Indoor cycling has long been praised for its high-energy atmosphere, community spirit, and motivational coaching. But do these factors truly make a difference in how much we enjoy a class? A recent study set out to compare group vs. solo indoor cycling sessions and whether the presence of others significantly impacts enjoyment.

Indoor cycling classes provide an intense, structured workout in a controlled environment, making them a popular choice for training to achieve health and fitness goals. However, riding a stationary bike in a studio differs significantly from cycling outdoors; the lack of natural movement, constant pedalling, and varying resistance levels all place different demands on the body. This raises an important question: should your indoor cycling setup match your outdoor bike position, or should adjustments be made for comfort and performance?

Music is the heartbeat of an indoor cycling class. The right playlist can motivate riders, enhance performance, and create an unforgettable experience. A well-structured playlist keeps your class flowing, matching the energy of each phase of the workout while maintaining smooth transitions. In this guide, we’ll explore how to choose the best songs, structure your playlist effectively, and ensure you comply with music licensing rules.

Keeping your indoor cycling classes fun, engaging, and exciting is key to retaining riders and building a strong community. A great workout is important, but how you deliver it can make all the difference. If your classes feel repetitive or uninspiring, riders may lose motivation or stop attending altogether.
So, how do you keep your classes fresh and exciting while still delivering a solid workout? Here are some tried-and-tested strategies to ensure your riders leave every session feeling energised and eager to come back.

With so many indoor cycling workouts available, it’s natural to wonder whether some should be avoided as you get older. The short answer? Not really - but there are key considerations to ensure you get the most out of your training, maintain performance, and, most importantly, enjoy your time on the bike.

Improving your Functional Threshold Power (FTP) requires a structured approach that challenges your fitness and builds both your aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. Here are five proven strategies to boost your FTP:

Testing your Functional Threshold Power (FTP) regularly is essential for tracking your fitness and ensuring your training remains effective. FTP represents the maximum power you can sustain for an hour, and it serves as the foundation for your power training zones. Without periodic testing, your zones may become outdated, leading to workouts that are either too easy to challenge you or too hard to sustain, which can result in plateaued progress or burnout.

Functional Threshold Power (FTP) is a key metric in cycling that reflects the maximum power you can sustain for an hour without fatiguing. It is widely used to personalise training, measure fitness, and set power zones for structured workouts. Understanding your FTP and how it relates to your cycling goals is crucial for making meaningful progress.

The science behind Functional Threshold Power (FTP) lies in your body’s ability to produce and sustain energy for cycling through a balance of aerobic and anaerobic systems. FTP represents the power output where your body can clear lactate from the blood as quickly as it produces it, allowing you to ride at a steady state without accumulating fatigue. Once you exceed FTP, lactate builds up, causing fatigue to set in quickly.

You’ve decided to give indoor cycling a go – excellent choice! Whether you’re looking to boost your fitness, shed a few pounds, or simply enjoy a new way to move your body, indoor cycling is a fantastic option. It’s low-impact, high-energy, and suitable for all fitness levels. But if you’re new to it, you might feel a bit unsure where to start. Don’t worry; I’ve got you covered with this guide to help you clip in (or step on) and spin your way to success.

Fitness initiatives, including group classes like indoor cycling, are becoming a popular choice for businesses aiming to invest in their teams’ health.

Focusing on a few critical training areas can significantly enhance your cycling journey, whether you aim to finish a sportive or improve your cycling speed in or out of the studio.

Essential Training Components for Road Cycling

Elevating your heart rate might not seem like the most enjoyable part of your workout week, yet it plays a pivotal role in enhancing your health and extending your lifespan.

Regardless of whether you're just beginning your journey with power-based cycling training or are well-versed in the intricacies of measuring watts, understanding and conducting a Functional Threshold Power (FTP) test is crucial. For cyclists embarking on their training, the initial step often involves an FTP test. This is no coincidence; such testing provides a precise measurement of your current fitness level, ensuring your training intensity is neither too challenging nor too lenient, but perfectly tailored to your needs and goals.

What Being an 'Enhancing' Training Provider Means
Achieving 'Enhancing' status from CIMSPA reflects our commitment to delivering outstanding educational quality. This recognition is awarded following a quality assurance inspection by CIMSPA, marking us as a training provider of quality. It assures both current and future learners of the high standard of training they receive with us​.

In recent years, indoor cycling has transcended its niche of hardcore racers braving the winter to maintain their form, blossoming into a widely embraced fitness phenomenon. Thanks to technological leaps, this form of exercise now presents a multitude of benefits to cyclists of all ambitions.