We asked JoyRide instructors what they thought were the biggest mistakes riders make in Cycle classes – and how to solve them and avoid injuries. Read these top six indoor cycling mistakes and learn how to avoid them!
When setting up your bike at JoyRide, there are a few things to keep in mind. Your seat height, seat position and handlebar position all contribute to an effective ride. When sitting in the saddle, your knee should be slightly bent. Your handlebars should complement this height and help you maintain good posture. While arms are resting on the handlebars, keep a slight bend in your elbows. Before class, ask your instructor or a front desk staff to assist you in customizing your bike perfectly for your height and your ride.
Watch this video here on handlebar height.
So what does “engage your core” mean? First, keep your spine lengthened and shoulders down. Pedal equally with your right and left feet (without favoring one over the other), while keeping your hips back in the saddle. Draw your abdominals in and up and lengthen your spine to establish stability, ensuring a safe workout.
Engaging a stable core while riding has many benefits including: stabilizing the torso, supporting the back/ spine, allowing the spine to remain neutral while the body is in motion, enabling the arms and legs to work more efficiently, reducing chance of injury to the back, hips, and knees and working your abs!
Resistance is your training partner, not your adversary! Remember the mantra: “Resistance equals control and control gives you POWER!” Adding resistance helps you develop endurance, creates a greater challenge with added speed, and ensures you are working to your greatest potential. Exerting more effort against resistance is a guaranteed way to get stronger and burn more calories.
Need more of a challenge? Test out your endurance by climbing to new heights and improving your athleticism with resistance as your tool during our new Resistance Rides. There are no sprints or flat roads: just pure power from 6.5-10 resistance.
Your spine should be neutral and lengthened, not rounded or flexed, which ensures proper posture and weight distribution. A neutral spine also opens your chest to help you breathe. Good posture will protect your body from injury by not adding strain on your joints -- and help your muscles function with optimum efficiency. So roll those shoulders down, keep your back long and strong, lift your chest, and grip lightly on those handlebars!
The key to breath-control is learning to lower your breath rates during high levels of physical exertion by lengthening your exhalation. Your exhalation should be two to three times longer than your inhalation. This breathing technique takes practice, particularly with an increased heart rate, but it is essential to achieving peak athletic performance.
6. Don’t skip the stretch!
At the end of every JoyRide, we stretch our hamstrings, quads, abductors, glutes and piriformis muscle. We also do spine extension stretches to counteract the rounded posture that can happen during class. Never skimp! And if you feel particularly tight, stretch more outside the studio and at home.
Bottom line: If you’re not sure if you have proper form, ask your instructor or front desk staff!