SPINNING: Indoor cycling, as an organized activity, is a form of exercise with classes focusing on endurance, strength, intervals, high intensity and recovery, and involves using a special stationary exercise bicycle with a weighted flywheel in a classroom setting. It is commonly called spinning.
Aside from the group energy, one of the things that makes spin classes so much better than regular stationary cycling is the bikes themselves. Spinning bikes are equipped with a weighted flywheel in the front that picks up speed as you pedal, and the seats and handlebars are adjustable, so you feel like you’re riding on a real bike. There’s a knob below the handlebars that allows you to adjust the tension, making pedaling easier or harder, as you ride down flat roads, up mountain sides, and down hills.
Spinning is very popular, especially among people who don’t care for traditional exercise classes. There are no complicated dance moves to follow, and since you control your bike’s tension, you can stay within a comfortable exercise zone for your fitness level, while still feeling like you’re “keeping up” with the class. Unlike actual cycling, there are no worries about lagging behind the pack. Everyone finishes together. And everyone gets a great workout. Spinning scorches about 7.2 to 13.6 calories per minute, or about 500 calories per class. All that pedaling is also great for leg toning as it strengthens your glutes, thighs, and calves.