Over the last few years, indoor cycling has become increasingly popular. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic with gyms and other businesses shutting down for extended periods of time, there was a surge of people bringing indoor cycling into their homes. And with in-home cycling studios popping up as fast as Starbucks, it's safe to assume this workout trend is here to stay.
Think we are kidding? The NPD Group reported that stationary bikes sales nearly tripled during the height of the nationwide shutdown.
With any workout program, there are plenty of myths that will inevitably start circulating. And this can lead to self-doubt and hesitation.
"It's too hard"
"It's not a good all over body workout"
"I'll get bored"
"I hate riding a bike outdoors anyways"
We have heard it all. Truth be told, there's a lot of misinformation out there regarding indoor cycling. And luckily, we are here to dispel those myths!
Common myths and the truth about indoor cycling
Indoor cycling only works the lower part of my body
While you will undoubtedly feel the burn in your thighs, glutes, quads, and calves, indoor cycling definitely offers a full-body workout! Like what, you might be wondering?
Your abs, obliques, and lower back for one. There is a significant amount of core work throughout this low-intensity workout, especially when pushing through resistance.
In addition, many at-home cycling classes through BeachSweat ensure the upper body is involved by incorporating weights to engage your chest, shoulders, triceps, and biceps muscles.
Helpful tip: Cycling form is key! Keep your core engaged during your ride to receive maximum benefits.
I have to be in shape already
You sure don't. The beauty of indoor riding is you have control over your speed and resistance, making it perfect for anybody at any fitness level.
If you are new to exercise or haven't worked out in a while, it's always a good idea to pace yourself and start with classes for beginners. Our instructors offer multiple levels of classes to support your current fitness level, setting you up for success and results.
And like with most exercise programs, the more indoor cycling classes you take, the more strength and endurance you'll build up.
I need outdoor biking experience
Good news—you don't need to be Lance Armstrong to do indoor cycling classes! While outside and indoor biking use similar muscles and mechanics, they are entirely different experiences.
Bike riding outside requires more equipment, time, attention, and training. Therefore, indoor cycling is an excellent option if you don’t want to deal with that.
Indoor cycling is only for women
One of the biggest misconceptions we hear most often is that indoor cycling is for women only. That couldn't be further from the truth!
Indoor cycling classes, like BeachSweat, are designed for both males and females to have fun while getting an intense, results-driven workout.
Don't take our word for it. Here is a list of a few men who regularly ride as part of their exercise routine:
- Patrick Mahomes credits his Superbowl win to his stationary bike.
- Russell Wilson mixes boxing, swimming, and cycling as part of his training.
- While David Beckham may have hung up his soccer cleats, indoor cycling keeps him in shape off the field.
Cycling indoors gets boring
Many people think that indoor cycling is much like riding your bike down the same bike path outside day in and day out. Wrong.
Indoor cycling classes might be low impact, but they aren't low on excitement. Here at BeachSweat, we’ve designed our entire program to give you both visual inspiration and to offer a variety of classes to keep you engaged and having fun. HITT cycling, endurance riding, strength training, and even yoga.....yes, guys do yoga! Trust us.
Indoor cycling can cause problems "down there"
You may have heard from your best bud or that buff guy at the gym that indoor cycling can lead to erectile dysfunction (ED). Now this "myth" has some truth to it. But hear us out.
Some smaller studies have found that men who cycled for too long had a risk of experiencing numbness, tingling, and ED. However, other research with a larger control group has debunked that, finding no real correlation between ED and cycling.
If you are concerned or start to feel some numbness, many experts recommend two things:
- Look into different indoor cycling seat designs. The traditional narrow seat combined with the pressure on the perineum could very well cause tingling.
- Rotate between riding sitting down, and coming out of the saddle (standing up while peddling). This helps relieve some of that weight that's adding pressure.
Getting down in the saddle doesn't have to mess up what's going down in the sheets — if you know what we mean.
Let's ride
Our goal at BeachSweat is to help you get healthier and stronger with visual inspiration and instructor interaction, no matter where you are starting from.
With BeachSweat indoor cycling classes, all you need to do is show up and be ready to sweat some. By some, we mean a lot. We'll take it from there.
Ready to find the motivation to a healthier, happier you? Try out one of our indoor cycling classes now with a free trial!
