3 Ride Drills to Try During Your Next Workout Class

It’s Time to Pump-Up the Intensity

Interestingly, the first Ride indoor cycling classes were held in Crunch gyms in New York. By 1994, spin made national news on Rolling Stone Magazine’s “hot list as the ‘hot exercise’ you need to try.” Fast forward to today, and the trend is still spreading like wildfire.

Ride class is an excellent option for young professionals, busy parents, and those living in more extreme climates. Indoor cyclists boast complete control of their resistance and revolutions per minute (RPMs), and indoor cycling is a low-impact way to challenge your aerobic and anaerobic energy systems effectively.

Let’s explore three Ride drills to try during your next workout to ramp up the intensity and fully embrace the benefits of indoor cycling.

1. Surges

Surges in Ride drills are a great way to increase your power and speed on the bike. They involve pushing yourself hard for a short period of time and then transitioning into a recovery period. In short, it’s a quick increase in pace and effort. It’s important to really give it your all during the surge to get the most out of it.

It helps to use a heart rate monitor to ensure you are pushing yourself hard enough. Surges can be done with intervals of varying lengths, depending on the goal. They can also be done with sprints or hill climbs. It’s a great way to mix up your training and challenge yourself in different ways. It’s essential to note that a surge doesn’t mean an all-out effort. It shouldn’t over-exhaust you to the point of needing a full recovery. Instead, it is at 80-90% your all-out pedaling pace and intensity and requires only a short recovery period.

How to Complete a Surge

To perform a surge on a stationary bike, remain in a seated position and increase the resistance while simultaneously maintaining or increasing cadence. You will quickly reach and then maintain that higher pace. A surge doesn’t last a long time, usually 30 to 60 seconds, before returning to the original pace.

Example Drill

The best part of any stellar surge drill is combining it with pumped-up music. Select a song that fires you up and a resistance equivalent to riding on a flat surface. As the song’s chorus approaches, increase the tension and pick up the pace. Return to your original tension and pace when the song returns to the verse. For more advanced riders interested in a slightly more challenging variation of this cycling workout, you can jump out of the saddle at the higher tension and pace to hit different positions and guarantee a great workout.

2. Progressive Climbs

Progressive climbs in Ride are a great way to challenge yourself, build strength, burn calories, and improve your overall fitness level. A progressive climb is a cycling workout with a series of climbs with increased difficulty and inclines, usually completed over several minutes. This type of ride usually begins with a gradual ascent and then progresses to a more challenging climb each minute. The benefits of progressive climbs in cycling are numerous with real results.

Cycling is a full-body workout, and progressive climbs allow you to target different muscle groups and increase your endurance. Additionally, progressive climbs can help you to build strength and stamina, as well as develop mental toughness, as you push yourself to reach the “summit.” Progressively increasing the difficulty of your climbs can also help you to become a better cyclist. You will be able to develop a better sense of pacing, especially during moments of high intensity, as well as increased balance and control of your bike. And, by gradually increasing your power, you can reduce the risk of injury and burnout.

How to Complete a Progressive Climb

To complete a progressive climb, start by pedaling at a low gear and a low cadence on a stationary bike. Gradually increase the resistance and cadence on the bike during your workout. As you progress, keep a steady pace. Aim to increase the resistance by 1-2 levels every few minutes. Once you’ve completed the climb, reduce the resistance to a low level and take a few minutes to recover and catch your breath before beginning the next climb.

Example Drill

Select a powerful song fit for a mental and physical grind. Select a mildly challenging resistance that can be progressed while maintaining a leg speed of 60–70 RPM. Add some tension to the climb each minute without letting the cadence drop below 60 RPM. It is advisable to stand up on your stationary bike, press your hips back over the saddle and turn this drill into a standing climb, as needed. Always remember to wear your cycling shoes and, if you’re riding solo, keep an eye on your heart rate on your watch.

3. Tabata-Style Spins

Tabata-style workouts are a great way to get a high-intensity workout in a short period of time. In indoor cycling, it is an interval-based workout that combines intense intervals of cycling with brief recovery periods. Tabata-style workouts are highly effective for burning calories and increasing aerobic capacity. They can be tailored to the individual’s fitness level and goals, and can be done in groups or solo. Tabata-style workouts are a great way to get an intense workout in a short amount of time.

How to Complete a Tabata-Style Spin

Each interval usually lasts 4 minutes and consists of 20 seconds of high-intensity cycling followed by 10 seconds of rest. This is repeated eight times, totaling 4 minutes of intense work. During the high-intensity period, the participant should be pushing themselves to the limit, cycling as fast and hard as possible. During the 10-second rest, the participant should reduce the intensity so they can recover and prepare for the next interval.

Example Drill

Warm up for 10 minutes with a light resistance on the bike. Increase the resistance and begin to pedal at a moderate to fast pace for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds by decreasing the resistance and pedaling at a light pace. Repeat the entire circuit for eight total rounds before cooling down for 10 minutes with light resistance on the stationary bike.

Ride class is an excellent option for young professionals, busy parents, and those living in more extreme climates. Indoor cyclists boast complete control of their resistance and revolutions per minute (RPMs), and indoor cycling is a low-impact way to challenge your aerobic and anaerobic energy systems effectively.

Gregory Minnis, DPT, shares that “riding a stationary bike is an effective and efficient way to burn calories while strengthening your heart, lungs, and overall body muscles. Compared to other cardio equipment, a stationary bicycle puts less stress on your joints while still providing an outstanding aerobic workout.”

For additional information on The Ride at Crunch, or to locate classes near you, search here.