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Spinning is a great way to keep fit and healthy from the comfort of your home. But the magic will not happen all by itself and your initial excitement and enthusiasm for a healthy life will not be enough to push you to go the distance. If you are hoping for the kind of results you can only achieve in the long haul (see Is Spinning a Good Way to Lose Weight), here are some top tips to place you on the path to victory.
Set up Your Bike ProperlyWhen you go to a studio, you can expect all the mechanisms and spinning bikes to be carefully maintained and modified to the needs of the user by the spinning instructor. In your home gym, you will want to take some time to get a full understanding of the settings and adjustments available from your bike. Even the smallest adjustments can make big differences in the dynamics of your spinning workout.
Most spinning bikes on the market allow for a wide range of adjustments to provide optimal positioning for a safe, fun, energetic, and injury-free workout. Make sure the seat is at a proper height allowing the full extension of the leg while maintaining the foot completely horizontal on the pedal when in the lowest position. The handlebars should also be in a comfortable position. When just starting out it is better to have the handlebar in a higher position than necessary. It can be lowered from there as desired.
The next and most important adjustment to address will be resistance. As a matter of fact, you always want to have some resistance to the ride as without any resistance you will literally spin your wheels and accomplish nothing no matter how much time you spend on the bike. Start with a resistance you can feasibly endure for a minimum of 10 to 20 minutes, for your first week of regular exercise. You can then begin adjusting greater resistance from there.
The good thing about the spinning bike is that maintaining proper form is very easy, nevertheless, there will always be the temptation to sacrifice form for slightly easier execution. This is never a good idea; a balanced and effective workout is based on proper form and adequate resistance. Make sure your upper body is relaxed with the shoulders dropping away from the ears and the spine in a relaxed position. The core must remain fully engaged during the entire exercise. The legs should be committed to a rhythmic fluid motion. The effort from the body should be passed from the tightened core through the upper and lower legs to the contact points of the bottom of the foot at the pedal.
Set Attainable GoalsThe initial excitement of a life of health and fitness will never last very long. The best way to fuel your motivation for continuing on the path to healthier living is by making calculated efforts and keeping track of your impressive progress.
With this in mind, your first week of exercise should be all about testing your limits and seeing what demands you can make from your body. You may find that a full hour of uphill spinning is too demanding, but what about 20 minutes on a lower resistance? Don’t be discouraged by humble beginnings, you will soon be making significant progress.
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Regularity is far more impressive than being able to pull off tremendous feats of endurance once every blue moon. Decide what is a fair amount of effort that you can repeat each day and get started with this. Never increase your physical demands by more than 10% – 20% over a two-week period. Within a few months, you will be making an impression.
Establishing your routine is critical to making the progress that will encourage you to make more progress, so set up your daily routine religiously. Spinning is a great activity that will release those endorphins, get the heart racing, and oxygenate the blood. If you will be working with a live stream, make a note of starting times and always arrive a little early for your class so you can begin loosening joints and getting ready for action.
If you will be going it alone, make daily exercise a special time through careful planning. Make sure you have eaten properly, choose your favorite inspirational music or a good TV show to watch while you improve your physical conditions. It is the smallest details that will make you thrilled and happy for your exercise and bring you back time and again for more.
Speaking of the details that make exercise inspiring and fun, take the time to set up your exercise area for maximum efficacy. Bikes are easily moved about, but you should have a place where you can go that offers you a nice relaxing view and environment for your exercise. Sometimes all you will need to do is move your bike a little closer to the window. But you can also place your bike on the back patio or anywhere you feel inspired to exercise.
As with any exercise program, daily spinning will mean that you are placing higher demands on your body and you should compensate accordingly. Make sure that your diet and rest habits are adjusted to allow for increased demands. Make sure you rest well, support your exercise activities with nutritious food and adjust your schedule to ensure that your exercise schedule can be kept religiously.
