You’ll learn how to shift gears, when to use the small and big rings (easier and harder gears), and how to anticipate when you need to change gears going up or down a hill. Wish you had someone to hold your hand the first time you hit the road? Meyer’s T2 studio helps riders transition with classes on a CompuTrainer, an indoor cycling trainer you can mount your bicycle on to mimic being outside. RELATED: How to Pick the Best Bicycle for You If you feel tense, sore or fatigued, verify that your shoulders are relaxed and your chest is open. Check in with your body every few minutes to make sure you’re maintaining that position. Your posture should be similar to what you’ve learned in yoga class: Your shoulder blades are back and down, and you’re putting loose pressure on the handlebars of your bike so that you can absorb shock. If you do get out of the saddle, it will be to tackle a short hill or give your body a break from holding the same position throughout your ride. In fact, your upper body shouldn’t be moving much at all, so it’s important to keep good posture, says Meyer.
Some of what you learn in spin class doesn’t translate when you head outside: You’re not tapping it back or swaying side to side.
Photo: T2 Multisport NYC 4 Skills to Brush Up on Before Hitting the Road RELATED: 8 Ways to Learn to Love Spin Class “This is exactly what you’re doing on the bike - engaging your hip flexor, bringing it up to your midline and engaging your transverse abdominis.” You’ll also be working your quads more, as you power yourself up and down hills. “Think about it: every kind of ab workout has some sort of bicycle move,” Meyer says. Plus, while indoor cycling classes may rely on light weights to give your muscles an extra challenge, an outdoor bike gives you a serious core workout as you support yourself. A recent study also shows that at the same rate of perceived effort, athletes were able to exercise at a higher intensity outdoors than inside, creating a more efficient workout. Don’t worry, though, you’ll still be getting in a good sweat. Yet, if you’re tackling hilly terrain, you may want to attempt a shorter first excursion out, says Meyer. If you’ve been pedaling indoors, you can count on being able to ride for a comparable amount of time outside. “You can add resistance and intensity indoors, but there’s nothing like a real hill or climb to test your endurance and power.”
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The Benefits of Cycling Outsideįeel like you could practically go pro after a winter full of SoulCycle? Taking a 45- to 60-minute indoor cycling class several times a week gives you the quick legs you need to keep a high cadence, says Jeanne Meyer, a founding partner at T2 Multisport NYC, an indoor cycling studio that teaches on real bikes.īut it’s “the equivalent of a treadmill for a runner,” says Allie Burdick, an indoor cycling instructor and competitive triathlete. If the last time you were on a bike that could get you from point A to point B was back in high school, we have tips for you to transition your skills from those 45 minutes in the dark to the open road. You’re in great shape, but as the weather gets nicer, you can’t help but feel like you’re pedaling to nowhere. It’s been a long, cold winter, and you’ve spent it tapping it back and racking up your torque points in spin class.