Cycling has been a great workout for a long time.  It’s great exercise and a great way to get out to see your city or new places.  In an upcoming article we will talk about traveling and cycling as an activity vacation.  That being said a number of years ago cycling was brought indoors as a form of aerobics class.  Johnny Goldberg “Johnny G” was the person that first came up with the concept of indoor cycling or “Spin” as a gym class.  Creating special bikes, the spin bike, which resembled tour de France bikes rather than the old gym style bikes.  Adding music and sometimes lights to the class atmosphere spin classes spread like wildfire in gyms all over the country.   They were fun and a great way to burn calories and work the legs and glutes.

But as is with most new exercise programs there is an initial huge interest at first and then interest fades.  Eventually the next big fad comes along and interest in the last one wains still most gyms did continue to offer some spin classes.

Recently with the advent of the boutique gym or the singular specialty training facility “spin or cycling” classes are back in a big way.  SoulCycle, CycleBar, Flywheel Sports, and others have kicked indoor cycling into high gear.  Now with singular facilities designed specifically for spin classes.  Using music developed for the fast pace and intensity of these new spin classes.  Training instructors in this new method of doing spin classes and adding rhythm-based choreography has really taken the energy of classes up a notch.  Some programs also offer muscle sculpting elements to their classes for a total body workout.   And you can schedule your classes online but you better hurry because they fill-up very quickly.

Here are some details on a few of the programs out there.

SoulCycle – Classes start around $30 on average and add $3 for shoes rental.  Prices vary slightly depending on where you live.  You can buy packages of classes that will offer a price break.

Flywheel Sports – Classes start around $20 – $28.  They offer various class lengths and they also have FlyBar which is an off the bike body sculpting class.  And they also have package deals the making the individual class a lower price.

                   

CycleBar – Classes start at $18 – $20 a class with packages available to lower the price even more.  CycleBar is one of the lower priced programs around.

     

So, put on some riding shorts, riding shoes and get back on the bike.  Enjoy the new resurgence of indoor cycling and getting a good workout too.