It’s no secret that celebrities today are some of the most well-known fans of spin classes. From Gwyneth Paltrow to Oprah Winfrey, many of the biggest names in Hollywood regularly hit the podium
While they may be famous for their thinning locks, these A-list stars also credit their physiques to their time on the stairmasters. The legendary Spin Class quotes reflect this trend with celebrity devotees including Jessica Biel, Jennifer Aniston, and Kristin Wilson crediting the bikes for helping them lose weight.
The Rise In Popularity
If you’re looking to lose weight, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better way to do so than by taking spin classes. According to the American Institute of Stress, a stressed out lifestyle is one of the major causes of obesity. Cycling provides a number of health benefits and is a great way to reduce anxiety.
The American Institute of Stress also reports that people who regularly attend spin classes are less likely to be overweight or obese. What’s more is that participants in a religiously observed spin class burned around 300 more calories a week than those who attended yoga or stretching classes.
Whether you want to lose a few pounds or would like to make a serious change in your life, spin classes are a great way to go. If you’re serious about losing weight, there are a few key exercise moves you need to know.
Interval Training
Interval training is a form of cardiovascular exercise which involves performing short bursts of high-intensity bursts of activity followed by periods of rest or moderate activity. This type of training has a number of advantages which make it popular among athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Most notably, it’s a great way to build muscle and burn calories at the same time.
According to Harvard Medical School, interval training is extremely effective at improving health and lowering cholesterol. In one study, participants who completed an 8-week program of interval training experienced a 21% drop in their LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and a 12% increase in their HDL (good) cholesterol levels. These are important numbers because LDL cholesterol promotes arterial plaque formation while HDL cholesterol helps remove it. Plus, as noted above, interval training builds muscle and burns calories. The list of benefits is long.
Use Your Diaphragm
Many people tend to eat more while watching TV or browsing the web, which leads to easy weight gain. One way to avoid this temptation is to use your diaphragm. This muscle separates your stomach contents from your lungs, preventing food from entering your system. Instead of using your mouth to eat, use your diaphragm and you’ll feel like you’re working out even while sitting down to dinner.
Try this diaphragm breathing technique when you go to the dining room and you’ll see:
1) Put your hands on your stomach.
2) With your hands on your stomach, inhale slowly through your nose while pressing your stomach.
3) As you inhale, your stomach should expand.
4) While keeping your hands on your stomach, slowly exhale through your nose.
5) This should be a conscious and deliberate effort that you make throughout the day. Even while lying down at night, before you settle into bed, take a minute to do some diaphragm breathing.
How Many Times Should You Do These Exercises?
There is no specific number of times you should do these exercises. Instead, it depends on how fast you want to lose weight. If you’d like to shed some pounds in a hurry, you might want to try doing them twice daily. Alternatively, you may want to try doing them three or four times a day. The more you do, the quicker you’ll reach your target weight.
Which Bike Should You Get?
The most popular ones today are the StairMaster and the Ergopower Bike. The StairMaster was designed and manufactured by the Burton group and is still made to this day. The StairMaster is ideal for people who want to lose weight because it’s a basic bike with no frills. In fact, the only thing the StairMaster is missing is a seat belt.
The Ergopower Bike is a more advanced model which was first manufactured by the Lululemon group. In addition to having more features than the StairMaster, the Ergopower Bike is more comfortable to ride. Moreover, the Lululemon group designed it with a narrower frame and longer handlebars, making it ideal for someone who wants to lose weight but isn’t sure if they’re physically capable of cycling long distances (i.e. more than a few blocks).
If you want to lose weight and maintain your cardiovascular health, cycling is a great way to go. Choose a bicycle which fits you well and has the right equipment for the job. Also, make sure that the class you take is offered nearby where you live so you can easily get there.