or challenge level can be adjusted based on each person’s unique fitness level. This is why cycling is a great exercise option for beginners. Group cycling workouts consist of various speed drills, intervals, position changes, and intensities. When you first try a cycling class, you may find it difficult to simply complete the duration of the class time, but with time and practice, you’ll build muscle and endurance, and find that you’re able to push yourself harder and continue increasing resistance on the bike. Plus, the low impact nature of cycling is ideal for all ages and is easier on the joints.
In addition to the multitude of physical benefits of cycling workouts, your mental wellness can also be improved. Physical activity can help you sweat out stress and anxiety, helping you relax, fall asleep faster, and sleep better throughout the night. Group cycling also gives you time to focus on yourself and your fitness goals. When you’re cycling, you may feel you’re “in the zone” and hyper-focused, which makes the time go faster, allows you to burn more calories, and helps refresh your state of mind for the regular challenges of life and work.
Is Cycling Enough Exercise?
The CDC recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and 2 days of muscle strengthening activity per week. If you split that time into smaller chunks throughout the week, you could do 5 days of 30-minute cycling workout sessions or beat the heat by participating in 2 to 3 indoor group cycling classes at EōS. Paired with other activities like weightlifting, strength training machines, resistance band workouts, or the many other options available at EōS, you’ll complete your weekly activity requirement and then some.
Group Cycling at EōS Fitness
The group cycling classes at EōS give you a full-body workout that blasts calories, scorches fat, and leaves you on an endorphin high. Take a look below at the classes you’ll want to try.
EōS Cycle
Improve your cardio endurance and muscular health with this 60-minute low impact/high-intensity cycling workout. Designed for multiple levels of fitness, you can train like an athlete and find your inner competitive cyclist.
Cycle Express
Add this 30-minute abbreviated group cycling class to your workout routine if you are low on time or simply prefer a shorter cycling format. You’ll still get a great cardio workout and have time for other exercises.
Ride 101
This is the perfect introduction to cycling workouts if you’re new to the gym or to group cycling in general. You’ll learn the basics and enjoy a slower pace with more attention to form and technique. This class may also be less intimidating than a traditional group cycling class.
Ride & Define
An ideal combination of cycling intervals and off-the-bike exercises, the 60-minute Ride & Define class will help you effectively train every part of your body and get the most out of your time.
Rev Up, Wind Down
In this 90-minute class, you’ll spend half the time revving up with intense cycling to annihilate fat and calories, then the other half winding down with yoga to stretch the muscles and center the body and mind.
Bolt
In true HIIT fashion, this 30-minute high-intensity group cycling class will help you burn the most calories in a short amount of time. You’ll complete periods of hard work followed by short recoveries to help achieve your fitness goals.
Ride the Rhythm
If you’re looking for a non-traditional cycling workout, try “exertainment”—a mix of exercise and entertainment. This “party on a bike” class contains rhythmic exercises where music is the front runner, letting you burn calories while having lots of fun at the same time.
Les Mills RPM™
Discover your athlete within while riding to the rhythm of powerful music through hills, flats, mountain peaks, time trials, and interval training during this 60-minute Les Mills class.
Les Mills Sprint™
Smash your fitness goals with this 30-minute HIIT cycling workout. Add Les Mills Sprint to your workout routine to push your physical and mental limits, and continue burning calories for hours after the class is over.
Learn more about group cycling classes and beat the heat this summer when you stop by your local EōS. New members receive a Complimentary Welcome Workout with a Personal Trainer to help you get started on your fitness goals.
