Spinning is one of the hottest workouts around. It’s great for building cardio and leg strength, and you can burn 400-600 calories in an hour-long class. But what if you don’t have a spin class near you? Well, how about spinning at home?
The bikes in a spin class are specially designed but you can easily use a regular bike at home. Just mount the back wheel on a bike trainer like this one and adjust the tension so that the wheel doesn’t move. Since the back wheel is now a couple of inches off the ground, you may find that you need to mount the front wheel on something to bring it up a little in height. You can use a special stacking block like this, or just use a heavy book or a couple of pieces of wood. It’s best if you can find something with a groove in it so that the front wheel won’t move if you lean on the handlebars.
If you need a little motivation (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?) try one of the cycling DVDs on the market. Spinervals makes a whole series of them, all designed for the home exerciser.
Don’t forget that if you’re sweating, you’re losing water. Make sure you have water with you while you’re spinning–you can easily drink a liter or so. Of course, we recommend that you add EBOOST both for energy and to replace the electrolytes lost through sweat. Because you ARE going to sweat! But that’s the whole point, right?
