Categories: Chiropractic

Get Off Your Spin Bike and Try This Outdoor Cycling Workout Instead

Sure, spin class feels killer, but outdoor cycling may require you to work even harder, according to a study in Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Plus, “there�s something really nice about covering distance and being in the fresh air and sunshine,” says Jim Rutberg, a cycling expert for Carmichael Training Systems and Strava in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He created the 30-minute interval workout below. If you�re a beginner, try doing the workout in a loop first so you can log the distance without getting too far from home. Once you feel comfortable, turn it into an out-and-back ride and explore some new terrain.

RELATED: The 50 Best Bike Rides in America, State by State

The warm-up:

� 3 minutes easy riding
��1 minute fast pedaling (high cadence, low resistance)
��1 minute easy riding
��1 minute fast pedaling (high cadence, low resistance)
��2 minutes easy riding

The workout:

� Six 30-second speed intervals separated by 30 seconds of easy recovery. Rev your cadence and power as you accelerate for 30 seconds, then pedal very lightly as you slow down for 30 seconds before starting the next effort. These aren�t really sprints so much as hard, seated accelerations.

� 3 1?2 minutes easy recovery

� 8-minute tempo interval. Effort should be a 6 on a rate of perceived exertion scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being as hard as you can go. Your breathing should be deep and controlled, nowhere near panting.

� Cool down with an easy pace for 5 minutes.

This workout burns approximately 285 calories (for a 30-minute ride at 12 to 14 mph for a 150-pound person).

RELATED: 7 Bike Shorts That Will Save Your Crotch

Not sure how to tell if you’re biking at “easy” or “fast”? There are a lot of ways to gauge your intensity level, but you won�t always have a heart rate monitor handy. Instead, you can use a �talk test� to track your efforts.

� Talking casually: recovery pace/easy
��1 to 2 sentences at a time: endurance pace/moderate
� 2 to 3 words at a time: labored breathing/hard

For timed intervals,�look at a watch, or you can time the distance between landmarks, like phone poles, and use those as your markers.

Professional Scope of Practice *

The information herein on "Get Off Your Spin Bike and Try This Outdoor Cycling Workout Instead" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.

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Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.

We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

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Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

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Welcome-Bienvenido's to our blog. We focus on treating severe spinal disabilities and injuries. We also treat Sciatica, Neck and Back Pain, Whiplash, Headaches, Knee Injuries, Sports Injuries, Dizziness, Poor Sleep, Arthritis. We use advanced proven therapies focused on optimal mobility, health, fitness, and structural conditioning. We use Individualized Diet Plans, Specialized Chiropractic Techniques, Mobility-Agility Training, Adapted Cross-Fit Protocols, and the "PUSH System" to treat patients suffering from various injuries and health problems. If you would like to learn more about a Doctor of Chiropractic who uses advanced progressive techniques to facilitate complete physical health, please connect with me. We focus on simplicity to help restore mobility and recovery. I'd love to see you. Connect!

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