Indoor cycling question

AMW47
AMW47 Posts: 23 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi!

I'm hoping someone that is experience with indoor cycling classes can help me out with a question I have. When I started taking classes, I was told that you should always have a medium to high resistance when you're standing out of the saddle to help control your speed. Most of the instructors I take classes with seem to work in that state of mind, but there is one class that I've gone to where the instructor has us between 90-100 RPMs at a low resistance while standing.

Which is correct? High resistance while standing makes more sense to me and I've taken to sitting out the standing sprints in that one class because it doesn't feel right in my body. But maybe I'm not doing something right?

Thanks!

Replies

  • dawnr2
    dawnr2 Posts: 29 Member
    I've had a number of different instructors and they all tell you to have sufficient resistant when out of the saddle. We often Sprint while standing but if there's not enough resistance it just feels like the pedals are running away from you. I would make sure that you have enough on at all times, even if sprinting. Hope this helps
  • tkillion810
    tkillion810 Posts: 591 Member
    I'm Spin certified, and this is how I was taught - when you come out of the saddle, you should be adding resistance, even if you're going to do a standing run. This protects the knees. Great question!
  • JosephGadberry
    JosephGadberry Posts: 1
    What's best for bad knees? I need mine replaced in the near future and want to build up some muscle to help with recovery.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Generally speaking the higher resistance while in a standing climb is to actually simulate climbing and to help you maintain upper body stability. (Really grinding it out simulates a steeper climb) In my triathlon classes we'll routinely do shorter climbs while aiming for a cadence of 90rpm (but yes, you'll still add resistance so that you're always in control - you want to maintain a steady upper body)

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