This article discusses the benefits of spinning exercise, the drawbacks, and the origins of this evergreen fitness activity.
In an age when fitness fads come and go, seemingly in the blink of an eye, spinning workouts have endured.
Go to any gym, and the class with the most participants will usually be the spin class.
Spinning workouts’ popularity is largely because they are not only extremely effective but also fun.
Targeting and strengthening the core, shoulders, back, quads, and hamstrings, doing even just one 40 to 60-minute spinning workout a week will enable you to burn body fat and a stack of calories.
When undertaken regularly, spinning improves cardiovascular fitness, strength, and endurance.
If you don’t want to join a gym, the good news is that these days, you can get a gym-quality workout without setting foot outside of your front door due to the range and quality of spin bikes available for home use.
Spin bikes often come with workout DVDs. You will also find numerous online resources offering free spinning workout routines and tips, so you can get a gym-quality workout without setting foot outside your front door.
This article looks at the spin bike’s origins, the benefits of spinning workouts, and the drawbacks.
Table of Contents
Origins of Spinning Workouts
Spinning was created in America in 1989 by South African ex-pat Johnny Goldberg, a fitness trainer who regularly competed in endurance cycling events.
His concept of spinning workouts was born from Goldberg’s need to better prepare himself for a challenging bicycle race he’d previously entered and failed to finish.
Realizing he needed a competitive edge, he adapted a stationary bike to simulate the feel of a road bike. The 
resulting bike enabled him to train regardless of the conditions outside.
He subsequently completed the 3000-mile race from Los Angeles to New York in just ten days.
Going by the name of Johnny G, Goldberg later opened a fitness studio in Santa Monica. It was an immediate hit with cyclists, who flocked to his spin classes.
His business expanded, and by 1991 Johnny had introduced spin classes to Hollywood.
Three years later, Goldberg patented the Spinning logo. He then went on to open the first of many fitness centers, Johnny G’s Spinning Headquarters, in LA. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Spin classes have come a long way since those early days when attendees were happy to cycle to background music.
Technological advances mean spin bikes are now capable of simulating jumps, sprints, hill climbs, and downhill freewheeling.
Over the past decade or so, bikes that deliver “terrain-based” conditions, including the feel of wind and resistance, have become hugely popular with both fitness fans and pro-riders who do spin bike workouts as part of their training when weather extremes rule out road training.
Keep reading for more information on spinning benefits.
20-Minute Spinning Workout
Benefits of Spinning Workouts
-
Enhanced Cardiovascular Fitness
Spinning exercise provides a challenging cardiovascular workout that strengthens the heart, lungs, and vascular system, enabling oxygenated blood to be pumped and processed by the body more efficiently.
This ultimately increases energy levels and improves endurance, allowing you to work out at a higher intensity for longer.
-
High Fat and Calorie Burn
The average spin class is 40 minutes long, though some go for one hour. Whether you decide to take a class or exercise at home, a 40-minute spinning workout will burn anywhere from 400 to 600 calories.
Spinning for one hour, you can burn 800 calories or more, with some people torching as many as 1,200 calories.
With 3,500 calories equal to 1 pound of body fat, doing just two moderately-paced 40-minute spinning workouts a week will enable you to lose over 1 pound a month without cutting your food intake.
*The number of calories you burn will be determined by factors including your body weight, the resistance level you work at, and the effort you put in.
-
Strengthens the Legs and Core
Spinning workouts tone and strengthen the leg muscles and core.
Start at a low or moderate pace, increasing your workouts’ intensity and resistance level over time. Working harder at a higher resistance level will burn extra calories, and your muscles will become stronger and tone up faster.
-
Low-Impact
Another significant benefit of spinning exercise is that it places very little pressure on the joints when undertaken using the correct form. This makes it an excellent option for people who are unable to do weight-bearing exercise.
Cycling’s smooth action can strengthen the muscles and joints of the knees and hips and prevent muscles from being over-extended. With stronger joints and muscles, the risk of sprains, tears, joint pain, and other stress injuries decreases.
-
Low Risk of Injury
As mentioned above, spinning exercise is gentle on the joints.
Additionally, the seat and handlebars of a spin bike provide upper and lower body support that is not present in many forms of exercise.
This adds protection from some common back, foot, knee, and shoulder injuries that can occur when doing high-impact workouts.
However, the repetitive motion of spinning for an extended period can put excessive strain on the joints, especially the lower back, hips, and knees.
This can lead to overuse injuries, such as muscle strains, Achilles tendonitis, IT band Syndrome, and plantar fasciitis.
-
Suitable for All Fitness Levels
Another of the benefits of spinning workouts is that they are suitable for individuals of any age and fitness level.
If you are new to exercise, cycle at a slow pace. When you are fitter, for further gains, cycle faster, increase your workouts’ resistance level, and extend them.
Drawbacks of Spinning Workouts
While spin bike workouts are a fun and effective way to burn calories, reduce body fat and improve your cardiovascular health, as with most things, along with the good comes the not-so-good.
Having said that, the negative aspects of spinning workouts are pretty minor. Read on to find out what they are.
-
Gym membership cost
The cost of gym memberships can be prohibitive, making it difficult for some people to access this form of exercise.
With the demand for at-home spin bikes escalating in recent years, many excellent options that won’t set you back an arm and a leg are now available.
If you pay for the bike in a single installment, the upfront cost will be higher, but you will save a lot of money over time.
You will, however, need space for the bike, and you may miss the opportunity to mix and socialize with others.
And when working out at home, alone, you may find it more challenging to stay motivated. This is where a spin DVD, YouTube, or a cycling app can help.
-
Seat discomfort
You will likely find working out on a stationary bike uncomfortable until you become accustomed to it. This is often the case, even with high-end exercise and regular road bikes.
A padded bicycle seat or padded cycling shorts will go a long way towards alleviating the problem.
Regardless of whether or not you take this precaution, you can still expect to experience sore buttocks at first. This is usually a short-term issue, but it is worth considering.
-
Limited Upper Body Benefits
Spinning workouts are excellent for toning and strengthening the legs and core. However, they are less effective for toning the arms, shoulders, upper back, or chest. To get a total body workout, you will need to include another form of exercise in your regimen to exercise your upper body.
-
Limited Variety
While there are a number of different spin exercises you can do, and you will be able to vary your workout further by adjusting your 
bike’s tension, the basic cycling motion you will be doing throughout can become repetitive.
Some people thrive on this, while others prefer a lot of variety. If you become bored easily, spinning workouts may not be for you.
Most spin bikes come with workout DVDs set to music. By cycling to upbeat music and/or following along with an online class, your sessions will be more enjoyable, and the time you spend doing them will seem to pass a lot faster.
-
Indoor Setting
A benefit of spinning workouts for anyone living in an area with unpredictable weather is that they are done indoors. This means you can exercise, regardless of the weather.
The one possible drawback is that you will miss out on your free dose of Vitamin D, courtesy of the sun.
Vitamin D supports and strengthens the bones and teeth and helps to prevent disorders, including osteoporosis and rickets.
* Ten minutes of sunshine a day will provide you with enough Vitamin D. With the high incidence of skin cancer, when exercising outdoors, always wear sunscreen.
-
Limited balance, coordination, and reflex improvement
Indoor cycling is done on a stationary platform.
When using a regular push bike, balance is required to keep the bike upright. And coordination and fast reflexes are needed to negotiate corners, bumps in the road, and the obstacles that are part and parcel of outdoor cycling. You will not experience these when spinning, so you will not hone your skills in these areas.
For anyone unsteady on their feet or worried about exercising on the street, being able to hop on a spin bike in the safety of their home makes this form of exercise a very appealing option.
Final Thoughts on the Benefits of Spinning Workouts
While spinning workouts have some drawbacks, there are far more benefits.
Along with decreasing body fat and torching calories, 
spinning will tone your muscles, build your strength, and improve your endurance and stamina.
Workouts are relatively short, and you won’t need to undertake them daily to get good results.
While the motion of spinning can feel repetitive to some people, others find that the time passes very quickly once they get into a rhythm.
If you’re a person who likes a lot of variety, you can always add other exercises to your routine. Doing so will decrease the likelihood of boredom and keep you challenged and motivated.
Nowadays, there are some very affordable spin bikes made for home use. One of my favorites is the Sunny SF-B1001. Another excellent option is the Sole SB700, which is gym-quality and great value for money.
Click on either of the previous two links to read the relevant review. Or click this link to read reviews of other popular spin bikes.
I hope this article helps you decide if spinning exercise is for you.
Try a spin class at your local gym if you’re still unsure. If you enjoy it, buy a spin bike, and you won’t be restricted to working out a time that may not suit you.
You may also be interested in reading this article on stationary bike benefits for weight loss and toning.
